Milestones: Newborn Milestones: 0-3 Months Milestones: 3-6 Months Milestones: 6-12 Months Milestones: 12-18 Months Milestones: 18-24 Months Milestones: 3 Years Old Milestones: 4 Years Old
School. Six little letters that can cause tears to prick in the eyes of any parent of a newly turned 5 year old. It is such a proud moment to see them head off to school, but it does make you seriously wonder where those last 5 years disappeared off to so quickly!
Let have a look at those 5 year old milestones…
Milestones: 5 Years Old
Independence
Your 4 year old was indignant about their independence, insisting that they have it. You will discover a whole new level of independence from your 5 year old. While they are not so concerned with yelling at you that they can do things themselves, something within them will change.
Suddenly, there is another very real authority figure in their life. Their teacher. And you will find that they will adore and respect what their teacher has to say. So much so that they may begin to question some of your instructions because it isn't what “Mrs Grey [insert appropriate teacher name here] said…”
They will also begin to become a little bit wordly. While they are still reliant on you for so many things, they are beginning to develop some true independence. That is an exciting milestone, but it can be a little hard for us parents to adapt to. Expect some possible personality hiccups in your little cherub as they find their way at school, and how to balance their new knowledge with their home life.
Encourage their independence by giving them small jobs to do. Make their bed, put their folded washing away, or helping in the kitchen. You will be helping them learn some valuable life skills at the same time.
Sleeping
There is an awful lot of new things to process as a 5 year old. A new school environment with a new authority figure, new friends, and a whole lot of new things to learn. So don’t be surprised if this affects their sleeping. You might experience some sleep regression.
Their little brains will be working overtime to process all of this new stuff. So it might interrupt their sleeping at night. Little ones who were sleeping through the night might begin to wake unexpectedly for reassurance.
You might also find that you need to overhaul their whole bedtime schedule. They may need to go down earlier than usual after such intense days of learning. And you know what that can mean. Earlier bedtimes are great for getting more of your evening, but then those little roosters can be up with the sun the next morning.
Eventually their sleeping should settle back down to normal. This will be once they are settled and comfortable at school. If you are concerned about their sleeping, then it certainly doesn't help to get some advice from a sleep expert.
New Skills
With all that extra learning at school, they will be developing some pretty impressive skills. Not only can they write their own name and recognise all of the alphabet’s letters, but they will be learning to read also. Encourage their love of these things and let them show you their skills, even if they can be frustratingly slow. Don't crush their enthusiasm and love of learning now, as that will be hard to regain in later years.
Along with the academic skills, you will notice your 5 year old has a rather impressive vocabulary and they are really able to express themselves verbally. Expect lots of stories retold in long form. They are also developing their social skills in the classroom and in the playground.
Be aware that playground dramas can start from a young age. You will probably hear tales of “such and such told me they didn’t want to be my friend today”. This can be heartbreaking for a 5 year old who just wants to be loved by their friends. Teach them the aspects of being a good friend and treating others the way they want to be treated. Hopefully it will help them to pick friends with the same values.
Imaginations
Your 5 year old will have a giant imagination. That lends itself well to pretend play, but it can also mean some tall tales. By asking some careful questions you will be able to weed out the truth of the story. Check out our blog on why children lie for a bit more information on the topic.
Because they are developing their imaginations, your 5 year old can be prone to playing out worrying situations in their heads. Have they caught the wrong bus, will that cat scratch me, will Mummy lose me at the supermarket? It is natural to worry about certain things, but if the worry gets intense then your child could be experiencing mild anxiety. We wrote a blog on that too, so you can have a read here. If you are concerned about your child’s anxiety, then consult a medical professional.
Feed Their Brain
Your child will be able to grasp the rules for simple games and will be thirsty for knowledge. These activities will help to feed those hungry little brains, but are still fun.
Science: Simple science experiments will fascinate your 5 year old. The messier the better! They are learning cause and effect, but still get to do something fun.
Gardening: This is a task they will need some help with, but they will love it. Not only do they get to learn responsibility by nurturing and watering a plant, but it can encourage healthy eating if they grow their own veggies for dinner.
Craft: All that imagination and creativity can be channeled into craft. Their fine motor skills are getting more advanced, so get them to practice precision colouring, cutting with scissors, and gluing small objects.
