As your child grows from 12 to 18 months, they will experience significant developmental milestones. During this time, your child will become more active and curious about the world around them. As a parent or caregiver, it is important to provide your child with advanced lesson plans that will help them continue to grow and develop.
Infants and toddlers learn through exploration and play. It is important to create lesson plans that are both fun and educational. Your child will benefit from activities that promote language, cognitive, social and emotional, physical, and approaches toward learning development. By providing your child with a variety of activities, you can help them reach their full potential.
In this article, we will provide you with advanced lesson plans for growing infants. We will cover developmental milestones that your child may reach during this time and provide you with activities that will help them continue to grow and learn. With these lesson plans, you can help your child reach their full potential and set them up for success in the future.
Physical Development
During the 12-18 month stage, your growing infant will experience significant physical development. This period is marked by the development of gross and fine motor skills that enable your child to explore the world around them.
Gross Motor Skills
Gross motor skills refer to the development of large muscle groups in the legs and arms. At this stage, your child will be able to sit upright without support, crawl, and even stand with some assistance. As they continue to develop, they will be able to walk while holding onto furniture and eventually take their first steps without any assistance. Encouraging your child to practice these skills can help them build strength and coordination.
Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills refer to the development of smaller muscle groups in the hands and fingers. During this stage, your child will begin to develop the ability to pick up small objects, hold a spoon, and even scribble with a crayon. Encouraging your child to practice these skills can help them develop the dexterity and hand-eye coordination needed for more complex tasks later on.
It’s important to remember that all children develop at their own pace. While some may reach these milestones earlier or later than others, consistent practice and encouragement can help your child reach their full potential.
Cognitive Development
At 12-18 months, your growing infant is making significant strides in cognitive development. They are becoming more aware of their surroundings and starting to understand cause and effect. As a caregiver, it’s important to provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum that encourages cognitive growth. In this section, we will explore two key areas of cognitive development: language and communication, and thinking and problem-solving.
Language and Communication
Your growing infant is starting to develop language skills and communication abilities. They will begin to understand simple words and phrases and may start to say their first words. It’s important to encourage language development by talking to your child and using simple words and phrases. Here are some activities that can help promote language and communication skills:
- Reading books together
- Singing songs and nursery rhymes
- Pointing out objects and naming them
- Encouraging your child to repeat simple words and phrases
Thinking and Problem Solving
At this stage, your growing infant is starting to develop problem-solving skills and understand object permanence. They may enjoy playing simple games like hide-and-seek and stacking blocks. Here are some activities that can help promote thinking and problem-solving skills:
- Playing simple games like peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek
- Providing toys that encourage problem-solving, such as shape sorters and puzzles
- Encouraging your child to explore their environment and discover new things
- Playing with toys that encourage imaginative play, such as dolls and stuffed animals
Overall, providing a developmentally appropriate curriculum that encourages cognitive growth is essential for your growing infant’s development. By promoting language and communication skills and thinking and problem-solving abilities, you can help your child reach their full cognitive potential.
Social and Emotional Development
From 12-18 months, your growing infant is developing rapidly in terms of social and emotional development. Your infant is learning to communicate their needs and wants through sounds and body language, and they are developing a sense of identity and self-awareness.
During this stage, your infant will begin to form relationships with caregivers and other children. It is important to provide a nurturing and trusting environment for your infant to develop healthy social and emotional skills.
Loving relationships with caregivers give infants a sense of comfort, safety, and encouragement. This helps them to develop confidence in themselves and their abilities. As your infant grows, they will learn how to form friendships and communicate their emotions.
It is important to be aware of social and emotional milestones during this stage of development. If you have concerns about your infant’s social and emotional development, it is recommended to seek advice from a healthcare professional.
Overall, providing a supportive and nurturing environment for your growing infant is key to their social and emotional development. Encourage positive relationships and provide opportunities for your infant to explore their surroundings and develop their sense of identity.
