Baby development - Stimulation

• Your baby loves to gaze at your face more than any toy or object so introduce her to some facial expressions, stick out your tongue, purse your lips, wiggle your nose. Babies are great mimics and you may find that she imitates you.

• Hang a black and white or colourful mobile over her cot or put black and white pictures in her cot.

• A baby needs to learn to track objects with her eyes. You can help her do this by moving a brightly coloured squeaking toy or rattle across her line of vision from side to side. Take care not to move it too fast or too far away. When she stops looking hold the object still encouraging her to focus again before you continue.

• Put a baby safe mirror in her cot so that your baby can enjoy looking at herself although at this age she won’t even know that the reflection she sees is her face.

• Lie your baby on her back and gently move her legs in a bicycle movement whilst singing a song like ‘The Wheels on the Bus go Round and Round.

• Your baby won’t realise her feet and hands are hers for a while. Playing games like ‘This Little Piggy’ will encourage her awareness.

• Put your baby on her tummy, hold a bright toy in front of her face, call her name and see if your baby is able to lift her head just a little. You can do the same thing where you lie on your back and have your baby on your tummy.

• Babies love toys that make a noise or play music, something that plays a tune or rattles will grab her attention and moving it around will help her to learn to locate the source of a sound.