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Infant - Week #25


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Sensory Stimulation and Childproofing

By Mary Perrin, edHelperBaby

  Baby Milestones
   
  • Becomes more engaged in one-on-one play
  • Recognizes self in mirror
  • Sits on own with very little support
  • Rolls over
  • Keeps head level when pulled up into a seated position
  • May begin the teething process
  • Responds to own name
  • Grasps everything within reach

 		   

  Creative Play Ideas
           The following activities will surely provide many giggles and smiles as you and baby play interactively with multi-sensory items.  Stimulating your baby's senses will increase his ability to make important connections which will lay the foundation for understanding the world around him.

       Bath Time Body Painting - Go ahead and get his bath water ready, but before bathing have a little fun exploring the world of color.  Using the following materials, place a least one tablespoon of baby soap into each of the three bowls.  Mix one drop of food coloring into each bowl to create a bowl of mixed soap and food coloring for each of the three colors.  Lay your baby on a towel on the bathroom floor and begin to paint his feet, knees, and other viewable body parts.  Try not to put any on his hands since those are usually the first things to enter the mouth.  Use this play time opportunity to discuss colors.  Talk about what colors are, where you find them, how they mix, and what moods they represent.  Don't forget to get involved yourself.  Paint your face like a clown, a warrior, etc. and see how your baby reacts to each new transformation.   When you are finished, place your baby in the bath to clean off.  Since his body is already covered with baby soap, you are already half way through the cleansing process.  Materials: food coloring (three darker colors like red, blue, and green work the best), baby's bath soap, spoons for mixing, three bowls, and a wet washcloth.

       Dance Party - Singing and dancing is an easy way to stimulate your baby's sense of sight, sense of touch, and sense of hearing.  Encourage your baby to grab dancing scarves, interact with moving stuffed animals, or bang on drums made out of empty containers.  Invite other siblings to participate in the activity.  Materials: scarves, stuffed animals, empty containers (drums), and wooden spoons (drum sticks).

       Touch and Feel Box - For this activity you will first need to do a little prep work.  Find a box whose sides are approximately the same length.  Before taking a quick trip to the fabric store, jot down the measurements of your box.  Shopping for different textured fabrics can be a lot of fun.  Look for fabrics that are furry, holey, silky, bumpy, scratchy, etc. and have them cut to the measurements of your box.  You might consider long strips of sticky Velcro or burlap to satisfy the "scratchy" side of your box.  To double the benefits of this box try to pick out fabrics that meet the texture requirement but also are different in color.  Be sure to avoid sequins, anything beaded, and other materials that shed or may unravel and become hazardous to your baby.  To construct your box, begin covering each side of the box with the different textured fabrics using fabric glue.  Use this box to teach your baby about textures, colors, and even how to manipulate the box from one side to the other.  Materials: one small box taped shut, six different textured fabrics measured to fix the sides of your box, and fabric glue.

 		   

  From a Parent's Perspective
           My three children loved the bath time body painting.  I was nervous that the food coloring wouldn't come out of their skin, but it all washed completely away without any harsh scrubbing.  My baby was mesmerized by the colors I painted on each of her toes and legs.  I stood her in front of the mirror so she could see her belly transform into colorful circles as we discussed each one.  The only issue I had with the entire process was keeping her hands cleaned off between playing with her belly and wanting to suck on her fingers.  I would recommend multiple wet wash clothes.  If my daughter would take a pacifier, then I might have let her suck on it while we did this activity to help keep her fingers away from her mouth.  She was very alert prior to painting which also kept her from rubbing her eyes which she does often at bath time when she is really tired.  All-in-all, it was very enjoyable and fun for the entire family!

       The Touch and Feel Box I made for my baby was just small enough to fit between her legs while in a sitting position.  Her facial expressions were priceless as I rotated the box and she explored the different sides.  I definitely had to assist her in moving the box from one side to the other.  My other two children love to get involved, and so very often I need to serve double duty to involve each of them so they can all benefit from a very basic task.   I did make the fabrics on each side different colors, too.  As an extension, my daughter grabbed baby toys that represented each of the six colors.  As we moved from one texture/color to the next, I asked my two-year-old to find the color that matched the side, and we used that matching activity as a springboard for learning about colors, too.  Since I purchased a little extra of each piece of fabric, my six-year-old then made a touch and feel book that outlined the different textures and colors.  Then he wrote a sentence about each texture to describe where it could be found in the real world.

 		   

  How Your Life is Changing
           When it comes to protecting your child from injury, it almost seems that it would make more sense to pad your child (like Ralphie in the snowsuit scene from the holiday classic A Christmas Story) instead of padding all the items within your home.  Since a padded child is not able to freely explore and learn about the world around him, parents are forced to eliminate potential danger from his environment instead.  Babyproofing your home can be a very overwhelming task.  Start small.  Eliminate any choking hazards.  Walk around your home.  If you find any items that will fit through an empty toilet paper tube, then it is considered a choking hazard to your baby/toddler.  The following list of tips and tricks are things to consider as you move about your home and think about potential hazards.  The best advice is to become a baby watcher.  You will most likely find that your child will continually enlighten you as to what you will need to improve upon.  As he becomes more mobile and curious and you begin chasing him, to say no and redirect his attention, you will find that little by little your home will begin to evolve into a safe place for him to explore.

       In addition to babyproofing, be prepared for an emergency.  Have readily available a first aid kit, emergency contact information, flashlight, extra diapers, outfit, snacks, water, etc.  Make sure everyone in your home, including any caregivers, is familiar with the location of these items. Also consider keeping extra items in your vehicle.  Take an empty wet wipe container and write "keep in car" on the outside.  Place infant pain/fever reducing medication, drinking cup, spoon, bib, or other items that you might accidentally forget to place in your diaper bag as you rush out the door.