Sensory Development
At 12-18 months, your growing infant is becoming more aware of their surroundings and developing their sensory skills. Sensory development is crucial for your child’s growth and learning. Here are some ways you can encourage sensory development in your 12-18 month old.
Visual and Auditory Skills
Your child’s visual and auditory skills are developing rapidly at this age. You can help stimulate their senses by providing a variety of visual and auditory experiences. Here are some activities you can try:
- Read books with bright, colorful pictures and simple words.
- Play music and sing songs with your child.
- Encourage your child to explore their surroundings by pointing out different objects and colors.
Touch, Taste and Smell
Your child’s sense of touch, taste, and smell are also developing at this age. Sensory play is a great way to help your child explore these senses. Here are some sensory activities you can try:
- Finger painting with non-toxic paint.
- Playing with different textured materials such as sand, water, and playdough.
- Offering a variety of foods with different tastes and smells.
Remember to always supervise your child during sensory play and choose age-appropriate materials. Encouraging sensory development in your 12-18 month old can help promote their overall growth and development.
Play and Exploration
At 12-18 months, your growing infant is becoming more mobile, curious, and imaginative. Play and exploration are essential to their learning and development. Here are some ideas for play activities that will help your child develop their motor skills, creativity, and social skills.
Art and Music
Introducing your child to art and music can be a fun and engaging way to stimulate their senses and creativity. Try some of these activities:
- Finger painting: Provide non-toxic paint and paper, and let your child explore and create with their fingers.
- Musical instruments: Give your child simple instruments like shakers, drums, and bells to play with while listening to music.
- Singing and dancing: Encourage your child to move and groove to their favorite tunes.
Physical Play
Physical play is essential to your child’s development of gross motor skills, coordination, and balance. Here are some activities to try:
- Crawling and climbing: Create a safe environment where your child can crawl and climb on soft surfaces like pillows, cushions, and foam mats.
- Ball play: Play with soft balls that your child can grasp, throw, and roll.
- Water play: Fill a shallow tub with water and let your child splash and play with cups and toys.
Pretend Play
Pretend play helps your child develop their imagination, social skills, and language. Here are some ideas for pretend play activities:
- Dress-up: Provide costumes and props like hats, scarves, and purses for your child to dress up and role-play.
- Tea party: Set up a tea party with dolls and stuffed animals, and encourage your child to serve and interact with their guests.
- Kitchen play: Give your child pots, pans, utensils, and play food to cook and serve imaginary meals.
Remember, play and exploration should be fun and engaging for both you and your child. Follow your child’s lead and interests, and be creative with your play activities.
Learning Through Books and Toys
As your infant grows and develops, they become more curious and interested in exploring their surroundings. One way to encourage their learning is through books and toys that stimulate their senses and promote cognitive development. In this section, we will explore two important aspects of learning through books and toys: reading and picture books, and toys for development.
Reading and Picture Books
Reading to your infant is an excellent way to promote language development and cognitive skills. Picture books are especially helpful because they stimulate your infant’s visual senses and help them learn about shapes, colors, and matching. As your infant grows, you can introduce books with more complex shapes and colors to help them learn to sort and match.
When choosing picture books for your infant, look for books with bright, bold colors and simple shapes. Board books with pages that are easy to turn are ideal for infants, as they can explore the book on their own. You can also choose books with textures and different materials to help your infant learn about different textures and sensations.
Toys for Development
Toys are an important part of your infant’s development. They help your infant learn about their environment and develop their motor skills. When choosing toys for your infant, look for toys that are safe and appropriate for their age. Toys that promote crawling, reaching, and grasping are ideal for this age group.
Shape sorters, stacking toys, and blocks are great toys for promoting cognitive development and hand-eye coordination. Toys that encourage scribbling and drawing, such as large crayons and markers, can also help promote fine motor skills.
In conclusion, learning through books and toys is an important part of your infant’s development. Reading and picture books can help promote language development and cognitive skills, while toys can help promote motor skills and cognitive development. By choosing age-appropriate toys and books, you can help your infant learn and grow in a safe and stimulating environment.
