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Did You Know

At 2 Months I can--

  • hold my head up while I am lying on my stomach. 
  • hold my head steady when you hold me in a sitting position. 
  • bring my hands together in front. 
  • grasp a rattle that you place in my fingers. 
  • follow an object with my eyes for a short distance. 
  • look at your face. 
  • listen and respond to the sounds and voices around me and enjoy listening to stories. 
  • respond to my name. 
  • pay attention to sounds. Respond to mommy or daddy with excitement. 
  • coo, gurgle, laugh, and babble to myself and others. 
  • smile when you smile or play with me. 
  • stay awake longer, especially if you are singing and talking with me. 

You Can Help Me Learn and Grow!! You Can: 

  • gently move my arms and legs. Or tickle me lightly under my chin or on my tummy. 
  • lie on the floor and put me on your chest. Let me reach for your nose or grab your hair. Talk to me and name each thing I touch. 
  • talk, sing, and read to me during a daily activity, such as bath time or bedtime. 
  • set a happy ritual in my schedule. For example, at bedtime, sing the same song every night, rock me, or rub my tummy. 
  • say my name again and again so that I will learn it. 
  • take several turns in our game and then encourage me to take a turn. 
  • respond to my babbles as if you know what I am saying. 
  • read and/or tell me nursery rhymes. 
  • pick me up if I am crying as soon as you can. Try to find out what's wrong. Am I hungry? Wet? Bored? Too hot? Crying is my way of talking to you. By comforting me, you are telling me that my talking and babbling has a meaning and that someone wants to understand. 
  • sing and cuddle with me. Hold me snuggled in your arms or lying face up on your lap with my head on your knees. Make sure my head is well supported. 
  • If you don't know lullabies or rhymes for babies, make up your own! 
  • dance with me. To soothe me when I am upset, put my head on your shoulder and hum softly or listen to recorded music as you move around the room. 
  • hang a colorful mobile above my crib. 

Feeling your touch, hearing your voice, and enjoying the comfort of physical closeness all help me to develop trust. Babies are hard at work whenever they are awake trying to learn all about the world. To help them learn, you should give them many different safe things to play with and inspect. Objects you have around your home are good to use. 

Home-Made Mobile 

You need:
A hook set firmly in the ceiling above the baby's crib 
A long string to allow extra movement 
Coat hanger 
Bright colored yarn 
Light objects that move easily 
1. Tie the long string to the coathanger to hang from the hook. 
2. Tie different lengths of the yarn from the bottom of the coat hanger. 
3. Tie the objects to the pieces of yarn. 
You can use different shapes cut from felt or colored cardboard; glue magazine pictures to cardboard, close-up pictures of family, lightweight toys, and more. Changing the objects helps keep the baby's interest. Note: make sure you hang it where the baby can see it but out of reach! 

"Cradle Gym" 

Tie different toys to a long piece of elastic and tie to the sides of the crib. 

Safe materials: 
Large colored pegs (larger than end of paper towel tube -- too big to fit into baby's mouth!) 
Pieces of patterned cloth 
Yogurt carton tops 
Plastic mirror 
Stuffed animals 
Babies begin to understand how the world works when they see, touch, hold, and shake things. 

Safety Tips 

Be sure the size of any item you give your baby is larger than the end of an empty paper towel roll and will be safe in his mouth, since that's where it probably will end up. 

Make sure you take your baby to your doctor or clinic. Get shots on time! 

Each child develops at his or her own rate. This information is meant to be a guide only. 

By Louise E. Davis, Ph.D., Extension Child and Development Specialist.

Mississippi State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran status.

Information Sheet 1600

Extension Service of Mississippi State University, cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published in furtherance of Acts of Congress, May 8 and June 30, 1914. Ronald A. Brown, Director

Copyright by Mississippi State University. All rights reserved.

This document may be copied and distributed for nonprofit educational purposes provided that credit is given to the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

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Last Modified: Wednesday, 11-Feb-09 14:04:30
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