Check out the Alphabet ‘n Numbers Foam Puzzle Mat here…

-Colleen

* Cognition – simply means what has come to be known through processing information, reasoning, perception, awareness and knowledge.  Your child is learning all day, every day which is increasing his cogntive skills. 

Toys that will improve cognitive development – mirrors, puzzles, books, rattles, stacking toys,teethers, toys with colors, toys with shapes, toys with textures, toys with images, play gym, activity center, (any toy where he is processing some information!)

* Visual Stimulation- your child stimulates his vision by playing with toys with bright colors, shapes, and other unique images.  He is learning through his eyes this way.  It is very important that your child stimulates his vision.  He will do this as an infant by looking at you, his hands, a rattle and a mobile.   

Toys that will stimulate vision – mirrors, rattles, toys with colors, toys with shapes, toys that move, mobiles, play gym, activity center, musical crib attachment, books, musical crib attachment

* Auditory Stimulation- your child will stimulate his hearing by listening to classical music, your voice, sounds from his environment, etc.  Stimulating his hearing is allowing him to learn about his envrionment.  He sill love to hear your voice the most.  Toys with animal sounds, environmental sounds will allow him to learn and make him happy.

Toys that will stimulate hearing – music, musical toys, musical mobile, rattles, play gym, activity center, books, musical crib attachment, your voice

* Fine Motor Skills- your little one will be working on his fine motor control when he bats at things, grabs things, holds things, and hits things.  He will grow to have better fine motor control as he gets older.  You will notice that around 7 or 8 months he will even be able to use a pincer grasp to pick up finger foods. 

Toys that stimulate fine motor abilities – puzzles, blocks, rattles, stacking rings, balls, activity center, play gym, books, musical crib attachment, peek-a-boo blocks, taggies

* Gross Motor Skills – your child will be working on his gross motor control when he uses his bigger muscles. (legs, arms, head, feet, body)  He will be strengthening these muscles as he grows by playing.  By strengthening them he will learn to lift his head, wave, roll over, sit up, crawl, stand, walk (and so on!)

Toys that will stimulate gross motor abilities – play gym, balls, activity center, tunnel

* Language Skills – your little one will constantly be learning language!  He will become very receptive to language (understanding language) and eventually expressive (speaking verbally) by listening to you, familly and friends.  He will also learn from his environment (toys, television, outside sounds)  Don’t forget, he begins listening at a very early age and can understand more than you think!  Make sure you read to him from the start and talk and sing to him.  He will love it!  Label(name) things in his enviornment, especially things that he really likes.  For example, if he loves that rubber duck that is in the tub, show him the duck and say “duck” .  Soon he will approximate (try to say the word, but say only part of the word) the word “duck”  and before you know it he will clearly and proudly say “duck!”  Another proven way to stimulate one’s communication skills is through baby sign language. 

Toys that will stimulate language skills – books, music, television (Sesame Street, Baby Einstein and other educational and age appropriate shows/movies), toys with language, favorite toys,that make sounds or move,  sign language, you!

* Imitation – Your baby will learn from imitating you and family.  For example, if you keep showing him how to do “So big”, he will eventually put his arms up as you did.  (It is so exciting when that day finally comes)  He will imitate you verbally as well.  It is so important to talk to your baby.  Have conversations and let him join you!  Read to him and let him listen to the silly sounds you make.  Label things in his enviornment and eventually he will imitate you.  If you are using baby sign language with him, use the sign language even though you know he cannot imitate.  After seeing you do the sign enough times and he grows, he will imitate you.  Imitation is a great way to learn. 

Toys that stimulate imitation skills – mirrors, books, favorite toys that move or make sounds, you! 

* Cause and Effect – it is a great way to learn.  Your child will be learning that if he does something, he will be rewarded.  For example, he will learn that when he pushes down on the button of a toy, a fun sound is hear.  Or when he makes a silly face, everyone laughs.  Once he understands the concept, he will repeatedly push that button and make that silly face to make you laugh.

Toys that simulate cause and effect skills – stacking blocks, musical crib attachment, jack in the box, play gym, you, Laugh and Learn toys (the puppy, the toolbench and the learning tools), other toys that reward child with sound/activity after he manipulates it,

Oral development – your baby even learns through his mouth!  It is important that he stimulate his mouth (wake his mouth up) by exploring different textures.  He will gain oral motor control by doing this.   What does that mean?  Well, he will learn to make sounds, babble, eat, chew, suck, etc through oral motor experiences.

Toys that stimulate oral motor – rattles, teethers, toys with various textures (hard, soft, bumpy, smooth, etc.), blankets, taggies books, taggies blanket, play gym, activity center, soft building blocks, peek-a-boo blocks, taggies stacking toy, food

Enjoy the Melissa and Doug Magnetic Farm Hide and Seek by clicking here…

-Colleen-

To have fun with the Melissa and Doug Large Shape Puzzle, click here…

-Colleen-

To learn more about the Melissa and Doug Large Farm Puzzle, click here…

-Colleen-