Help your infant develop movement skills: 10-12 months

Here are some physical activities and basic movement skills that you can help your infant develop in their first months of life.

Life will get very interesting when your child reaches 10 months. We have the development of many essential motor skills during this time period including: walking, running, climbing, rolling, throwing, and kicking.

Again, the most important thing you can do is to provide your child with time and space. Encourage them to work on all of these skills in a safe and fun environment.

Practice moving on stairs

Stairs are a perfect example. Many parents are petrified of the stairs and use gates and blockades to keep their toddlers away from the stairs. This is very important for safety, but your staircase is also a great way to give your baby some activity and fantastic chance for them to develop some physical skills.

Take time with your baby to allow her to crawl up the stairs at her own pace. Show her how to turn around at the top and come down feet first. When you are back at the bottom, toss a toy up to the top and have her go after it. A baby may want to go through this many times, and this is fantastic exercise for them (and hopefully a bit for you).

Playing with balls

This is also a great age to introduce balls of all shapes and sizes. Allow your baby to explore the balls however he wishes and when you have a minute you can sit on the floor with him and roll it back and forth. Show him how the balls can bounce. You may be surprised when he throws a ball towards you.

Proper, flexible footwear

Once your child is walking, footwear is important for when you are outside. I am not impressed with toddlers shoes that have a hard, inflexible bottom. I would have difficulty walking in shoes like that so I have no idea why they are available for babies learning to walk. Look for footwear that soft and flexible.

Provide your child with as much opportunity as possible to walk and play. This will help them develop their intrinsic foot muscles and enhance their ability to balance and stay up on their feet. The faster they master their balance, the sooner you can go to the playground.

That’s when you can enjoy watching them explore their new movement abilities.