Hunting and Gathering: 5 year olds love little treasures that they can find. This can be anything from rocks, to leaves, to shells, to feathers. You will probably come home with your pockets full after a walk.
Anything With Water: Swimming, running through a sprinkler, playing with the hose, helping to wash the car, watering the plants, water balloons and water pistols will all be firm favourites. You don’t need to embrace being squirted by the hose, but let your child develop their water confidence and being outside.
I think that turning 5 is the first big independent step that your 5 year old will take. Suddenly their home is not the complete centre of their world. Relish this time as they will want to involve you in their other world of school if you let them!
]]>Milestones: Newborn Milestones: 0-3 Months Milestones: 3-6 Months Milestones: 6-12 Months Milestones: 12-18 Months Milestones: 18-24 Months Milestones: 3 Years Old
Congratulations, you have managed to survive the first year of confusion, the terrible twos and the three-nager stages. Now is the time to savour that last year before they are all grown up and off to school.
I have to say that when it comes to milestones 4 years old were some of my favourites. They are old enough to start accomplishing the things that they want to do, so begin to grow their independence. But they also still love cuddles and lots of parent time.
Let’s look at those milestones now.
Milestones - 4 Years Old
Independence
“I can do it myself!”
Be prepared to hear this statement a lot. Also be prepared to clean up many messes after the effort your 4 year old makes trying to do things themselves. While the messes are a pain, learning to do tasks independently is an important rite of passage for them.
Their developing motor skills will mean that there are some simple tasks and chores they can do on their own. They will be able to get a drink from the tap, clear their plates from the table, or pour their own cereal into their bowl. Watch them fill with pride as they complete these tasks.
But there are still some things they will not be able to master yet. They might struggle with zips and buttons when dressing, and they may not register that plates and glasses are fragile. You will also need to help them brush their teeth as they do not have the precision required to do it effectively.
Your 4 year old will also be very good at pushing the boundaries to see if they can get themselves more wiggle room when it comes to the rules! Don't be afraid to tell them no, even if they don’t like it (I promise you, no kid likes to be told no!). Children need and appreciate boundaries, especially ones that concern their safety and the safety of others. Discipline can be just as important as love for a child.
Time
There is one thing that I can say without a doubt, 4 year olds do yet not have a firm concept of time. You will send them to their room to get dressed. 20 minutes later you will go in to check on them and they will be prancing around wearing one sock… and nothing else.
It doesn’t matter what you read, all parenting advice will eventually mention establishing a routine. Routines work for four years olds as they help them begin to tell time. By sticking to a routine, your 4 year old will start to grasp the concepts of past, present and future. They will automatically reach for their toothbrush after bath time, or their shoes before walking out the door in the morning.
Help them learn about time by counting down to special events on the calendar, explaining that you will need to leave in an hour, or telling them they have 5 minutes left to play before bedtime. This will help them to gain perspective on time and the different measures used.
Feelings
Your 4 year old is starting to be able to recognise their feelings. This helps them to process when things are happening to them, but it also helps them to empathise with others. The simple feelings they experience like sadness, happiness and anger are the easiest to recognise in themselves and in others because they are familiar. The more complex feelings of jealousy and embarrassment will take some extra explaining.
Being able to understand feelings allows them to interact with adults and children in a deeper way. This can lead to bonds with specific family members and they might start to form special friendships with their peers. Their communication is also at a level that allows them to express these feelings when they need to.
Sharing is getting easier, but can still be a challenge at this age. Your 4 year old will understand the sharing concept, but it doesn’t mean that the 5 minutes it takes them to wait for their turn on the trampoline will be any less whiney!
Sleeping
Deep breaths! Sleeping can be a minefield topic at any age. There is no set time when your child will sleep through the night. Some 4 years olds will continue to wake every night. Some will be able to self settle, others will require reassurance and cuddles.
Some will still need to wear a nappy or pull up to bed, some will be dry all night long. These little people that we are raising certainly have their own personalities and hit their milestones at different times.
Don’t be surprised if your 4 year old suddenly becomes a rooster, waking the rest of the family from their slumber well before they are ready - at the crack of dawn, or sometimes before! If this is happening on a regular basis then remove any daytime naps. At 4 years old, any daytime napping subtracts from the time they will sleep at night. It could also be worth moving their bedtime to a slightly later time so that they don’t wake so early.
Attention Span
Your 4 year old is much more able to focus for longer periods of time now. This is great news because it opens up a whole new avenue of possibilities for activities. Especially as their artistic side will begin to show through as well.
