Contents
- 1 Development of the newborn: motor skills and posture
- 2 Development of the newborn: the fine movements
- 3 Development of the newborn: hearing and speech
- 4 Development of the newborn: sight
- 5 Child development: relationships and play
Our “journey” continues in the fantastic world of newborn development. A world made of surprises and news that never fail and that make every mother's eyes sparkle. The second semester of a child's life is full of fundamental experiences: there may be the first words (usually mom or dad), the way to crawl around the house or, in some cases, the first timid steps. And you will be there, witnesses of great progress.
As for the first 6 months, the same rule applies and that is… there are no rules. Each child will reach the milestones of development with his own ways and times of hers. Don't be alarmed if his peers are ahead of him! When they are so young it is difficult to establish equal parameters for everyone. In any case, periodic visits to the pediatrician also serve to understand if everything is going well.
Development of the newborn: motor skills and posture
7-8 months
When lying down, he can change position - from prone to supine - by rolling onto his side. At this age, the child usually sits for a while, even about ten minutes, without being supported. He is also able to lean forward to catch an object while remaining balanced. He often begins to crawl and move, crawling or crawling. The legs can already support its weight.
9-10 months
When seated, it remains in perfect balance. When he supports himself, he stands upright, but tends to fall backwards. This happens for example in the cot: it is easy to find him standing up and holding on to the bars. But slowly he learns to sit up, without staggering or falling. It may happen that the crawling experiments can be incorrect, even if very funny: you may happen to see him go "in reverse" or that he moves to the side, crawling on his little ass. However, he has discovered his ability to move and this makes him happy.
11-12 months
Seated he no longer has any problems: he stands erect without falling, turns, rotates his torso, tilts sideways. He spends a lot of time playing this way. He now crawls quickly and moves from room to room quite quickly. He lifts himself up on a support and then sits back down. He really likes to stand and tries to do it for a long time, holding on to something (for example, furniture) or the hands of an adult. Held by the hand, he walks and, the most precocious children, do it alone.
Very important: when he is on all fours he can go up and down stairs. Maximum attention, moms!
Development of the newborn: the fine movements
7-8 months
The development of the newborn is a continuous evolution. The child reaches out to grasp objects, also manages to hold them between thumb and forefinger and passes them from one hand to the other. The coordination ability improves: he begins to eat alone and tries to hold the spoon in his hand. He is not yet very experienced, so he could also fall: be patient and let him try. He can drink from a two-handled cup and can tap objects on a surface to hear noise. He points with his finger at the things that interest him or that he would like.
9-10 months
The sight and the hand are perfectly coordinated, so he can take what he wants, even if it is small objects. One of your favorite pastimes? Observe things carefully, turning them in your hands, passing them from one to the other, clapping them together to make noise. Another very popular game is to take all the contents out of bags, drawers or boxes to observe them well and then put them back in their place. Put in front of a book, try to leaf through it.
11-12 months
Among the games he prefers there is throwing the ball in a specific direction or giving and taking an object in / from the hands of someone who is with him. Start playing interlocking games, inserting the various pieces in the spaces corresponding to shape and size. Turn the pages of the hardcover books.
Development of the newborn: hearing and language
7-8 months
The child turns precisely to the source of a sound. Now he imitates what the adults around him do. And it is a crucial moment for the development of language. He puts the syllables together, “speaks” in a language that is all about himself and wants to make his mother participate, without waiting for her to begin. He tries to imitate her voice or the animal sounds she proposes. He often even reproduces them by himself if he sees them in a book or live.
9-10 months
His "vocabulary" becomes richer: not in words, of course, but in sounds such as "u" or "t". The imitation of what he hears continues and emits articulated sounds: he has a language all his own, obviously incomprehensible to others. In some cases, he uses "ma-ma" or "pa-pa" knowingly referring to his parents, so he understands the meaning of some words very well. For example, he knows perfectly well what "hello" means and he knows his name. In fact, he turns around if someone calls him.
11-12 months
At this age, the child usually tries to say some words that have a specific meaning to him, such as cat or dog. If you ask him where an animal depicted in a book is, he points it out exactly, but he gets bored if you always show him the same. He can hear a short story to the end. He nods or shakes his head to say yes or no to some questions.
Development of the newborn: sight
7-8 months
Watch carefully what is happening around him and look in the direction of a falling object. If the figures are very simple and colorful, show interest in books.
9-10 months
If he drops a toy or object, he knows where it's gone, even if it's out of sight. He distinguishes details and colors of figures in books or newspapers and points to things that are familiar to him. He remotely recognizes the faces most familiar to him.
11-12 months
He is able to follow things with his eyes even in rapid motion. Outdoors he likes to observe the movements of people, animals or objects: children playing, dogs running, cars or buses that move can be a source of very strong attraction, even for a long time.
Child development: relationships and play
7-8 months
He shows great affection for his family members, while disliking strangers. There may be a sort of eight month crisis in which she feels a lot detached from her parents, crying if they walk away. You understand the meaning of "no". He waves "hello" and hands things to others. He continues to explore his body, for example by putting his feet in his mouth. He shakes the rattles or bangs objects together to make noise. If he sees a game hiding, she is able to find it.
9-10 months
Communicate in a conscious way, making it clear if he doesn't like something. For example, he puts his hands on his head if he doesn't want to be combed or on his mouth if he doesn't want to eat. He understands simple instructions and responds by doing what is asked of him. He claps his hands and moves his arms when he hears music. He actively participates when he has to get dressed, putting his arm in the sleeve or the foot in the sock. He enjoys dropping objects, which he can do for a long time, for example from the high chair, and looks at them carefully.
11-12 months
It is the era of the "dancer" child. When he hears the music he moves his whole body. He has a lot of fun playing games that relate opposites: inside / outside, soft / hard, hot / cold. In this phase, he begins to understand the principle of cause and effect: if he drops a game, it will hit the ground; if he slams two lids, they will make a noise; if he beats his hands in the bath water, it will cause splashes. He invents simple imaginative games, such as pretending to drink or do his hair.
