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CURRICULUM AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT   * 2 HOURS * LEVEL 2

The Importance of Play for Infants and Toddlers

Development of Play Skills Birth to 12 Months

Page 6
Development of Play Skills for Infants 
Birth to 3 Months
  • Responds to caregivers
  • Coos and smiles
  • Responds to familiar voices
  • Focuses on objects
4 to 7 Months
  • Enjoys social games with caregiver
  • Likes exploratory play supported by caregiver
  • Plays some games with caregiver like peek-a-boo and patty cake
8 to 12 Months
  • Begins to imitate play actions or behavior of others, especially caregiver
  • Plays hiding games, songs and rhymes with caregiver
  • Plays alone without caregiver for short periods
Birth to 12 Months
Playing with a baby begins by engaging all of his senses. Their eyes, ears, nose, hands, and mouth are their tools. As they grow, they will learn to use their body to make discoveries. They begin to reach and grasp (watch out for long hair and dangling earrings!), which allows them to explore toys in new ways. 

By the time they are 9 months, they will understand cause and effect: “I push the button to make the music play.” The child will also understand that things that they can’t see still exist. This means that they will be looking for the ball that rolled behind the shelf and calling for you when you leave the room. As the child approaches their first birthday, they will be a great communicator, using gestures, facial expressions, sounds, and maybe even some “words” (such as “duh” for “dog”).
Four-month-old, Nolan, loves his rattle. Jocelyn, his teacher suggests “Let’s watch it fly”. She moves the rattle through the air so Nolan can see it. Nolan’s little arms and legs go like egg-beaters! When Jocelyn hands the toy to Nolan, he grabs it and begins to chew. Nolan then shakes the rattle and delights in the soft, tinkling noise. Soon, Nolan gets tired and turns his head away. Jocelyn takes the rattle and continues to shake it in front of Nolan’s face. Nolan closes his eyes and begins to wail. “Okay, I get it. Time for a break,” says Jocelyn. She picks up Nolan and cuddles him.
During this playtime, Nolan learns about:
  • Sounds of words and the rhythm of language as his teacher talks with him.
  • Communication as he and his teacher engage in a back-and-forth “conversation” and as his teacher reads and responds to his cues.
  • His own self-worth as he sees how much pleasure his teacher gets from playing with him.
  • Imitation and cause and effect when he shakes the rattle like his teacher and hears the noise.
  • Hand-eye coordination as he reaches and grasps the rattle.
  • Objects when he hears the rattle’s sounds, sees its colors, feels its texture, and even smells and tastes it.
Playtime for Babies
Back and Forth:  Coo and talk to the baby. You can imitate their sounds and wait for them to respond. Encourage the baby to copy you, too.  Show them that pushing the button makes the toy dog bark or how they can turn the pages of a book.

Peek-a-Boo: Try hiding behind your hands, a diaper, or a onesie as you dress the baby. Early on, they may show their pleasure simply by paying close attention. Then they may smile, kick their legs, and make sounds. By 9 months, they may pull your hands away from your face to “find” you.

Sing and Dance: Listen to different kinds of music and dance in different ways to see what the baby likes best.  Don’t worry about the sound of your voice — he loves to hear you. 

Play Ball: Offer a ball with different colors and textures. Let the baby explore it with all their senses. Encourage them to see what else they can do with it. This will eventually help them learn to roll it, drop it in a box, and take it out again.