As children grow and develop, they explore new concepts and ideas that adults may take for granted. It is not possible to simply explain these concepts to your child; he must develop them himself through thought and experimentation. Choose toys and activities for your child that allow him an opportunity to both be physically active and develop his brain. Simply bringing your child along with you through your life will expose him to a wide world of sights, sounds and situations to learn from.
Step 1
Stay positive when interacting with your child. Much can be communicated non-verbally, and worry or pressure can send the wrong signals to your child. Genuinely encourage and reward your child's progress.
Step 2
Expose your child to a variety of toys and social situations. Though educational videos are convenient, your child needs to experiment with physically manipulable objects such as blocks. With many toys, it can be easy for a child to be overstimulated; try to rotate toys to expose her to a wider variety.
Step 3
Actively challenge your child to be physically active during play, especially as he is learning to walk. Motor skills and balance are developed through trial and error. Set aside a special play area where it is safe for your child to walk around and inevitably fall over.
Step 4
Talk with your child regularly. Verbally interact with your child using her own developing words, but also expose her to well-formed communication between adults. Your child will glean an astonishing amount of information from hearing you talk, even without directly addressing her.
Step 5
Expose your child to interactions with other children and adults. Allow your child to experience the emotions -- happiness, sadness, anger, frustration -- that come with these without making him feel guilty or embarrassed for feeling them.
References
- How Kids Develop; What Is Child Development and What Skills Do Children Develop at Different Ages?; 2008
- "Child Psychology: A Contemporary Viewpoint"; Ross Parke, et al.; 2008
