BUILDING THOSE FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS (0-2 YEARS)
Heyy, heyy, welcome back to my blog!
Being a parent; we become reflective of all the experiences we have had to face. We always think about our childhood days and the resources we had to assist our learning, compared to the resources that are now available to the children of today. So it's always good, to go back to the beginning, to remember the resources our little ones need to build those fine and gross motor skills.
However, we made it here, with the knowledge and wisdom we require, so we can pass that down to the generations now and yet to come. We have to be thankful for the different types of resources which have evolved, because it allows us to have a new learning experience in life and with our little one/s, but we will never forget the most important learning resources, which will never go out of date!
Here is list of some children’s learning resources and their benefits, which you may find useful.
0-6 months
Sensory play is such an important part of our babies’ growth. It plays a key part in increasing their mobility and their awareness. 0-6 months, is that stage where the following senses become more apparent and heightened; Smell, Touch, Taste, Sight and Hearing.
Sensory play, can be anything from; Tummy Time, Hanging mobile toys, Bubbles to Sensory Playtime (with lights and music).
We do have to remember that every baby is different, so they will respond differently to the types of sensory play above. When my son was younger, he never used to like sensory play with paints, because of the mess and the feeling, but now as he’s older, he’s not as bad. So sometimes; we have to go by how our little one responds, work on what is best for them and try not to push too much on them.
Here are some lovely places to visit, for those perfect sensory resources;
Baby Play Gym Mat; This is such a good sensory toy to have, because not only is it soft and spacious, but it has hanging mobile toys and a kick & play piano! Which will help with the little one’s hand eye co-ordination.
You can find this on Amazon.
Soft Baby Rattle; Who doesn’t love a good rattle? Even me as an adult, making music out of these rattles is so calming! But lets get back to the little one. Soft baby rattles, with help with their motor skills and grasping ability. It’s not too heavy, so they will able to hold it easily, whilst figuring out where the sound of the rattle is coming from.
You can also find this on Amazon.
6 months-1 Years
This stage of development, is truly a beautiful. This is where our child/ren start to boost their development with objects and people. They will start to recognize certain sounds, look and touch. The phase of sitting up, crawling and babbling, which we all enjoy seeing, is here! Lets see below, some useful resources that can aid them through this.
Baby Donut Ring/Sit Me up; My little one used to love this donut ring. Seeing him, just chilling, watching his Desmond Dennis on TV, was so cute! This little donut ring, because the fabric is inflatable, it is so soft, yet sturdy and it gives the little one that back and neck support they require whilst resting. It is spacious, so does give them the option to turn around and eventually crawl over! So Adult supervision, is definitely required. It has many different designs, which are colourful and little soft buttons that the little one can be engrossed in!
You can find this on Amazon.
Sensory Ball Pit; Is such a great way, to get those motor skills going! What’s fun and can gets the little one active? This amazing sensory ball pit! It is great for the indoors, the outdoors and easy to pop up and down, along with storage for the balls. The balls and pit are soft and to help with the little’s ones texture and sound, the ball pit has some lovely attractions such as; the sensory jingle, crinkle and squeak bean bags.
You can find this on Amazon.
1- 2 YEARS
Doesn’t time start to fly? Here is where we start to see our toddler’s characters coming through. They are coming of age, where they are able to express their feelings. Some say terrible twos, but it’s a process of channeling emotions, in the way that they are able to.
As we know, every child is different in: personality, social awareness and physically, but one thing they all have; is the courage to wanting to learn and wanting to fend for themselves. They do so, by learning from others. We will see that they will start to copy movements, pick up words and repeat them and exploring their surroundings; by grasping toys, feeling textures and listening to sounds. All of these social and cognitive development.
Here are some learning resources, that can aid those fine motor skills.
Pop- Up Hammer Toy;
This interactive pop up toy, is ideal for toddlers aged 12 months and up. It is ideal to help toddlers develop their fine motor skills (hand eye co-ordination, recognition of the animals and their sounds). This pop up toy is educational, colourful and accompanied by music, which is sure to keep your little one entertained!
You can find this on Amazon.
Stacking Rings;
Who doesn’t love a good ring stacking? Even adults, find this toy so calming (well I do!) This beautiful stacking ring is ideal for your toddler, as it will help with the development of their eyesight, because of the rainbow colours! If you find that your toddler has gone very quiet in the next room, then this stacking ring has done wonders. It has funny sounds built in, so as your toddler is building, they will be focused and interested at the same time! What better way to develop their concentration and hearing?
You can find this on Amazon.
Children are independent beings; filled with so much wisdom and knowledge, they carry love and are covered with intellect.
They have their ups and they have their downs, but that is life; they just require stability, understanding and patience to be surround them.
Just remember, that every child is unique and they need you, so keep doing the best, in all that you do.
Come back again, as we explore those fine and gross motor skills for 2-5 year olds!
I hope you have found some useful learning resources and if you have a favourite, I would love to know in the comments below. xx