Try these activity ideas…
Hide and Seek: While their hiding places might be a bit questionable to begin with, this will be a game they will enjoy because 4 year olds love to explore.
Scavenger Hunt: In keeping with the exploring theme, create a scavenger hunt for them. You can either verbally give them a list, or have a sheet of paper with pictures that they need to find. You can print some great free scavenger hunts online.
Building Toys: You can totally get creative with building, look at branching out from standard blocks. Instead, you can use toilet rolls with holes punched in them and pencils, marshmallows and toothpicks, mud bricks made in an ice cube tray, or even pieces of wood.
Painting: As we have noted, 4 year olds love mess. So it stands to reason that they also love painting! Just a plain piece of paper, paint and a paintbrush will do. But you can also get creative with frozen ice block paints that melt, watered down paint in a spray gun, finger painting, face painting, stamping with potatoes, or splatter painting.
Outdoors: Pretty much anything outdoors will amuse them! Running around after a ball, obstacle courses, riding bikes, ten pin bowling with bottles and a ball, blowing bubbles, or playing catch with wet sponges.
Puzzles and Simple Board Games: These will challenge their little brains, test their attention span, encourage teamwork and turn taking, as well as work their skills of logic and problem solving.
Four year olds are all kinds of fun. They are adventure, curiosity and attitude in a steadily growing package. Delight in these milestones, as next year they will be off to school and will hit a whole new level of development. Tune in next time when we look at those 5 year old milestones in the last blog of our milestones series!
]]>Milestones: Newborn Milestones: 0-3 Months Milestones: 3-6 Months Milestones: 6-12 Months Milestones: 12-18 Months Milestones: 18-24 Months
Do you feel like you blinked and suddenly your baby is now a full blown little person? I mean, surely it was just the other day that you were pregnant!
When your Mum used to preach that the days are long, but the years are short, you used to scoff. But man there is some truth to that saying!
So anyway, congratulations on having a 3 year old. That is a milestone in itself! You are about to open yourself up to a new world of adventure, giggles, noise and mess. But you will love almost every second of it! Let’s have a look at those 3 year old milestones.
Kindergarten
Around 3 years of age, lots of children begin kindergarten. Some have obviously started in daycare or preschool facilities before the age of 3, but this is traditionally the age to start kindy.
Kindergarten will be your child’s first taste of an environment similar to schooling. Admittedly, a lot more playing and getting messy in the sandpit than at school though! But they will learn to trust and respect teacher figures, get the chance to socialise with their peers without the safety net of their parents and explore their independence.
While this is a fantastic and worthy experiences, it is not without its challenges. Both for kids and parents! A lot of the time before kindy, the children have predominantly been at home with a parent, so there is a definite adjustment period for both parent and child. Here is some of what to expect.
Learning To Let Go
This one is for the Mama and Papa Bears. You are so super excited that your little one gets to have this experience, but damn it is hard to walk away from that gate and leave them inside. Expect tears - yes, we are still talking about you. And expect the potential of feeling lost, not quite knowing what to do with yourself now that they are at kindy.
This feeling will pass when you see everything they get out of the experience. But one of the best ways to cope with it is to feel 100% certain about the kindergarten/daycare/preschool that you are trusting your child with. Not all of them are created equal, so make sure you visit as many local ones as you need to make the right decision. Show up unannounced so that you can see what the facility is really like and observe how the teachers interact with the children and each other. Go with your gut and trust your instincts on which facility is right for your family!
New Found Skills - Not All Appreciated
Kindergarten is an excellent opportunity for your child to learn new things about themselves and from others. While teachers can be a wonderful influence, enriching the minds of those they teach, some of your child’s peers don’t teach to the same degree.
You may find yourself dealing with pushing, hitting, biting, sass and new unexpected words as a result of your child’s social interactions in the playground. These things can be a bit of a shock when they start to happen as it brings a whole new level of parenting - explaining to your child the behaviour expected of them even when you aren't there to enforce it!
Tiredness
You will probably find that your child will run themselves ragged at kindy. This can affect their sleep routines. You might find that you want to trial an earlier bedtime if your little one is absolutely exhausted in the evenings. They may need a nap or quiet time after a morning of kindy, but try to resist the urge of letting them sleep after a full day at kindy. Otherwise, they will be up for all hours of the night!
Despite their obvious exhaustion, you might also discover a disruption in their normal sleep routines. So if they usually sleep through the night, you might find they wake more. This is quite common as their little brains process all the big changes they are experiencing.
You might also find they are more clingy with you at home. If they have been used to spending all day with you, then suddenly this changes, they might be keen to relish the time by your side. Even if that is not so convenient for you at 3am!
Lunchbox Legionnaire
Welcome to the lunchbox packing club! This is a long term membership to a club that just doesn't quit! Prepping kindy lunches can start out as a really fun task, but gradually becomes tiresome as food comes home uneaten and you find yourself packing the same things day in and day out.
Here are our tips for lunchbox packing:
New Interests
All of the new toys and games at kindy will bring with it lots of new interests. These are some toys your kids will love…
Stay tuned for our next milestone installment on 3-5 year olds!
]]>Milestones: Newborn Milestones: 0-3 Months Milestones: 3-6 Months Milestones: 6-12 Months Milestones: 12-18 Months
Uh-oh, if you have entered the 18-24 month age bracket then you are about to enter the dreaded… Terrible Twos!
OK, so the terrible twos might be a bit of an old wive’s tale, but your little one will definitely begin to test the boundaries and express themselves around this time. You might also discover that the word ‘No’ appears quite frequently in their vocabulary! But it’s not all bad. Despite the tantrums and the flexing of their muscles, this is also a really fun age group.
Behaviour
Let’s not beat around the bush, toddlers can be terrors! Part of the reason for that is caused by the word that they love so much, ‘no’.
Now that they can walk, run, climb and do any other number of movement related actions, they are also able to get into everything. And they are fast! That means they are going to experience boundaries for the first time - they will hear ‘no’ a lot.
‘No, don’t climb over the railing on the stairs’, ‘No, don’t run in the carpark’, ‘No you can’t put your fingers in the power socket’, or ‘No you can’t have ice cream for dinner’.
They will be frustrated by this sudden clipping of their wings and try to communicate that frustration. Because their verbal communication can't quite keep up with their brain yet, the result is tantrums. Tantrums also occur when your toddler gets frustrated over not being able to complete tasks that she feels she should be able to.
The important thing to remember is that when a tantrum is in full swing, there is no point trying to reason with your little terror. Wait for them to calm down to discuss the situation with them. While they cannot verbalise their feelings well yet, their levels of understanding can be higher than you think.
Sleeping
Sleeping is another area where you might start to see resistance from your toddler. It is another area where they are able to exert their independence. If they try to push the boundaries, reiterate the bedtime routine, but allow them to make small decisions to give them some control over the situation. Let them choose the bedtime story, or which colour pyjamas they want to wear.
It is important that they get their 11-14 hours of sleep each day or you will see the grumpy monster a lot. They should get the bulk of that sleep at night, with a midday nap of a couple of hours.
Your little one should be getting good at self settling by now, especially if you encourage them to fall asleep unassisted in their beds. You might also see episodes of separation anxiety, night wakings, or even nightmares and night terrors.
But a more unique problem to this age is escapism. Your toddler may start trying to climb out of their cot. Obviously this is not something you want to encourage as there is a risk they could fall and hurt themselves. If you have a climber try lowering the mattress, take out any toys or bumpers that could be used as a stepstool, or police her. If she tries to climb out, firmly tell her no. Also, if she does get out, put her straight back into the cot with minimal interaction so it doesn’t turn into a game.
Eating
Around this time your little one will start to show their distinct food preferences, so you may notice a touch of fussiness.
The great thing with this age is that they will still experiment with different textures, so they aren’t completely stuck in stubborn ways just yet. They will also love to eat with their hands, though are capable of using a spoon and fork.
This age group starts to get concerned about foods touching each other and of course there is always the accidental (or deliberate) knocking over of food bowls.
Playing
Mess and Organisation: Toddlers love both mess and organisation. They love to get their hands dirty with paint and mud and goodness knows what else. But they also love the organisation of sorting and lining things up. So any activities with paint, or sorting are great! Try some of these activities suggested by Hands On As We Grow.
Water Play: Who doesn’t love splashing about in water? Whether it is tipping or pouring in the bath, painting scribbles on the concrete with a brush, or splashing about in a pool, they will be into it.
Pretend Play: They will enjoy mimicking familiar tasks in their play. So play tea sets or play cleaning sets will be a big hit.
