At 8 – 12 months your baby is on the move and getting into everything, developing skills like problem solving, investigating and experimenting. He or she is becoming more excited and curious about the world. They’re learning how to point and make sounds at the things they want and are beginning to understand how they affect the people around them.
The following information has been sourced from the Early Years Learning Framework Developmental Milestones booklet, developed by Community Child Care Co-operative Ltd NSW (CCCC) for the Department of Education.
How can you encourage your baby’s learning?
- Provide opportunities that challenge, intrigue and surprise them
- Encourage them when they try to explore e.g. try to crawl to get something
- Share their achievements with family and people around them
- Look at books together, naming and pointing to the pictures
- Talk to your baby in simple language
- Take turns in playing simple games e.g. clapping, blowing bubbles or finger and toe songs and games
- Sing nursery rhymes with actions e.g. round and round the garden
- Place a toy out of reach and encourage them to crawl or walk to it
- Give them finger foods, using different tastes and textures
- Give them space to crawl and pull themselves up on furniture
- Encourage them to mimic you using simple sounds and words
- Always let them know you or another family member is there with them
What are some of the different developmental milestones you can observe?