Your Baby – July 2019

BABY FILES: BABY YB

JULY & AUGUST 2019 | 53

Use a piece of wood and

some things that you have

lying around the house

to make your baby a

stimulating activity board

CHOOSE A PIECE of wood of at least

40 X 60cm for the base of your activity

board. Little ones love buttons, dials and

anything noisy. Choose a variety that will

keep them entertained, but be sure that

the smallest part is bigger than a R5 coin

to minimise the risk of choking. Always

observe your baby while at play.

TIPS TO MAKE YOUR

ACTIVITY BOARD INTERESTING

• Decorate the board by sticking leftover
  buttons or pictures on it for visual
  stimulation. Use the best glue you can
  buy to ensure that they never come loose.


• Add a ribbon and some pegs in
  different colours. Playing with pegs is
  great for fine motor skills.


• Thread bells on a ribbon, and
  encourage your little one to swat the bell
  to make it ring.


• Stick the base of the biggest nesting
  cup onto the board. The other cups
  remain loose for your child to fit into the
  base cup, from biggest to smallest. This
  is a great exercise for the development
  of future mathematical and problem-
  solving skills.


• A chain lock is an interesting addition
  to the activity board. Most hardware
  stores have them, and it is easy to screw
  it on. Show your child how to slide the
  lock in and out.


• How about adding a tap? This way
  your child learns how to twist the palm
  and wrist – great exercise for future
  writing skills. To attach the tap, you would
  have to drill a hole in the board.


• A small tin with a firm but detachable
  lid makes a cute postbox. Carefully cut
  a slit in the lid through which your child
  can post large buttons. Remember, this
  part of the game calls for you to watch,
  so those buttons don’t end up going to
  the mouth.


• A small pinwheel is another cute
  thing to add. Show your child how to
  blow on it to make it turn – great for
  oral development.


• Babies find keys irresistable, so attach
  a bunch of keys on a chain to the board
  as well. They make a great noise when
  your child swats at them.


• A simple light switch can keep little
  fingers busy. Turning a dial is a challenge
  for little hands to master.


• If your board is big enough, add
  a section of blackboard paint, so your
  little one can scribble with chalk on it.


• Some extra ideas: a zip, some sand
  paper in various textures, different types
  of fabric and a little mirror. YB