Toy Instruments: Toddlers love noise, and love to achieve things themselves. So playing musical instruments is great fun for them. If you can put up with the noise, it helps them learn too.
Puzzles, Blocks and Balls: All these things will still entertain your little ones, work on their hand-eye coordination, give them the chance to problem solve and practice fine motor skills.
Crayons and Paper: Toddlers will love to scribble on paper (and anything else if they get the chance). Teach them about drawing on paper only, tape it to the table so it doesn’t move and give them a couple of crayons so they aren’t overwhelmed by choice. These are the precursor steps for learning to write in later years.
Stay tuned for our next edition in the milestone series where we focus on 2-3 years.
]]>Milestones: Newborn Milestones: 0-3 Months Milestones: 3-6 Months Milestones: 6-12 Months
Congratulations, you now have a toddler in the house. You have graduated from the first step of parenthood. You also get to have a big 1st birthday party celebrating your survival (and that of your little one!). Don’t feel like the celebrating is over once you have that first birthday party though, there is still lots of exciting things going on with your toddler’s development.
Sleeping
How much and napping...
Just because your baby has grown into a toddler, it does not mean that they need any less sleep. In fact, with busy days full of learning and growing, they need as much as ever before. It is recommended that they should be sleeping for 14 hours a day with around 11 of that at night. Hopefully that gives Mum and Dad some time to rest too!
The rest of the sleep time should be made up with napping, aka time to fold the washing in peace. Around 12 months, your toddler might still be taking a morning and afternoon nap. But by the time they get to 18 months they may have dropped down to one long nap. This is a guideline only, you know your kids best. If they are tired and they need a nap then do it, but if they aren’t tired, and don’t need a nap, then let them stay up.
Sleep Habits
There is not much to add to what you already know about sleep habits at this age. Keep doing what you are doing with your bedtime routine, and using the sleep solutions that work for your family. Toddlers love structure and familiarity so will appreciate the same routine for sleep for both day and night. Within reason, try to keep the same nap times and bedtimes, even when you are away from home.
Nighttime Waking
Be prepared for more nighttime waking. By this age it is less about them needing a feed, and more an excitement to practice their new skills, or trouble self-settling. If you can help them learn to self settle, then you should get some solid blocks of sleep yourself!
You might find that your toddler goes through ups and downs with their sleeping - going right through the night some days, and waking 6 times another day. Patience and consistence is the key. But of course, if you have concerns that they have trouble staying asleep, snore abnormally loud, have trouble breathing, or they are overly sleepy during the day, then you should seek professional advice.
Eating
Be prepared for food on the go, and we don’t just mean eating out. Your toddler will be so busy exploring, learning and having fun, that they might not be interested in sitting still to eat. They will want to take their food to go. Go around the house if they had their way!
This stage of eating will be a big change from the gentle spoon-feeding and finger foods. Don’t be surprised if more spaghetti ends up in their hair, up their nose, on the floor, in their lap, and all over you, than in their mouths. Around this age you will want to encourage them to use a fork and spoon themselves, but you will find they use their hands just as much.
At this stage just let them be messy, table manners will come later. But what might come now is picky eating. You may find that your toddler begins to exert their independence by refusing foods. Even foods that they previously liked. One of the things they have complete control of is what goes in their mouths, so you might find they rebel here.
There are so many things to cover for Toddler Eating. Luckily we have an amazing collection of articles on the topic, check out these…
We have heaps of other articles on lot’s of toddler-related topics, so check them out here .
You might be concerned about your toddler’s appetite and if they are actually eating enough. Just remember that they will eat when they are hungry! But if they are losing a lot of weight, or appear to be reacting to certain foods then definitely consult your doctor.
Playing
Active is probably an understatement for toddlers. Even if they are not walking independently at 12 months, they will be standing and walking along things like the couch, coffee table, or wall. If you thought they were fast when they were crawling, that will have nothing on the speed they get when they learn to drive their legs!
They will love any toys or activities that allow them to be active. Swings, wagons, scoot-along bikes and tiny climbing sets will all be favourites. Around this age the coordination they have with their hands will improve too, so anything that helps them work on these skills will be popular also.
Toys To Try:
Building Blocks: They will love to practice their coordination by stacking them up, and love to knock their creations down even more!
Sorting Toys: Another toy that will work on their hand eye coordination and their ability to conquer a challenge.
