A FAVORITE TOY FOR 9-12 MONTH OLD BABIES
In a recent post about cruising, we discussed the importance of placing intriguing objects on the coffee table in various locations to motivate baby to cruise. We recommended choosing colorful, lightweight, and non-breakable items. This toy, the Oball, meets all of our requirements. A favorite among 9-12 month old babies, this toy also has tiny handles all over it for easy gripping.
OBALL, A CHAIR, AND A GAME
The extreme lightweight plastic material is perfect for one of the games baby enjoys playing at this age. Put the Oball on the seat of a chair. When she is standing near, show her how to take her hand or arm and push it off the chair seat. Next, you pick it up right away and place it back on the chair seat. She will knock it off again. Once again, immediately pick it up and put it right back on the chair seat. She will think this is fun and want to continue.
A DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITY: REACHING VS. PUSHING
This is an important developmental game for baby at 9-12 months. Babies learn at a much earlier age to grasp things and shake them, and now they learn to release objects from their hand and to push them. This is another dimension of the skill of grasping and reaching. It could be called “releasing and pushing.” Previously, baby reached to get something that she wanted. Now she is extending the arm in a similar way to reaching, but it is called pushing because the object moves away from baby.
SOME REPETITION FOR LEARNING
Often parents think it is an accident when the baby drops the toy she is holding, and they reflexively pick it up and hand it to her again. It takes awhile for the parents to realize it is a new action baby has learned, and through repetition, the learning is deepened. Repetition gives baby a chance to be very clear about how to make that action happen. Again and again, baby will repeat the action until the novelty has worn off.
Keep at it,impressive job!