Play Time with Your Infant

It’s amazing how fast time can go from the time your infant is a newborn to the time he/she becomes a toddler. Development, from gross motor to fine motor to speech grows at a rapid pace. We owe this miracle of development to the plasticity of our brains.

The neurons in our brain are reproducing and making connections daily. From the moment a baby is born, they are taking in information from their surroundings and trying to make some sense out of it. All this learning is made easier when they are in “play” mode.

Why play supports development

It’s amazing how fast time can go from the time your infant is a newborn to the time he/she becomes a toddler. Development, from gross motor to fine motor to speech grows at a rapid pace. We owe this miracle of development to the plasticity of our brains.

The neurons in our brain are reproducing and making connections daily. From the moment a baby is born, they are taking in information from their surroundings and trying to make some sense out of it. All this learning is made easier when they are in “play” mode.

How babies learn through play

According to this AAP’s HealthyChildren.org article, 3 Brain-Building Ways to Play With Your Baby - HealthyChildren.org, “Infants are in what we consider a sensorimotor stage of play. This is all about taking in information with their senses, moving around rooms and grabbing and handling objects. They are mastering being a part of the 3D world and mapping it in their brains. It's pretty cool. Soon, once they are a toddler, they will get to symbolic play (vrooming a car around, using a hammer to bang on things). Then comes pretend play (pretending to be a lion or to sweep the floor). And, before you know it, you may see them leading a classroom of stuffed animals (imaginative play)!”

Play tips for infants and toddlers

Here are some tips to help your infant and toddler engage in play activity and learning:

• Use your surroundings and objects nearby to engage their interest. Keep in mind their attention span is short, so it’s up to you to make things interesting and change their focus or view when you notice they are starting to get bored.
• Let them use their bodies for development and exercise. Starting with tummy time as newborns, build from 1 minute to 10 minutes. Place objects of interest in front of them to help build time. As they go from sitting to crawling and eventually walking, they will see the world (and your house) from different perspectives.
• There are many websites and books that will give you ideas on play activities to engage your infant. You’ll notice that electronics, phones or tablets are not necessary to help them learn and play.
• Know when it’s time to take a break. Your infant will give you cues such as looking away, start to cry or just plain spit up. This becomes a good segway to holding and cuddling your infant, singing a song or going for a walk.

Cherishing the moment

As you take on the role of being a teacher for your infant, take the time for yourself to cherish the smiles and the hugs.

Resource

Power of Play - HealthyChildren.org