From the moment your baby is born until they reach their second birthday, you have a unique opportunity to lay the groundwork for their future growth and development. Adequate stimulation during this critical period is key to a child’s ability to learn, grow, and thrive.
With this in mind, the Knysna Education Trust (KET) developed the Baby & Toddler Programme. This programme outlines essential stages of growth and provides caregivers with practical, cost-effective activities designed to foster healthy development and ensure every child starts life on a positive path.
KET has observed that many caregivers are unaware of crucial activities that can significantly impact a child’s development. For example, “tummy time” is a simple yet vital practice where placing a baby on their stomach for a few minutes each day helps develop motor skills necessary for pushing up and crawling. Educating Early Childhood Development (ECD) practitioners and caregivers about such activities is crucial for nurturing healthy, thriving babies.
KET’s Baby & Toddler Programme manual details enjoyable, easy to implement activities tailored to each developmental stage, with important safety measures and milestones to track progress. Covering ages from 3-6 months to 24-36 months, the manual provides guidance to support every phase of a young child’s growth.
Here are some learning resources from the manual, that you can make at home:
Touchy Feely Frame
What you will need
- Old photo frames or a piece of cardboard
- Different pieces of fabric, cloth, lace, bubble wrap, fur, carpet offcuts etc.
What to do
Collect as many different fabrics with different textures as you can. Place them inside each picture frame or simply glue them to the cardboard. Allow the baby to explore the different textures.
Sensory Bottles
What you will need
- A few clear plastic bottles
- Different objects to put inside, like beans, glitter, coloured water, marbles, buttons, little stones, paperclips and colourful pompoms.
What to do
Fill the bottles with different objects and close the lid tight. Give it to the baby to shake, roll, kick and move. The baby will explore the sounds the bottles make and how the objects move inside.
Enjoyed these activities? Donate R500 or more to the Knysna Education Trust and receive the complete Baby & Toddler manual, including activities for toddlers up to 36 months old. Your donation will support KET’s efforts to empower ECD practitioners in disadvantaged communities.
