Play

• Under 6 months- Babies like to touch, see, hear and play. Rattles (bright colours, produce sound, can be held ), play gym, texture books with big colourful pictures.
• 9 months– They learn that object is still there when hidden and understand cause and effect. Peek a boo, mirror play, press button to produce sound, string toy to pull.
• 12 – 15 months– Learn to use objects. Common house hold objects like Cup to drink, comb to brush, Spatula to cook etc.
• 18 months- Combine , stack , pretend play. Copies you. Does stacking, mopping, rolling dough, crayons scribbles and learns to use objects on others (dolls, parents).
• 2 years- More complex pretend play , plays beside other children (shares)
• 2-3 years– Learn to use other objects in place of another (symbolic). Uses stick as brush, board as car.
• 3 years- Rule based behaviour, plays co-operatively with kids of their age.
• 4-5 years- Imaginative play. Super powers like spider man, superman, wonder woman.

· Avoid screen.

· Encourage play, use age appropriate toys.

· Allow them to play freely (don’t intrude, teach).

· Use safe toys (avoid poor quality plastic toys and paints with lead, sharp and small objects-see the safety guidelines for that toy).

Teach them at the level at which they are, irrespective of the age, proceed from the level of play they are at.

First teach them to explore, touch, feel, hear. Next to use objects and their use. Have them use the object on themselves, then on toys and parents.

Then teach them to imitate (copy)-

· Body movements like jump, clap, run.

· Face movements like pouting lips, puffing cheeks.

· Sounds like aa , oo.

· Then teach words by expanding once they get sounds.

· Here we moved from non verbal (body movements , face expressions) to verbal (sounds, words).

• Start with simple toys.
• Set stage, clear distractions
• Help- say, show, sign.
• Speak- slow, clear as you teach.

• If you don’t observe imitation and pretend play and age appropriate play skills developing , contact your paediatrician /developmental team.
• Play skills and imitation not improving with above measures, will need individualised attention.

Play Brochure- more information about play.