HOW TO ENHANCE YOUR CHILD’S MOTOR DEVELOPMENT

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At 3 Months, start putting your baby on his belly when he is awake. Take some colourful toys and put them in front of him at his eye level. This will help him to learn how to lift his head up and subsequently support his body on his arms. As you move the toys from one side to the other, he will also turn his neck. This helps in strengthening the neck muscles. Do this for a few minutes and then turn him on his back again. This can be done several times in the day. Do not leave your baby alone in this position. If he sleeps while lying on his belly, place him on his back in a safe sleeping area. Do not prolong the exercise if the baby feels tired or is uncomfortable. It should be an enjoyable moment for both baby and parent.

At 4 months, give your baby safe toys to play with. You can use rattles that      are easy to hold. If your baby is in a baby seat, hand toys in front of him so he reaches out for them and learns to play with them.  Do not give your baby small toys that can fit into the mouth and get into the airway accidentally.

At 6 to 8 months, you can place your baby on a play mat. Put toys and play items on the floor or play mat. Place it a little out of reach and encourage your baby to crawl, scoot, or roll to get them. This helps him to move, learn, and explore. Celebrate when he reaches them. allow your baby enough time to move around and interact with people. Work on the use of your baby’s hand (fine motor) by teaching him to pick blocks from a container and putting them back in. You can take turns doing it.

At 9 to 10 months, put your baby close to things that she can hold and pull up on safely. Also give him enough room to explore. Let your baby push things around, such as empty boxes so he can practice walking. Encourage your baby to practice walking on his own. Let him hold your hands or hold onto furniture that is safe while practicing.

          1 to 2 years

Play with your child outside. Give your child balls to kick, roll, and throw. Do simple art projects with your child. Give him crayons and papers. You can draw objects for him to colour. You can also explore with paint.

2 to 3 years

Encourage your child to play with Legos and blocks of different shapes. You can also use stones. Take turns building towers and bridges and knocking them down. Make it fun.

4 to 5 years

Ask your child to help you open the drawer when you put away clothes or open the door when you go outside. You can use toy scissors to cut out shapes and make different designs. Run outside and play hide and seek. Ensure that the areas for hiding are safe and a person can easily come out of the hiding place.

Thanks for reading and have fun helping your baby develop his motor  milestones.


NB: he/him/his have been used throughout the write up but they also refer to female babies. One pronoun was intentionally
used for consistency and simplicity.

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