Activities to do with your 10 month old

[Sixty Second Parent]

Here are a few ideas on how to help develop your baby's learning this month.

• Sing songs that have movements to them such as "If you are happy and you know it clap your hands"

• Provide plenty of safe space for them to practice cruising around furniture. Push your coffee table close to the sofa, so your baby has several places to pull up into the standing position. All this practice helps build up the muscles necessary for solo walking.

• Your baby will love to pour, fill and dump objects.Think pegs, duplo, colored block with plenty of containers or buckets.

•  Baby will enjoys looking at a wide variety of pictures and books. For book ideas see our post on Books your baby will love

•  Your baby will love to copy you. As you clean up the high chair why not give her a cloth of her own to help  "clean" up. I wouldn't expect her to do this just the right way - but she will enjoy feeling as though she is doing the same thing as you. Babies learn through imitation. She may help you when you are dressing her by trying to put an arm through the sleeve. Whenever you can, allow her to try things for herself. She will also enjoy using a soft bristled brush. Don't be surprised if she tries to use the toothbrush on her hair as well!

• Your baby may develop a strong attachment to a special object such as a teddy or blankie at this age. These special toys are known as "transitional toys" and help your baby to sleep or comfort her when she is unhappy. If your baby is really attached to one particular toy it can be a good idea to get a spare one! Believe me you'll be grateful for the back up when you can't find the other one.

• Now that your baby can let go of toys he will enjoy using a simple posting box in which objects can be easily placed through a hole.

• Read books which contain concepts such as wet and dry, hot and cold, in and out. She is able to grasp the idea of these concepts so remember to use them in your day to day interactions.