Crayons and Paper: Toddlers will love to see the effects of their scribbling. Letting them scribble at this early age is actually a precursor for writing skills later down the track.
Ride-on Vehicles: Your toddler will love to propel themselves around on these toys.
Picture Books: Encourage their interest in picture books. They will love the ones that include familiar objects like household items or animals.
Stay tuned for our next edition in the milestone series where we focus on 18-24 months.
]]>Milestones: Newborn Milestones: 0-3 Months Milestones: 3-6 Months
So, your baby has reached the stage where they are learning about moving their body. Welcome to the era of protecting your stuff! Get used to putting your little one down in one spot, turning around for 2-seconds and finding them halfway across the other side of the room with half a box of tissues on the floor! Let’s have a look at the awesome milestones of the 6-12 month range.
Sleeping
So, many a parenting books will tell you that because your baby is through the newborn phase, they should be sleeping through the night by now. I say codswallop to that! Do not, I repeat do not panic if your little one is not sleeping through. But if they are sleeping through, relish it!
As adults we wake in the night several times and put ourselves back to sleep. Most of the time without even realising that we are doing it. But when our little ones wake in the night, they don’t always have the skills to put themselves back to sleep, so they want us to help them.
Often sleep disturbances can go hand in hand with reaching cognitive milestones. Around the 6 to 12 month mark, babies are surging forward and trying to learn so many new skills – talking, crawling and even walking. They don’t want to stop practising these new skills to do something as boring as sleep! And they also won’t understand why Mummy looks like a Mombie (Mum Zombie) at 3am when they just want to play!
Interruptions
There are a couple of other things that could be affecting your little one’s sleeping, that is separation anxiety and teething. Around this time, your baby will be very conscious of when you leave the room and may scream the house down until you return. Eventually they will grasp the concept that you are going to return if you leave, but it might take some time – and some broken sleep – for them to realise.
What to do
It can be hard to know exactly what is interrupting your baby’s sleep, as they can’t tell you! Unfortunately, kids don’t come with an instruction manual, as much as we sometimes wish they did! Every child is different and some will be excellent sleepers, some will not.
Just try and roll with it. Especially when there are changes afoot, like moving, going back to work, travel, illness and life events. But if you have some concerns, or want to establish more of a routine, there is no harm in contacting a baby sleep consultant.
Eating
Oh it’s getting messy now! Don’t be surprised if you find food on the floor, in their hair, smeared down the highchair straps, or anywhere else close to the eating area.
Should you worry about table manners? NO!
It is actually really good to let your baby play with their food as it is how they learn. If you are interested in knowing more, we have a whole article on Letting Your Little Ones Play With Their Food.
One of the best things to invest in, is a Suction Bowl or Suction Bowl. It fixes onto the surface in front of your little one so that it cannot be knocked over. It makes it so much easier for them to grab stuff out of the bowl. They are probably a little too young to be feeding themselves with a spoon yet, so fingers (and the whole hand) are great alternatives.
Variety
They say variety is the spice of life. Embrace variety wholeheartedly with your baby. Exposing them to a whole range of different foods will help to prevent them becoming a picky eater, and will teach them good habits for later in life.
If you aren’t sure what kinds of foods to offer your baby at which stage, then make sure to reference the Plunket Guide for solid foods.
Eating Out
Eating on the go can be a challenge, both mess-wise and suitability. It is best to always take snacks and foods with you as it can be hard to find plain, basic, baby-type food when you are out. For food on the go, try refillable pouches which counteract the mess factor.
Playing
Playing with your little one is starting to get really fun now, because they can actually play back. They will start to get interested in toys, and be able to grab and work them by themselves.
Best toys for this age:
Stacking Cups: Not just for stacking, they can teach about little and big, colours, cause and effect, making towers, knocking them down, scooping and tipping water, and so much more. Best of all, they are so cheap and will get played with heaps!
A Ball: Yep, another simple toy. But a simple toy that will provide hours of enjoyment. A great encouragement to begin crawling, or to chase after when they are crawling. Fantastic for hand eye coordination and motor skills too.
Cause and Effect Toys: Babies love exploring their new found skills, so buttons to push, switches to flick, knobs to turn… and when doors open or figures pop up, watch the magic as their eyes light up.
Activities: There are lots of cool things you can do with your baby that don’t even need toys. Things like Peek-a-boo or reading books are great fun and have educational value.
