A baby's brain is amazingly active, even from such an early age. There are simple things you can do from the very start to encourage their development, which will help you see for yourself the amazing ways that they can use their brain in early life. Try these fun activities to help amp up that brain power even more.
Read aloud
Nurture a passion for reading, early on. Choose books with large and colorful pictures; point to pictures, and say the sounds that go along with the pictures.
Make conversation
Respond to any coos from your baby with upbeat vocals. The speech and language areas in their brain will benefit from your input.
Sing songs
Songs can enhance your baby's learning through rhythms and language patterns. Try singing songs that use actions, like 'Itsy Bitsy Spider', to help your baby integrate sound with actions.
Baby massage
The same way it does for an adult, massage decreases a baby's stress and enhances their feelings of wellbeing and emotional security.
Utilise nappy changes
When changing your baby's nappy, you are the ideal distance away from their eyes to attract attention to your speech, so make the most of this time by interacting with them.
Be hands on
Play games that involve moving your hands around, like 'Peekaboo' and 'This Little Piggy'. Babies respond well to this kind of simple learning.
Child's play
Choose developmentally appropriate toys to allow your baby to explore and interact, as it helps them to retain the information they have learnt.