Feeding and Self-Care Skills
As your growing infant reaches 12-18 months, they are likely becoming more independent and developing advanced self-care skills. This is an exciting time as they learn to feed themselves and dress themselves with supervision. Here are some tips to encourage and support your child’s feeding and self-care skills.
Eating and Drinking
At this age, your child is likely able to hold a cup and drink from it with some assistance. Encourage them to use an open cup or a straw cup to help develop their hand-eye coordination and mouth muscles. Offer a variety of healthy foods in small, bite-sized pieces to help them practice self-feeding with a spoon or fork. It’s also important to supervise your child during meals to ensure they are eating safely and not choking on food.
Dressing and Undressing
Your child may be able to help with dressing and undressing, such as pulling off their socks or shoes. Encourage them to practice putting on and taking off their own shoes, but be prepared to help them if needed. Velcro shoes or slip-on shoes can make this process easier for your child. When it comes to clothing, offer your child choices to help them develop their own preferences and encourage independence.
Remember to be patient and offer support as your child develops their feeding and self-care skills. With practice and encouragement, they will continue to grow and learn.
Planning Advanced Lessons
As your infant grows and develops, their needs and abilities change. To ensure their continued progress and learning, it’s important to plan advanced lessons that meet their current developmental stage. Here are some tips to help you plan advanced lessons for your growing infant:
Consider Your Infant’s Current Abilities
Before planning any lessons, it’s important to consider your infant’s current abilities. This will help you choose activities that are challenging but still achievable. For example, if your infant is already crawling, you might plan activities that encourage them to stand or take their first steps.
Incorporate Independent Play
As your infant grows, they will become more independent and want to explore on their own. Incorporating independent play into your lesson plans can help encourage this development. Set up a safe play area with age-appropriate toys and let your infant explore on their own. This will help them develop their problem-solving skills and build confidence.
Include Tummy Time
Tummy time is an important activity for infants as it helps them develop their neck and upper body strength. Incorporate tummy time into your lesson plans by placing your infant on their stomach for short periods throughout the day. You can also use toys to encourage them to lift their head and reach for objects.
Set Realistic Goals
When planning advanced lessons for your growing infant, it’s important to set realistic goals. Don’t expect your infant to reach milestones before they’re ready. Instead, focus on activities that encourage progress and development at their own pace.
Communicate with Caregivers
If your infant is in daycare or has a regular caregiver, it’s important to communicate with them about your lesson plans. This will help ensure consistency in your infant’s learning and development.
Planning advanced lessons for your growing infant can be challenging, but by considering their current abilities, incorporating independent play and tummy time, setting realistic goals, and communicating with caregivers, you can help ensure their continued progress and success.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some physical development milestones for infants aged 12-18 months?
At this age, infants are developing gross motor skills such as walking independently, crawling up stairs, and playing with pull and push toys. They are also improving fine motor skills like grasping objects and using their fingers to explore their environment.
What are some social development milestones for infants aged 12-18 months?
Infants at this age are starting to interact more with others and may show a preference for certain people. They may also begin to imitate others and show interest in playing with other children.
What are some emotional development milestones for infants aged 12-18 months?
Infants are learning to express their emotions and may start to show affection towards caregivers. They may also experience separation anxiety and become upset when separated from their primary caregiver.
What are some lesson plan themes for infants aged 12-18 months?
Lesson plan themes for infants aged 12-18 months can include sensory play, language development, and socialization. Activities can include exploring different textures, singing songs, and playing with toys that encourage interaction with others.
How do you write a lesson plan for an infant?
When writing a lesson plan for an infant, it is important to keep their individual needs and abilities in mind. Activities should be simple and focused on sensory play, language development, and socialization. It is also important to allow for flexibility and adjust activities based on the infant’s interests and reactions.
What are some advanced milestones for an 18 month old baby?
At 18 months, babies may be able to walk up and down stairs independently, use simple words and phrases, and imitate others. They may also begin to show more independence and assert their preferences.