Stay tuned for our next milestones blog when we tackle the 12-18 month age range.
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It is right around this time that you are feeling intensely proud of yourself for creating, growing and nurturing this gorgeous little creature. The warm fuzzies from the smiles and giggles alone are worth the 20-hour labour right? This period is such a cool time for babies, as they really begin to get some personality and interact with their families.
Sleeping
Dare we mention this often dirty word? So by now, you are past the crazy newborn period and could be experiencing a bit more sleep. Or maybe not. The house is so boring and quiet in the dead of the night when you are 6 months old. Wouldn’t playing be far more fun? Fun for them, but not so fun for you when you might have other kids, errands to run, or a job to attend.
If you have tried the bedtime routine, and you are still having trouble with your baby’s sleep patterns, it might be time to call in the experts. Sleep consultants can be a godsend. Like any other consultants, you need to find the one that suits your family. Some will advocate crying it out, some will have more gentle techniques – so you need to find the one that fits your parenting values.
Certainly don’t be ashamed to call in an expert to get some sleep (and some sanity) back. With a full night’s sleep under your belt, you will feel like you can take on the world.
Eating
It’s around the 6 month mark that you will have baby solids on the brain. So many people will offer you advice on ‘the best’ way to do things. As with any parenting advice, smile and nod. Only take on the parts that fit with your parenting style.
Purees and Baby Food
This is the most traditional way to introduce solids to your baby. There is a great range of ready-made baby food at your local supermarket, or you can make your own.
*Top Tip: Freeze home-made baby food into an ice cube tray. Defrost one cube at a time for the perfect portion size. No wastage, and easy storage.
Baby Led Weaning
This is a more modern method of introducing solids. Instead of feeding your baby purees, you give them finger sized chunks of food to explore with.
*Top Tip: If you are worried about the choking hazard of baby led weaning, then you can use something like the Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder .
Variety
Your kids will have their favourite foods, like anyone, but make sure you give them a variety of things to try. Their palette will prefer sweet things as they have been used to the sweet taste of breastmilk and formula. Give them a variety of veges, as well as fruits so that they get used to more savoury tastes.
If you are a bit lost on what you should be feeding your little one, and when you should be introducing things, download Plunket’s Guide to Introducing Solids here.
Playing
Yay, your little one is getting old enough to start playing with you and you don’t even need to splurge on expensive toys yet!
This is also the perfect time to start joining community activities, not just for baby’s sake but for your sake too. Don’t underestimate the importance of keeping in touch with the adult world, and the camaraderie with other parents. Try local music groups, Mums and Bubs exercise classes, pram walking groups, coffee groups, and Playcentre.
It can be hard to come up with ideas for what to do with your baby for entertainment. Lucky Huggies have come to the rescue with their activity ideas. Here is a list of age appropriate games and activities to play with your little one.
Stay tuned for our next milestone edition for 6-9 month olds.
]]>The first three months of your baby’s life are such an exciting time (well let’s be honest, all parts of their life are exciting) as you will start to see the first signs that they are growing up. By conquering that newborn stage, you and your baby have a pretty good feel for each other. So now they will decide to start learning some other new things.
Feeding
By now you should have been able to establish a regular feeding schedule with your little one. They should be feeding well and increasing in weight. If they are off their food, or not putting on weight then it is time to visit the doctor.
The awesome thing about feeing at this stage is you need very little to make it work. If you are breastfeeding, then you are all set. Or if you are formula feeding, you will just need your set of bottles. There are many fancy gadgets around to make bottle feeding easier like self-warming bottles, and ways to take bottles on the go if you are out and about a lot.
Sleeping
By 3 months, your baby will be starting to recognise their own internal body clock. So will be learning the difference between day and night. Unfortunately, that doesn’t automatically mean they want to sleep at night, but you can begin to establish gentle sleep routines.
Have a process you follow at night time to help your little one recognise that it is time for bed. A nice warm bath, a feed, a snuggle, maybe even a story. And then into bed. Don’t expect your baby to sleep through the night at this age, they will still wake during the night for a feed and comfort.
One of the major panics at sleeptime is loose blankets, and if baby will be warm enough at night. Both of these fears can be solved by a sleeping bag!