       Tips and Tricks
  • Try to gate off the most commonly used room(s) in the home.
  • Use outlet covers, cabinet latches, door knob locks, toilet latches, fire place hearth padding, etc.  You can find a wide variety of these safety products down the baby safety aisle at your local retailer.
  • Place plastic kid cups, towels, pots and pans, and plastic storage containers in the lower drawers and cabinets in your kitchen.  As your child gets older, the items placed in lower drawers will allow him to be more self-sufficient when getting a drink of water, cleaning up a mess, or helping to prepare a meal.
  • Consider moving decorative trunks, baskets with lids, cedar chests, and other containers that have closing lids.  Not only can the lids fall and pinch little fingers and/or hit your child on the head, children can also become stuck inside them.
  • Tuck away power cords to prevent pulling and tripping.
  • Consider a fire ladder if you have a multi-story home.
  • Turn child's bedroom doorknob around so the lock is on the outside to prevent him from locking himself in his room.
  • Place all decorative bedroom lamps out of child's reach.  Pay close attention to pole style lamps which may be pulled over and onto your baby.
  • Place all household cleaning supplies, first aid supplies, and other toxic chemicals within an adult's reach only.
  • Consider placing a latch at the top of basement doors, pantry doors, and sliding glass doors.  Placing an out-of-reach lock at the top of these doors will help not only during the baby stages but also as your child grows.  These latches will prevent other children from leaving basement doors open which could put your baby in serious danger.  A pantry latch will prevent canned goods from being pulled down onto your baby, and he will understand that he is not able to go outside without your permission and assistance.
  • Invest in a door and window security alert system that will sound when a door opens.
  • Vacuum your floors often.
  • Place sharp kitchen knives up out of reach.  If you have a knife storage block, store your knives up in a cabinet instead of on the counter.  When your child gets older, he is more likely to push a chair into the kitchen to get a sharp knife off the counter than out of a cabinet.
  • Do not place heavy or sharp items on table cloths which may be pulled down by your baby.
  • To prevent scalding, consider removing the hot water knob from your child's bathroom sink.
  • Anchor larger furniture pieces to the wall such as dressers, water coolers, desks, and even the china cabinet hutch.
  • Check your door stops!  The majority of them have small rubber ends which are choking hazards.  Replace door stops with those that are all one piece.

 		   


Bath Time Blues
By Lindsey Hill, edHelperBaby

           As your three year old moves closer to independence, he might be going through a strong-willed, disagreeable and even insecure stage. This is an important time for your child to overcome these possible stepping stones in order to encourage that independence as he moves through this stage of his life. Many of these behaviors can be overlooked and should be dealt with in a calm, loving and patient way. However, due to these insecurities, a sudden fear of something he was previously not fearful of might occur. For example, your child might suddenly fear taking a shower or a bath or fear his dark room. The best way to approach this stage is to acknowledge these fears by listening to your child and discussing with your child ways to remove the fears. Here are a few tried and true tips for getting your three year old back into the tub for that much needed bath:       
  • Use food coloring to change the water color to his choice of color.
  • Install a hand held shower head and give your little one a shower inside the bathtub.
  • Have him help clean the bath once a week (no harsh cleaners-just soap and water).
  • Apply body/finger paints to his belly, toes and face before getting in the tub.
  • Draw with colored foam soap or crayons on the bathtub walls.
  • Remove the bubbles-do not use bubble bath so he can see the bottom of the tub.
  • Double check the temperature comfort level with your child.
  • Give him goggles or a mask and snorkel for deep sea bath time.
  • Provide toys such as pirate ships or fishing supplies and change them for each bath time.
  • Make up songs to sing while bathing or use familiar songs such as "Rubber Ducky, You're the One" while washing up.
  • Allow your child the choice to take a bath by himself or with a sibling.
  • Try a "Strip down wash" while you wash only necessary places and dry without ever getting into the tub. Do this for a few days and then try the bath again. Maybe just changing things up will get rid of the fears.
  • Purchase a "Bath time Bubble Maker" by Summer Infant at your local baby store.
  • Purchase a "Boon Flo Faucet/Spout Cover" by Boon Inc. that produces a waterfall from the spout for easy washing.
       
       The most important things to remember are to be patient, gentle and understanding of your child's new fears. Offer choices when necessary and a cuddle or two if needed. Remember, this is just another wave to ride out in the world of a three year old and it too shall pass.       

 		   


Worked for Me!
By Lindsey Hill, About my child Cory

           As my son Cory approached three and a half, he suddenly feared getting into the bath tub and if we were ever successful at getting him in, he cried throughout the whole process. I asked several other moms and searched ideas on the Internet and always came up short of our goal: wiping out those bath time blues. After reading an article on the web site www.edHelperBaby.com about body painting with food coloring, I decided to try using the food coloring just to change the color of his bath water. So, we grabbed blue, red and yellow food coloring and changed the bath water on three different nights. After adding one color, we added another primary color to make a secondary color, such as purple by adding blue food coloring to the already red bath water. Oh, what fun we had and no tears this time about getting clean! In fact, he was back to the bath time swimmer of a few weeks prior. I even photographed him on each night "swimming" in the tub with huge smiles! We now experiment with creating different colors using a variety of combinations of colors in his bath. He is even mixing his ketchup and ranch sauce to make pink, so this activity was a success for many reasons!

 		   

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