1. Helping Babies Learn Intellectual Development

2. Objectives: • Discuss ways parents and caregivers can help babies intellectual growth • Identify toys suitable for a baby’s age • Explain how babies develop communication skills

3. How is intellectual development in infants related to the behavior of those who care for them? • Infants who have their needs met promptly and who are given love and attention learn more and faster than babies who don’t receive such care.

4. Learning about child development – helps provide learning experiences that are age appropriate • Give your time and attention – talking and playing with baby • Provide positive feedback –Show pleasure and praise baby • Express your love- helps baby build self-confidence Encourage Learning by:

5. Toys- The Tools of Learning • Play is work as well as pleasure for children! • Playtime is essential to intellectual development. • For babies, choose toys that stimulate the senses: • Bright colors • Objects that are easy to grasp • Music

6. Childproof your home for Intellectual Development • Children should be free to explore and try new activities without hurting themselves or family possessions. • This freedom will promote learning

7. Keep plastic bags and deflated or burst balloons away from young children. • Use plastic inserts to cover electric outlet openings that are not being used. • Keep alcohol and cigarettes out of reach. • Keep guns and other firearms out of the house. If guns are in the house, unload them, put them in a locked place and keep the keys out of your child's reach. Store the gun in a separate place from the bullets. • When your baby is placed on anything above the ground, like a changing table, always stand close with your hand on your baby. • Lock matches and lighters in a cabinet that is higher than your shoulders There are many safety hazards in a home:

8. Choose Age Appropriate Toys:

9. Age Appropriate Toys:

10. Developing Communication Skills • Babies learn words have meanings by listening to caregivers talk. Use simple words, not baby talk. Tell baby names of simple objects- tree, cup, bowl, etc. • Babies learn to communicate long before they can talk by crying or making special sounds- giggles, grunts and shrieks. • Babies communicate with gestures – pushing away a bowl of food or clinging with both arms to a parent.

11. Why doesn’t a newborn Speak? • A newborn is physically unable to speak. Over the first year, physical changes in the mouth, teeth and tongue that allow a baby to make the sounds for speech. • Babies get ready for speech by babbling-repeating syllables and sounds. This endless repeating of consonant and vowel sounds, helps baby get ready for real speech.

12. At what age does a child begin to use real words? • Usually between 8- 15 months a child’s first real words are understandable. • First words are usually simple and common- mama, dada, bye-bye. • Most children don’t have a large vocabulary or combine words into simple sentences until after their first birthday.