To boldly go

Jenny Benjamin
Wednesday, August 22, 2001

Toys for babies of six to 12 months old should appeal to their appropriate motor and sensory skills. Jenny Benjamin examines the options for stimulating objects to stock the nursery By six months old, babies are already seasoned explorers. They have eyeballed, grabbed, fingered, mouthed and dropped many objects, and they are beginning to get an idea, albeit a sensory one, of what their world is like. After six months their explorations become more sophisticated. Their fine motor skills have improved, so that, by nine months, they can manipulate objects more carefully, turning them over and passing them easily from hand to hand. By one year old, they will also be able to use thumb and index finger in the pincer grip. These bigger babies are likely to hold on to things for longer, unlike the younger ones, who will drop an item and demand another immediately.