She starts and stops without falling, suddenly dodges, runs and skips.
She tells you what she is going to draw before she starts, but if she thinks the drawing is starting to look like something else, she abandons the original plan.
She starts to make objects although her plans remain flexible: the process, rather than the end result, is central.
She likes to have a choice of colours.
She expects you to display her work; this is always the best reward.
She can play by herself, fitting the pieces into her puzzle.
She enjoys new materials and methods: working with clay, using small paint brushes, making prints.
What you can do to help your baby learn more with:
“Mummy needs a checkup. Will you take Mummy’s temperature?” Encourage your child to imagine all sorts of possibilities for pretending, and you’ll be amazed how quickly she picks up on the idea and takes the lead!
As she starts to play, ask open-ended questions to encourage more input from her. “Whose clothes are you washing today?” “What are you baking in your oven?” “When will it be ready to eat?” Such questions help build the language and thinking skills your child needs to leap from imitating to imagining.
Role-play toys are a fun way to practice following directions. When your child "mows" the lawn, for example, you may notice him following the patterns he's seen you moving in. For fun, give him directions on varying the patterns and see if he can follow them—moving diagonally across the yard or in squares from the inside toward the outer edges.
Encourage good manners during pretend play. If she’s at a make-believe restaurant, show her how to put a napkin on her lap, and remind her to say “please” and “thank you” as food is served. If she’s pretending to take a train ride, talk about how important it is to be courteous to the other passengers.
All children develop at their own pace, and reach milestones at different times. The highlights mentioned in this web site are meant as approximate guidelines only. If you have any questions about your child's development, consult your healthcare provider.
