1 month Stay with your baby and gaze at him close up, why do this? Because at this time his optimal visual range is 15-20cm and he likes to gaze at faces. So when he’s not sleeping, lean your face close to him and whisper naturally. 2 months Help your baby develop better hand movements and vision by holding his hands and clapping and singing together. Over time, he will try to imitate your movements and sounds, promoting hand-eye coordination and language development. Next, your baby will also begin to imitate your facial expressions. So try to hold your baby as close to you as possible, stick out your tongue, open your mouth wide, or give him an exaggerated smile. In the coming months, he will begin to mimic your expressions. 3 months Your baby may begin to play with her hands and touch things. Work on her hand-eye coordination by engaging her with colorful rattles and toys. She will also enjoy lifting her head. Encourage playing on her back. Provide a safe mirror for him to look in. It will make him happy. 4 months Social, motor and expressive language skills develop rapidly during this period. Your baby will babble happily to express emotions when given a distinctive toy, and will express unhappiness or cry if the toy is taken away. And guess what – now she’s ticklish! At about 14 weeks, she begins to develop a scratching reflex. 5 Months Your baby’s eyes and ears are starting to work like yours. Your baby also starts babbling. Try answering her and repeating his sounds to help her learn how to communicate. Repeat words and encourage her when she tries to imitate you. Start reading books, pointing out objects and saying their names. 6 months Your baby will soon learn to sit up and move around. Put him down on his back and move him around. Then put toys on the floor and encourage him to reach for them. As babies of this age will put almost everything in their mouths, you need to make sure that toys are larger than the size of the inner tube of toilet paper rolls and keep your home safe. 7 months Your baby’s hands are developing further – she will be able to twirl things in the coming months and develop her fine motor skills by providing her with small, safe objects for him to pick up. Plastic measuring spoons or small cups work very well, or let him pick up small grasses outdoors. At first, she’ll find it difficult, but then she’ll be fascinated — and try to pull out — a single page of paper. 8 months This period stimulates your baby’s spatial sense and word use. For starters, choose the kind of toys that fit one inside the other during this period, like pots and pans, for example. Or try asking your baby, “Where’s your nose?” Point to his nose. As you repeat the game, add more body language to teach your baby the meaning of language. 9 months This is a time when your baby may be fascinated by things that open and close. Keep an eye on her as she plays with books with cardboard cases, cupboard doors, box lids and toys that pop open, as her hand-eye coordination develops rapidly. 10 months Your baby may enjoy finding things that are hidden. Play “peek-a-boo”. Help him develop fine-motor skills and the concept of objective object permanence – meaning knowing an object is there even if you don’t see it. Hide a brightly colored object under a scarf or some sand. Then place your baby’s hand on the object to help him discover it. Soon he will find it on his own without help. 11 months Stimulate language development through lots of play and songs. Language develops through communication through people – not through baby DVDs or TV – so talk to your baby as often as you can. Tell her what you’re doing, ask questions, and use dramatic gestures and vocal tones. She will observe and notice. Your baby’s development Some babies talk early. Some babies crawl earlier than their peers. All babies mature at their own pace. Different development rarely indicates a problem with your baby. If you have any concerns, consult your pediatrician. It is often just a difference in normal children. So relax and enjoy your time with your baby!