Before they turn one, babies learn through their senses. They can make eye contact, smile, grasp objects and bring them to their mouth to learn even more about them. What they need most of all is adult interaction: talking, singing, reading to baby, holding them and caressing them, rocking them, are all essential. You can read more about how your baby learns in this article.
Newborns are learning so much already, getting to know those closest to them, and all the sounds, sights and smells around them. As they develop, choose simple toys that engage baby, that encourage sensory exploration, motor skills, and cause and effect.
Here are some ideas:
| Learning | Ages | |
| Sensory learning
Fine motor skills Cause and effect |
0-1
|
|
| Sensory learning
Fine motor skills |
0-1 | |
| Sensory learning
Fine motor skills |
0-1 | |
| Sensory learning
Fine motor skills |
0-1 | |
| Sensory learning
Fine motor skills |
0-1
|
|
| Sensory learning
Fine motor skills |
0-1 | |
| Sensory learning
Fine motor skills |
0-1
|
|
| Writing
Sensory Learning Fine motor S.T.E.M. Reasoning |
0-2
|
|
| Sensory learning
Fine motor skills |
0-1 | |
| Sensory learning
Teething Motor skills |
0-2
|
|
| Sensory learning
Teething |
0-2
|
|
| Sensory play
Fine Motor development |
0-1
|
|
| Sensory learning
Dramatic play Teething |
0-3 | |
| Sensory learning
S.T.E.M. Motor development |
0-1 | |
| Sensory Learning
S.T.E.M. Motor development |
0-3
|
|
| Sensory Learning
S.T.E.M. Motor skills |
0-3
|
|
| Sensory learning
Serve and return Motor development |
0-3 | |
| Sensory learning
S.T.E.M. Motor skills |
0-3
|
|
| Sensory Learning
S.T.E.M. Motor skills |
0-1
|
|
| Sensory Learning
S.T.E.M. Dramatic play (as they get older) |
0-3
|
|
| Sensory Learning
S.T.E.M. Fine motor skills |
0-3 | |
| Sensory learning
Empathy (as they get older) Dramatic play (as they get older) |
0-5
|
|
| Sensory learning
Music Cause and effect |
0
|
|
| Sensory learning
Cause and effect Gross motor development |
0
|
|
| Sensory learning
Music Cause and effect |
0
|
|
| Sensory learning
|
0-1
|
|
| Sensory play
Literacy S.T.E.M. |
0-2 | |
| Cause and effect
Motor skill development |
0-1 | |
| Cause and effect
Reasoning Motor skill development |
0-1 | |
| Cause and effect
Reasoning Motor skill development |
0-1 | |
| Cause and effect
Music Reasoning Motor skill development |
0-3 | |
| Cause and effect
Walking Reasoning Motor skill development |
0-2 | |
| Cause and effect
Walking Motor skill development |
0-2 | |
| Cause and effect
S.T.E.M. literacy |
0-2 | |
| Music
Reasoning |
0-4 | |
| Music
Fine motor skills Cause and effect |
0-5+ | |
| Music
Hand-eye coordination Fine motor skills |
0-2 | |
| Music
Hand-eye coordination Fine motor skills |
0-4 | |
| Music
S.T.E.M. Literacy |
0-5 | |
| Music
S.T.E.M. |
0-5+
|
|
| S.T.E.M.
Music Hand-eye coordination Fine motor skills |
0-2 | |
| S.T.E.M.
Fine motor skills |
0-2
|
|
| S.T.E.M.
Motor development |
0-1 | |
| S.T.E.M.
Fine motor skills |
0-5 | |
| S.T.E.M. | 0-5 | |
| S.T.E.M. | 0-5 | |
| S.T.E.M.
Fine motor skills |
0-1 | |
| S.T.E.M.
Fine motor skills (writing) |
0-5
|
|
| S.T.E.M.
Fine motor skills Sensory learning |
0-1 | |
| Motor development
S.T.E.M.
|
0-2 | |
| Motor development
Cause and effect Math |
0-1
|
|
| Fine motor skills
Gross motor development Cause and effect Math |
0-3
|
|
| Gross motor skills
Social + emotional development Object permanence Physical education |
0-5 | |
| Gross motor skills
Fine motor skills Sensory learning |
0-1 | |
| Gross motor skills
Self-help skills |
0-4 | |
| Gross motor development
Physical education |
0 (9mo)-3 | |
| Focus
Visual learning |
0-1 | |
| Social+emotional development
Motor development |
0 | |
| Social+emotional development | 0-3 |