| By :
Gretchin Hammill
Motor skills are like building blocks for your baby's development. It starts with a lift of the head, continuing on to propping up on their arms, which leads to grasping and reaching. All this finally leads up to nonstop walking, running, climbing and jumping. As parents, we want to give our babies the best start and help them master the skills that will lead them to the next milestone. Tummy time is great, but what about bath time? Challenge your child fun baby bath toys and help her fine tune those motor skills by choosing appropriate bath time toys. There are general developmental milestones commonly recognized by the American Association of Pediatricians. By seven months, your child may be able to sit up with the assistance of her arms. By 12 months, your child may be able to sit unassisted. As your child reaches each milestone developmentally, you can tailor her toys, including the toys she is playing with while she is bathing, for developmental appropriateness. The water makes everything a bit more slippery, so reaching and grasping for baby bath toys can be challenging and fun, too. Your baby will work on hand-eye coordination, as she watches toys float by in the water or chases them with her hands. As she becomes better and betterable to sit in the tub on herown, your child will be working on developing balance, also. When shopping for bath toys, keep these things in mind: --- Toys that are just the right size for those tiny hands: small enough to grab, but big enough to see easily. Remember, her sight is still developing over the first year. --- Interactive toys: toys that squeak or squirt water when they are squeezed. She will be stimulated to play more and will love the surprise. --- Look for baby bath toys featuring different textures: she'll find them more interesting, especially if she can grab on! --- Simple is best! Avoid toys with over-stimulating lights and sounds and look for toys that encourage your child to play. Learning is all the more fun in the bathtub with baby toys. By choosing bath time toys that are baby-style captivating, safe and developmentally appropriate, you ensure they will encourage your child to consider bath time a time of learning fun. Most importantly, make sure you're with your child at all times while she's in the bathtub.
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