IS THERE ANYTHING YOU REALLY NEED FOR AN INFANT?
In the article, I will suggest a list of toys for the newborn for the first 3 months of life. As I wrote in a previous article (click) , the first 3 months of life are the developmental roller-coaster for a baby.
During the first months of life, the baby is completely dependent on its caregivers for its needs. He gradually learns how to hold his head to be able to observe the world, how to reach out to his mom and dad, how to get the toy he wants, and of course how to let him know that he wants to get it. At the beginning of their journey, the child accumulates a lot of experience and, as a consequence, skills that will allow the young person to get back on their feet and gradually become independent from their parents.
Remember that the toys that you give your child do not have elements that are easy to tear off and swallow, that they are not too heavy, that there are no dangerous objects within the child’s reach (flowers in pots, unsecured contacts, a TV set on a low cabinet, cables, etc.).
Toys that can be used from the 1st day ahead:
- Montessori mobiles. The first mobile offered from the Montessori series is the Mundari’s mobile: it consists of black and white geometric shapes and a transparent sphere that reflects light.
I offered it to baby Anna at 4 weeks old and she did observe the mobile and could spend on it 5-10 minutes (she has to be fed, relaxed, not too tired and dry).
Montessori Materials from birth are presented in the following order:
– Mundari’s mobile
– The Gobbi’s mobile
– The Octahedron mobile
Read more about Montessori Mobiles from day 1, here (click).
- High contrast black and white art flash cards (click). Books and flashcards are something you can use with your baby from Day One. Have you been wondering why so many baby toys and books feature high contrast black and white illustrations?
Because high contrast images are easier for babies to interpret, they are the best way for your infant to lengthen their attention span, improve their memory and develop their nervous system. Stimulating your baby’s vision and helping them determine shapes and colors is important for strengthening their cognitive abilities.
Download for free some examples of high contrast image cards here (click).
- Baby gym – can be used from week one, helps promote physical and cognitive development.
- Foam mat, or sheepskin blanket – make sure that it’s pesticide-free. Sheepskin makes a cozy play mat that helps regulate your baby’s temperature. Great for underneath their back while playing in the gym. Children can lie on it practically from birth.
- Silk scarves – gently glide them over your baby’s face and body as a form of play. It helps develop hand and eye coordination and object permanence.
- Deckchair, rocking chair, a bouncer for infants – I add this one to the list because sometimes it can be a lifesaver (especially when you have bigger kids and you have to move around the house a lot). It’s extremely important to remember that the newborn cannot stay in up seated position for more than 15 minutes. It’s unhealthy for his posture and for his undeveloped back. He needs to lay down in a horizontal position most of the time or on his belly. It’s good to get him used to lay in the ground mat on his belly from the beginning because it’s a great massage for his belly and it’s a good exercise to straighten his muscles.
- Sensory toys (for example soft rattle or other sensory toys)– it’s good for infant sensory development. A sensory toy provides a proper stimulation of three senses. High contrast colors: black, red, white – stimulate baby’s vision. The sense of hearing is stimulated by a crinkly sound. Additionally, children’s safe materials, a variety of labels, and warmth affect the sense of touch.
In sensory toys look for:
– Contrasting colors: black white red – stimulate baby’s vision
– Safe materials, labels, and warmth – stimulate baby’s sense of touch
– Crinkly sound – stimulates baby’s sense of hearing
- Board books (first black-white– stimulate baby’s vision). Use as part of pre-nap o pre-bedtime routines. Try books that have a sing-song rhythm, a phrase that’s repeated over and over, or ones that aren’t too visually overwhelming.
- Baby teethers – used to soothe babies’ gums when their teeth start coming in (at about 3-7 months of age) not that this is only approximately since every baby develops on its own path.
However, what is undoubtedly the most important for your baby to use its full potential in the first months of life is to develop a proper bond with the baby, building contact – a relationship in which the little man feels noticed, accepted, and loved.
I will be back with you for some more (not only Montessori) inspirations, till then
Much love,
Joanna
xxx
