7 ways you can help your grandbabies grow and learn
One of the greatest experiences in life is the day you become a grandparent. It’s been years since your own children became adults, and suddenly there is another bundle of joy in need of your care and affection. While the fundamentals of child-rearing may not have drastically changed since your first days a parent, we could all use a refresher course and some new insight. Here are seven ways you can interact with your grandbabies to help them grow and learn as you strengthen your bond together.
1. Smiling
One of the first things your grandchild will do while developing is learn to reciprocally smile. One of the earliest forms of communication between a caregiver and a child is the repaid smile, which shows that your grandchild can see, recognise your smile and return one of their own. The easiest way to encourage this in your grandchild? Simple: laugh and smile, but as if we needed to tell you to do that!
2. Talking and singing
From cooing, to babbling to forming their first word, the art of speech is one that takes months to years to develop. You can help your grandchild reach these milestones by talking to him/her. Talk about anything at all and ask questions. You can even sing and encourage your grandchild to sing along with you.
3. Reaching
An early milestone, your grandbaby should begin reaching for things that they can see, an interaction which is imperative to the learning process. Encourage their natural inquisitiveness by joining them on the floor and placing safe objects and toys in their line of vision, just out of reach. Curiosity should lead them to reach and grab for their toys.
4. Standing
Before learning to take their first step, your grandchild needs to learn to stand. You can encourage this by regulating the amount of time he/she spends in car seats or high chairs. Reaching comes into play here too: by placing their favourite toys just out of reach but in view, on a coffee table or other surface, you encourage your grandchild to stand and reach for the objects they desire.
5. Grasping
After learning to reach and grab, your grandchild should eventually learn what is referred to as the “pincer grasp” where they pick up small objects using only their thumb and forefinger. This skill is essential in developing fine motor skills which they will later use to groom, eat and write. You can encourage this skill by offering them small eatable foods, such as cereals, which they can learn to pick up.
6. Peek-a-boo
When a child is very young, they have yet to understand object permanence. When a person or object is taken from their view, they think it is gone forever. This explains the thrill of peek-a-boo. They at first think you are disappearing and reappearing right before their eyes. You can help them understand this phenomenon and use it as an opportunity to bond with your grandchild, speaking to them throughout to assure them that you are still there.
7. Reading
Reading is a great way to interact with your child and facilitate learning and literacy. Even if they cannot yet speak, you can sit with them and read aloud while allowing them to listen and interact with the pages of the book. This encourages reading in later years and helps memory and comprehension.
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