Infants develop physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively, meeting many developmental milestones in the first years of life. Each baby develops at her own rate, with general guidelines offering a frame of reference for parents. Many everyday activities help infants reach those developmental milestones, giving them a solid foundation for further development. Discuss any developmental concerns with your child's doctor.
Interaction
The way you interact with your infant makes an impact on his overall development. Talk to your baby on a regular basis rather than talking around him. This helps him develop language skills while offering social interaction. Conversations with your infant can take place anywhere, such as during bath time, in the car or while you're changing his diaper. Imitating the sounds your baby makes encourages him to continue. Singing songs and reading books serve a similar purpose. The attention from a loving adult helps your infant feel safe, secure and loved, helping his social and emotional development.
Games
Simple games offer many developmental benefits for infants. Rolling a ball to her, helping her stack blocks and playing peek-a-boo are just a few examples of games that work well for infants. The games help the baby develop her physical skills while helping her understand how things work. Placing toys just out of her reach helps a baby problem solve and practice scooting, rolling or crawling. Many play activities for babies help them expand on their developmental skills.
Sensory Activities
Sensory activities engage the physical and cognitive skills of the infant. Sensory activities take on many forms. Touching different textures works well for babies as long as the textured pieces are large enough so they won't pose a choking hazard. Tearing pages from a magazine and crumpling them is a simple task that stimulates the child. Another option safe for babies is finger painting with pudding. Mix up a box of pudding and place a scoop on paper. Encourage him to move the pudding around the paper with his finger.
Tummy Time
Placing your infant on her tummy is often recommended as a way to develop muscles and neck control. Start with short tummy time sessions, as your infant may not like being on her tummy. Holding out interesting toys or placing them on the floor in front of her encourages her to lift her head. Another effective method is to get down on the floor with her at her level.
Meeting Needs
Meeting your infant's basic needs consistently strengthens your bond and makes him feel secure, according to the Mayo Clinic. The infant feels more confident that his needs will be met, which may help him calm down on his own in the future. Taking care of your baby's needs builds his trust as part of his social and emotional development.
