Video transcript

Narrator: Babies are very social. They learn through the interactions and experiences they share with the people in their lives. When you touch and cuddle your baby gently, he learns that you’re there to love and care for him. It’s the same when she smiles, and you smile back. And it’s never too early for conversation. Your baby will love hearing you talk, and copy the sounds you make. It makes her feel important, and forms millions of connections in her brain that help her learn. These back-and-forth interactions help develop important life skills, like thinking, talking and communicating.

The things you do with your baby every day, like feeding, playing, and comforting, are all great opportunities to interact with each other and help your baby learn. Your baby is very busy trying to work out what’s going on around him. He’s using all his senses to explore his world: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch. His communication skills are developing, so he’ll want to tell you all about the things he’s doing, usually through babbling and body language. You can respond by smiling, nodding and talking about the things he’s interested in. This helps him learn that you are interested in him. It also encourages him to keep exploring and learning.

Starting first food is about more than nutrition. It’s also a chance for your baby to learn, develop skills and bond with you. Talking about foods – the colours, textures, names and tastes – helps your baby understand new concepts and develop language skills. Using fingers builds her fine motor skills, as she learns how to pick up food and put it in her mouth. Using a spoon develops her coordination and thinking and supports her independence, no matter how messy she gets.

Play activities, like singing and moving together, are fun. They give your baby the chance to develop important skills, like thinking, communicating, socialising and moving. Singing helps your baby become familiar with words, sound and music. It’s also great for developing his memory, and moving together lets him practise different ways of moving his body.

Your baby is an amazing learner. She is learning new things all the time through the everyday things you do together. By playing, reading, talking and listening with your baby, you’re giving your baby a great start in life.