2 months old
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW?
Now the senses are beginning to work together as a way to learn about the world. So be sure to provide plenty of sensory-stimulating experiences for your two-month-old. And enjoy beginning social skills … like that first real smile!
- PHYSICAL
Show excitement by waving her arms and legs
- COGNITIVE
Learn that one event follows another
How your 2-month-old might play now:
He may smile at people and coo when spoken to
She shows excitement by waving her arms and legs
He's able to learn that one event follows another
She will turn toward a sound at her side, but she can only locate sounds that are in front of her
He can start figuring out how to make things happen
Children develop at their own pace and reach milestones at different times. The highlights mentioned in this website are approximate guidelines only. If you have any questions about your child's development, consult your healthcare provider.
Toys and Playtips
Help your baby learn more:
- What do you see? Get down at floor level to get baby’s view of overhead toys. This will help you know where to position her for the best vantage point. Change your baby's position every once in a while to freshen the view.
- Play together to encourage communication and add fun to playtime. Pick a time when baby is in an active play mode, not sleepy or hungry or overly stimulated. You'll be able to tell; if the toy looks too busy for him at the moment, he'll close his eyes.
- Talk about it. To help your baby learn there's a connection between words and actions, move the parts and talk about them as you go: "Shake-shake-shake. See the silly little face smiling at you?"
- Hum or sing along to the music on the gym and point out light-up features. The more you talk to your baby and directly engage him, the more you're benefiting his growth and development.
Mobiles
See the toys
Help your baby learn more:
- Music, please. Extend the benefits offered by a mobile's music by playing music for baby at other times of the day and in different settings.
- Sing or hum along. You'll find that as you do, your baby becomes more vocal too.
- What do you see? Try looking at the mobile from baby's point of view. Change its position once in a while, or change your baby's position so she gets a new view.
- Make the connection. Right from the start, your baby will listen to and respond to your voice. Use this connection to point things out about the mobile—the colours, the movement, the characters that dangle from it.
Soothers
See the toys
Help your baby learn more:
- Calm down. Help your baby learn to self-regulate—to stop crying and calm down. A soother with gentle sounds, music and sights helps baby understand when it's time to wind down and go to sleep.
- See that? Point out the motion and lights to help baby focus on them.
- So peaceful. Switch through the sound settings until you find one that's especially soothing to you and baby, then take a few minutes for yourself: listening to the soothing sounds as baby drifts off can be a peaceful time for you, too.
Playard toys
See the toys
Help your baby learn more:
- Colours and high-contrast patterns are a great way to stimulate your baby's visual sense. Point out the colours and name the animals; even though your baby won't understand the meaning yet, she’ll learn that she can switch her focus, too.
- Did you hear that? If a toy plays sounds, take advantage of this opportunity to stimulate your baby's sense of hearing. Take baby's hands in yours and gently clap them together to the music. Make expressive faces as you playfully sing along or imitate the sounds.
PARENTING ARTICLES
SEE ALL
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READ ARTICLE
When should I start reading to my baby?
Ann, it’s great to read to your baby right from the start.
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READ ARTICLE
How does eye-hand coordination develop?
Newborns don't know that their hands are a part of them: baby may use one hand to play with the other, almost as though they were toys. A toy that can be held, like a rattle, helps baby understand who those little hands belong to.
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READ ARTICLE
Making “Sense” of Things: How Touching & Tasting Help Baby Understand the World
The earliest conversations between you and your child involve the sense of touch. When you hold your little one in your arms, baby nestles against your skin, seeking the perfect fit in the curve of your arms.