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Baby's first smiles and first steps are exciting milestones indeed, but there are actually tons of developmental leaps that humans make between infancy and adolescence.
Some baby milestones are easy to see, such as rolling over, but some may go unnoticed by parents. If you're interested in child development, we're here to help!
An important principle of the Montessori approach to supporting children is observation. In the Monti Kids Program®, our Learning Team guides parents through Magic Milestones by providing details on what to observe.
Here are some examples of lesser-celebrated milestones:
- Baby begins swinging their arms around in space (time for an Activity Gym!)
- Baby lifts their feet off the ground when lying on their back
- Baby finds tummy time comfortable (smiles and looks around)
- Baby starts bracing their toes against the floor as if to move forward
- Baby transfers an object from one hand to another
Our little ones are developing in so many ways during the first year. As they begin to acquire language, coordinate their limbs, develop muscle strength, and refine their grasps to hold objects, the way they interact with their toys will provide many opportunities to notice new abilities!
Fine motor milestones you can see
A newborn baby holds their hand in a tight fist upon birth. In the months ahead, their fingers unfurl, their reach becomes intentional, and their grasp strengthens.
Noticing how your baby uses their fingers during the first year is rewarding because it changes so much!
Some baby milestones you can see once your baby begins grasping intentionally:
- Moving their fingers independently
- Using an early pincer grasp
- Releasing an object intentionally
- Coordinating their two hands
- Using index finger with thumb to grasp effortlessly
Supporting your baby's developmental milestones in the first year
At Monti Kids, our Learning Team has grouped activities and coaching for parents into 12 Toolkits of curriculum. With each Toolkit, families receive home delivery of Montessori activities and access to an online Parent Learning Center that supports them. They even get to talk to a child development expert by phone or email!
The toys in each Toolkit are intentionally designed to challenge a baby at just the right level. Our little ones develop focus when they are fully engaged with play that invites them to practice a new skill. When you see them repeat an action over and over, they're learning!
The Object Permanence Box pictured above is included in the Monti Kids Movement Toolkit curriculum. When playing with this classic Montessori toy, a baby will use their ability to grasp a ball, to release it intentionally, and to stabilize the box with their other hand. Further, when the ball disappears briefly and then reappears, a baby is strengthening their understanding of object permanence. In other words, things can exist, even when we cannot see them.
Support all of your baby's milestones by inviting them to practice their skills as they play.
We can help you get started by letting you know what to look for and what activities to offer at each stage.
