Helping Hands Activities:

Here are a few age appropriate activities that work on manual dexterity: Have fun and get those hands clapping and fingers wiggling!

0 to 3 Months:

Stroke the back of baby’s knuckle with a rattle and as he opens his clenched fist, place the rattle in his palm. At first baby won’t be able to hold onto it for very long. With practice, he’ll gain a firmer grasp as his newborn reflexes start to disappear giving him more control. Newborns have what’s known as the Palmer reflex, the involuntary clenched fisted hold when you put your finger or another object into your baby’s palm.

4 to 6 months:

Babies at this age are now ready for baby food and cereals. Allow baby to explore what is on the spoon. Let those eager hands and fingers smear, smudge and spread baby food and cereal on his highchair tray.

Play hand games such as The Itsy-Bitsy Spider” and Pat-A-Cake” and “Give Me Five” which helps your baby improve his hand-eye coordination. Also at playtime, shift baby’s position frequently to challenge his motor skills and muscles as he grasps for a toy and learns to manipulate objects from a different position.

7 to 9 Months:

Bubbles are a great activity for any age. Use bubbles for baby to attempt to poke at with his index finger or let me pat the bubbles once they’ve landed on a surface.

Play the “Pick up Game” with a bowl of Cheerios or raisins to work on her pincer grasp using the thumb and forefinger. Have your child feed herself or let her pick up the finger food and place it into a cup for practice, if she’s not interested in eating.

10 to 12 Months:

Try letting your baby scribble with a marker by putting the marker in her hand and showing her how to move it on the page to make marks

Tie short pieces of different colored yarn to each of your infant’s fingers so she can see them move individually. Also, give your child little balls of play dough and let her practice poking holes in them.

12 to 18 months:

For a real sensory adventure, break out a container of cool whip and place baby in small plastic pool for the beginning of spring. Let baby play and explore this yummy treat in the baby pool with a play date. Since they are already in the play pool, hose them down to clean up and let them play in the water.

Make a macaroni string with your child showing her how to string the dry noodles on long shoelaces and continue to encourage your child to play with tactical toys such as building blocks.

18-24 Months:

By the second half of the year, your child can firmly grasp a crayon and make lines and curves. Inspire her to color and draw.  Arts and crafts are a great way to work on your child’s pre-handwriting skills as he learns to manipulate crayons, scissors, glue and paints. Break out the finger-paints and encourage your child to paint a large canvas on the floor.  

Psst, Pass it On... Q & A for and from our Wee Parents

The following questions were sent in by parents and caregivers who are doing the Wee Exercise program at home with their infants

1. At what age can I tell if my child is going to be right-handed or left-handed?

Baby should start showing a preference for his right or left hand at age three.

2. We would like to start doing the Wee Exercise Videos at our playgroup? Do we need to buy any special equipment? 

The video series was created to use ordinary household objects as props for most activities. Objects such as a laundry basket, phone and rolled up beach towel. However you may find with the rolled up beach towel used in tummy time that as your baby grows, he needs more support for these exercises which is why we sell the Wee Exercise roll which is made of cushioned re-enforced PVC pipe in decorative fabric. Check out our Wee Store on the website for more information on that as well as the fuzzy rug used for sensory input with newborns.

3. My baby is six months old so should I start with Volume 2 and skip Volume 1?

Actually Volume 1 contains exercises that work on important foundation skills that your six month old could benefit from. Since babies develop at different rates, we encourage parents to use activities and exercises in both volumes that focus on core areas in need of improvement. For each child that can be different.  

Wee Think…..

Grandparents are Great!

Each edition of Special Delivery wraps up with a parting thought as you go through your busy day, which turns, into a week and into a whole month before you know it. 

Take a moment to reflect on the invaluable role that Grandparents play in a child’s development. Grandparents have the time and patience to give a child their undivided attention. They have the wisdom to guide and mentor. Grandparents have fascinating stories to tell of the past, family history and traditions that connect us to the present and inspire a child’s imagination. They can foster a child’s self-confidence as they gush with pride over the smallest of accomplishments and inspire a child to think big and dream even bigger. In today’s busy world, grandparents are safe haven for children, like their favorite lovie stuffed animal or blankie. Grandparents have a lot to teach children about life, perhaps that’s why children who are mentored and loved by older people are more likely to be healthy, succeed in school and achieve in life.  Encourage your child’s relationship with a grandparent or older person and you’ve given your child a gift of unconditional love.

Mom’s Eye View

"Stay cool this summer with a delicious homemade orangesicle."

Orange Dream Pop  

Stir together orange juice, milk and lemon juice.  Pour into cups and cover each with foil.  Make a small slit in foil and place wooden stick in each cup; Freeze overnight.  To serve remove foil and tear off paper.

Things that make you go hmm?

Wee thought this recent headline in the New York Times merited our Imagine That spotlight for making us go hmm this month. Here it is.

Researchers at Duke University found that sticky Velcro mittens for newborns may speed development. In the study 3 month olds were fitted with Velcro mittens and given Velcro toys. Researchers found that these babies could pick up the toys rather than just batting at them enabling to explore the objects in a more sophisticated manner. The end result, these babies were more adept at cross-sensor exploration by touching and gumming objects.