month 17:

Repetition reinforces brain pathways

Greetings

You might wonder why your toddler enjoys doing the same movements again and again, such as opening and closing your kitchen cupboards. The answer is simple: repetition is how your child reinforces their motor learning. Research shows that the connections between your child’s brain neurons get stronger with repetition. If you haven’t already heard Harvard University’s podcast The Brain Architects, you might enjoy listening to learn more about your child’s brain development. You can also read a series of articles at Active for Life that discuss infant brain development.

Enjoying this newsletter?

Active Start provides regular tips and activities tailored specifically to the age of your child.

Subscribe now to start receiving Active Start directly by email.

Activities that you can do

Here are a couple of activities you can try with your toddler this month to continue encouraging motor skill development.

1. Baby drummer

Give your baby a few kitchen utensils for drumming, such as pots, pans, and serving spoons. (Make sure none of the spoons or utensils have sharp edges.) Let your baby experiment with hitting the pots and pans—even if you need to wear ear plugs!

2. Sticky wall

Cut a large piece of contact paper and secure it to a wall or door with painter’s tape to create a “sticky wall.” Tape the paper at the eye level of your toddler. Collect lightweight objects such as balloons, balls, coloured tissue paper, and plastic spoons, then show your toddler how to stick them to the sticky wall. Toddlers love experimenting, so be prepared to find some other stuff stuck to the wall as well!

Remember: If your child begins to fuss or cry during an activity, it might be a sign that they're hungry or need a rest.

Tips for your own self-care

For many parents, much of the time we spend with our kids is during caretaking: cooking and cleaning, driving them around, and so on. Amid all the busyness, we sometimes forget how good it feels to just have fun with them too. Plus: big belly laughs also release endorphins!

Things to watch for this month

These are some of the things that you might see your toddler do this month:

Beginning to unlatch, unscrew, and open things
Striking things together to make noise

Unsubscribe | Forward to a friend | Update profile | Privacy policy | Archive

The Active Start newsletter is emailed monthly to subscribers. Add us to your address book or safe list to make sure our emails reach your inbox. Tell us what we can do better.

Disclaimer: The activities provided in this newsletter are for educational purposes only. If you choose to proceed, do so with caution and at your own risk.

Active Start is brought to you by: