How to Encourage Motor Development in your Baby

(440 Words)
There are many different ways that you can encourage your baby’s motor development. This includes different activities as your baby grows older and can do more. Try the following activities, which can also provide special bonding time with you.
One of the first things that your baby is going to try to control is his or her head. Newborns have so little control over their head that parents need to support it while holding them. Tummy time is a great way to start your baby on motor development. As he or she gets older, he or she will try to push up off of the floor. You can also encourage your child to lift his or her head. Talk to him or her during tummy time or hold up a toy that he or she will want to look at.
Your child will also start to reach and grasp at a very young age. There are many different things you can do to encourage this activity. First, you can put a mobile in his crib so that he will want to reach for it. Make sure it is high enough that he cannot reach it, and take it out when he starts to sit up and stand. You can also play with him by holding toys over him so that he will try to grab. Buy small rattles or other age-appropriate toys so that he can play with them. Surround your child with toys, and he will probably try to grab all of them. They also make floor mats that have arches with dangling toys.
One of the big milestones that occurs at about four or five months is when your baby starts to roll over. Help him or her do so by putting your child on the floor so that he or she can practice. Make a big deal when he or she rolls over so that he or she will want to do it again for the attention. You can also use a toy to encourage him to roll over.
As your child gets older, you will want to encourage him or her to crawl and walk. Make sure that your baby gets lots of time on the floor so that he or she can practice. You can hold a doll in front of your baby and encourage him or her to crawl to it. When your baby is older, there are push toys you can buy that will help him or her develop walking skills.
There are many different things you can do to encourage motor development in your child. Try the above activities to encourage this.