Activities for children from 0 to 6 months

These activities are designed to help the development of your child aged 0-6 months, and align with stage 1a of the Developmental Journal Babies Visual Impairment (DJVI).

Safety first

My early movements

Activities for early years.

What you'll need

Floor mat, foil blanket, wrist bells, rattles

Activity

In the early months, as your child starts to become more alert, you can try to encourage them to become more active and make deliberate movements. For example, lifting their head to listen or to see you, help them shake their hands or kick their feet to make noises. Here are a few tips you may find helpful:

• Carry your child on different sides, as this will encourage them to turn different ways to hear your voice or feel your face.
• Tie bells around your child's wrist or feet so they want to move their arms and legs to hear the jingling noise.Once they've developed a grasp, try using small rattles.
• Activity mats that have a crinkly texture will encourage them to wriggle, kick their feet and grasp.
• Foil blankets make a great noise if your child is laying underneath or on top of them.
• Lay your child on different surfaces so they can start exploring different textures.
• Try laying them on their tummy, side and back. They may need your support with this at first.
• Encourage your child to spend time on their tummy. This will help develop head control by lifting their head to see or hear around them. 
• Try laying your child on their tummy across your lap, swaying them and singing. You could ask someone else to sit down at their level and talk or entertain with a toy that lights up or makes a noise.
• Support your child as they lay on their tummy on a soft mat and encourage them to lift their head towards you or a toy. 

Keep these activities short at first, building time slowly as your child's ability to lift their head for longer periods begins to grow. 

You can use your child's arms to support them in lifting their shoulders and head up further. Try tucking their elbows into their chest with their forearms on the ground. You can also support your child by using a tummy-time roll, or a small blanket/towel rolled up and placed in under their chest behind the elbows.

• Use toys or lay on the floor facing your child and talk to them, to encourage them to lift their head.
• Encourage them to turn their head by making a noise on either side of them using a toy or talking or using a light-up or brightly coloured toy.

If you’re using a mobile or hanging toy, always make sure it is placed to the side as well as directly in front of your child. This will encourage them to turn their head to the sides and reach with both arms.

My early routines

What you'll need 

Blankets, mats, brushes, sponges, gloves.

Tip: Take time with your child to explore the world around them. The things they feel and smell can help support routines, familiarity and make them feel secure.

Activity

Using different surfaces or mats for separate activities can help your child understand what is going to happen next. Try using a:

• Brightly coloured mat with crinkly texture/sound for play.
• Plastic coated mat for changing
• Soft blanket for sleep

Take every opportunity to introduce and feel new textures together, the more often your child explores, the more they will want to continue exploring. Encourage your child to touch and feel a range of textures throughout the day, for example: 

• The sponge or cloth when washing.
• Your clothes you’re wearing when you’re carrying, nursing or cuddling them
• Gently massage your child with different textured sponges, make-up brushes, gloves and foam pads

Use simple words consistently to describe activities.

Recognising people around me

What you'll need

No additional resources needed.

Activity

• As you approach your child, talk to them and watch their reaction. Your child may stay still and listen, or smile and make some sounds of their own.
• Make it clear that when you’re talking to your child by using their name first.
• Talk to your child as you move closer to let them know that you are approaching. They can hear you as you move and will start to recognise the different voices that are important to them.
• Before you lift your child, say their name, talk to them and gently touch them to let them know you are there. Try to use the same position on their body and the same words each time you lift them. 
• When holding your child, try talking with your face close to theirs and encourage them to touch your face.
• Use a variety of tones and songs when speaking to your child to make language and voices fun. Visiting family and having a song that relates to each person can help your child understand who different people are. Try repeating this each time, to help your child to associate certain voices and people.