A body that is ready to master emotions and words

By Cozette Laubser |

Let’s listen up and be reminded of a few practical pointers that will ensure strong bodies and smart brains.

In this article I will recap some of the principles BabyGym parents already know well, but we will also lay the building blocks for the emotional and cognitive development that is still to come.

Did you know, your little one can only learn to write and read (and enjoy it!) once they:

• Know their own bodies well
• Are aware of the left and the right side of their bodies
• Grasp directions
• Can STOP!

Hands up. Who can remember this house model? Can you remember where we start to build the house? That’s right! From the bottom up.

First, we have:

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT – The red part of the brain

Physical development starts with good awareness of the body. Let’s quickly make sure your little one’s body map is in place.

Awareness

We are going to start by massaging the ears and then draw the outline of the body. Let’s start with the ears…

• Massage the ears
• Start from the head and outline the little ones’ body
• Hold the feet for a count of 8.

Can you remember how many times we repeat everything? That’s right, at least 3 times!

This sequence develops body awareness, gravitational security and self-esteem.

Now that we have made the brain aware of the body and what it looks like, we can name the body parts. We are going to work on the little one’s body first, and then repeat the body parts on Mommy’s body.

“This is your hair, your eyes, your ears, your nose, your mouth, your tongue, your hands, your belly button, your feet!”

Let’s see where are Mommy’s body parts.

“Where is Mommy’s hair, her eyes, her ears, her nose, her mouth, her tongue, her hands, her belly button, her feet!”

Left and right sides

Now our brain knows we have a body with several body parts. Now we can also teach our brains about two important sides of our bodies. Our left and our right!

Mom, please be creative and look through your wrapping or crafting supplies, do you have ribbon? We are going to need 2 colours. Please cut 2 pieces from 1 color and 2 pieces from another color. I’m going to use blue and red ribbons as an example. The blue ribbons go on the left wrist and ankle, the red ribbons go on the right wrist and ankle. We are now going to listen to the words of this next song and move our arms and legs accordingly.

Mom, we’re including this video so you can see the moves and hear the music, but the video is not for your little one. Oh no, we know screens are not suitable for the eyes at this age.

Direction

Now that our bodies are warmed up, let’s explore direction!

Have a look inside your child’s toy box and find a colorful toy or ball. Have your little one sit between your legs, facing away from you, so that you are both looking in the same direction. Place the ball on the ground according to the sides of the body. After you have placed the ball, you are going to ask the child to pick up the ball and hand it back yo you.

1. Where is left? Well done!
2. Where is right? Well done!
3. Where is in front? Well done!
4. Where is behind? Well done!
5. Where is above? (Place the ball on top of the little one’s head) Well done!
6. Where is under? (Place the ball under the little one’s bum) Well done!

Stop

Have a look inside your child’s toy box and find an egg shaker or rattle. Now, we are going to take our egg shakers and shake them rhythmically. Then I’m going to indicate when we need to STOP! We will then put our shakers down, put our fingers on our mouths and say ssshhhht!

Are you ready?

Shake, shake, shake, shake

Shake, shake, shake, shake

Shake, shake, shake, shake

Shake, shake

STOP

Ssshhhht!

Good job! Let’s do it 2 more times.

Discipline

The ability to stop is a prerequisite for discipline. Did you know, that discipline means ‘to teach’, not to punish? So, discipline fits naturally with a well-developed child.

Magda Gerber refers to discipline as mutual respect between parents and the child or children. Make your family’s rules clear and stick to them consistently. Consistency goes a whole lot further than an angry parent.

Now we come to the second layer of the brain. Can you remember the name of this layer?

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT (The yellow part of the brain)

Babies are not born with a variety of emotions – they have to develop their emotional repertoire. Can you remember when is the sensitive period for emotional development?

That’s right! 14 months to 4 years.

Just as with physical development, a child must first and foremost become aware of their emotions. It starts with Mom and Dad’s enthusiasm and encouragement from day 1. If your baby, or later toddler or preschooler masters a new skill, enthusiastically clap hands and show them this is something to celebrate! You can also encourage repetition: “Well done my love! Please show me again?”

Emotional awareness also begins with naming your own and your child’s emotions. “The sun is out, it’s a new day, this makes Mommy very happy!”. OR “Oh, I’m so excited, today is Danielle’s birthday party!”. OR “Oh, Mommy is a little sad today, I miss Grandpa, I wish we could go visit.” OR “No, we don’t break each other’s things, now Daddy is angry.”

Remember, this is a time of building their own identity. Although selfish behaviour is uncomfortable behaviour, it is not necessarily inappropriate. With your continued love and guidance, your little one will learn to wait, share and take turns over time. These are all emotional skills that follow much easier when the little one has a well-developed body that can STOP!

Books that are chosen with care teach your little one so much about emotions, about friendship, about good times and bad times. If story time isn’t already part of your evening routine, I’d really like to encourage it. It’s the easiest and most enjoyable way to enjoy quality time as a family, right before bed.

As your little one gets older, you will also see how they will select a book from the shelf, reflecting their emotional state at that time. What a wonderful glimpse into their inner world!

The last piece of the puzzle is:

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT (The green part of the brain)

Can you remember when is the sensitive period for cognitive development?

That’s right! 4 – 11 Years.

Stretch out your left arm with your palm facing away from you. Look at your hand: If the thumb of your left hand moves away from the other fingers, it forms a capital letter “L” for “Language”, reminding us that thumb separation announces the start of expressive language development.

The biggest contribution you can make to your child’s cognitive development right now is to be a good language role model. Talk to your child, and point to people/animals/objects… Everything! Name it, and explain how it works. They understand incredibly well long before they can talk. Your child’s vocabulary also forms the foundation for reading.

If talking and using a lot of words does not come easily to you as an adult, don’t worry, reach for books that use words, emotions and ideas. Age-appropriate books can be a huge help!

Remember, when we as BabyGym Instructors recommend a book, it is not to teach the child to read the book at this age, no. It is simply to promote quality time between parent and child, to develop good auditory (listening) skills and to expand that emotional repertoire. Of course, beautiful pictures and a relevant theme are a must!

Take a close look at the benefits that adult-and-child reading addresses in only a few minutes:

• Little one sits snuggly against the parent (sensory and physical development)
• Being together (emotional and social development) as well as
• Vocabulary (cognitive development).

 

IN CLOSING

There you go Mommies, now you have a handful of ideas to continue the age-appropriate development of your little one(s). Thank you for your dedication!