Promoting manipulation
• Show her how to unscrew lids, thread things
on string or lace, pour water, turn pages, rip paper
and so on.
• Teach her how to do things herself such
as using a spoon and taking her socks off.
• Provide her with building blocks and stacking
toys
• Work at puzzles, drawing and painting together
using a variety of pens, crayons and brushes.
Intellectual Development
Also known as cognitive or mental development, this
area includes the mastery of communication skills,
speech in particular, using imagination; remembering
things, learning new skills such as reading, drawing
and counting and so on. You care promote your child's
intellectual development in a number of ways:
Language
• Always look at your child when talking to
her and use short, simple sentences.
• Listen to her when she is talking
• Encourage her to pretend play with her doll
or teddy to help her develop her linguistic and
creative development.
• When you are out with your child describe
things to her; for example "there is a big car",
"there is a white cat in the park'.
• Look at books with your child and point
out what the characters are doing.
• Expand on what your child says. For example,
if he says "banana" tell him: "bananas are good
to eat".
Color knowledge
• Teach your child about colors when doing
housework. For example, tell her you are "vacuuming
a red carpet" or "scrubbing the white basin" or
"cooking in a black pot".
• When dressing him, tell him the color of
his shirt or jeans or socks or shoes.
• Tell her about the colors outside - the
blue sky, the dog is black, the green grass, the
red and pink flowers and so on.