Cognitive
You have just welcomed a little mimic to your family. Your baby will be fascinated by human faces, and will stare a lot. They will love the real thing, but also enjoy pictures of faces on toys, books and posters. All kinds of hilarity will happen when your baby tries to mimic your facial expressions.
Sound is an area of great interest for your little one, as it is something they can take in easily before they have control of their own limbs. That is why they will love the sound of your voice, and establish different sounding cries for their different needs – whether they are tired, hungry, sick, or upset.
Because of this interest in sound, your little one will love toys with gentle melodies and movement also. They will hold far more interest than ones that stay still. Couple that with high contrast items, and bright colours as they are easiest for your baby to see in the early months.
Hand-held toys that you can move in and out of their vision will captivate them, even though they will not really be able to play with the toy themselves yet. A mobile can also provide great interest as it adds a vertical dimension to your baby’s very horizontal world.
They will also fall in love with their own reflections (they are so cute you can see why!), so an unbreakable mirror can be a great investment. They won’t be able to recognise it is themselves in the mirror, but they will strike up conversation with their reflection and smile at it a lot!
Development
Get ready to have your heart melt when you see that first smile from your baby. This usually happens between 2 and 3 months old. They will also couple the smiling with cooing and gurgling.
Because they are starting to gain control over their own limbs, they will be working on grasping toys and bringing them to their mouths. They will also swipe at objects that are dangling down, well the ones that interest them anyway!
Soft toys that make a noise when they are touched will fascinate your little one for months. Having the toy make noises when they don’t expect it will help them become aware of what their own hand is doing.
That is quite an impressive list of achievements for a tiny little baby! Do remember that children develop at their own rate, and just because another baby is doing it, doesn’t mean that yours should be. If you have any concerns about the development of your child, then please consult your doctor.
Stay tuned for out next milestone edition when we look at the 3-6 month age bracket.
]]>While it might not seem like it, your newborn baby is hitting a huge amount of milestones in their first weeks. In the first few days of their life, they have a lot of adjustments to make. After being used to the warm, snug environment of the womb, the big wide world is very loud, cold and bright. They have so many new skills to master, just to be able to survive daily life.
Feeding
Eating is a vital life skill, and one that your newborn will need to master pretty quickly. If you are breastfeeding, then they will need to learn to latch correctly so that your milk flows properly. And if you are formula feeding, they will need to learn how to suckle from a bottle. Most newborns will pick this up in the first couple of days. If you and your baby are having trouble, then there is plenty of advice available from lactation consultants, or your midwife.
Sleeping
Do not expect to get much sleep during the newborn phase. While your newborn can sleep up to 16-17 hours a day, their sleep schedule is irregular and unpredictable. They will not be able to distinguish between daytime and night, so will wake whenever they need a feed or a cuddle. That will probably be every 2-3 hours at least.
This age is far too young to try and establish a sleep routine. But you can begin to introduce the concept of day and night to your little one.
Cognitive
Their little brains are like a massive sponge, they will soak in everything around them. You will find that your newborn will stare at you intensely. They are taking note of your movements, your sounds and your actions.
The newborn phase is a time of learning for both baby and parents. Your life will be turned upside down by this little bundle, and you will all need to learn to read each other’s cues. This is such an important time to bond. Cuddle your newborn as much as they need, you cannot spoil them with love.
Development
Sight: Did you know that your baby can only see in black and white at birth? And they can only focus on things that are about 8-12 inches away. Their recognition of colour will begin to develop in the first few months. One of the first sight milestones is recognising the faces of their parents. They will prefer your faces to any others. They will also begin to track movements with their eyes.
Hearing: Your baby’s hearing will be fully developed at birth. An important milestone to look out for is if they startle to loud noises, like a door slamming, or the vacuum cleaner starting. Being startled means that their hearing is functioning well. They should also be able to recognises when loud noises begin and end.
Movement: Newborns have very little control over their muscles, most of their movements are reactive. In the first few weeks of life they will discover their hands, and start to kick their legs in a jerky and uncoordinated way. They will also begin to wriggle, grasp things that are put in the palm of their hand, and turn their head when you touch their cheek. These are all precursors for the upcoming bigger movements of crawling, standing and walking.
It is important to remember that every child progresses at a different rate, you should not compare your child to another of the same age. However, if you do have any concerns with your child’s development then visit your doctor.
If you enjoyed this article on newborn milestones, then stay tuned for the next instalment of milestones for 0-3 month olds due in a few weeks.
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