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Development & Play
Tummy Time
Tummy time was something we started right after coming home from the hospital. The lady who helped us would place her on her tummy, gently support her feet, and my baby would actually push a little forward even on day 4, which shocked me too. We kept it very short in the beginning, just 2 to 4 minutes at a time, a couple of times a day, and only as long as she was comfortable. Even early on she tried lifting her head, and slowly we increased the time little by little, 3 minutes became 5, then 10, then longer. I also used a tummy time book and placed it in front of her even though she couldn’t see clearly at first, it still helped because she would try to look, lift her head, and stay engaged. Later, once she started rolling (around the fourth month for us), tummy time didn’t feel like a separate activity anymore because she was getting onto her tummy by herself and staying there longer.
What I’ve seen experts repeat is that tummy time should be supervised and only when baby is awake, and starting with short sessions from the newborn stage is totally fine. It’s also linked with better gross motor development and skills like rolling and crawling, which is one reason many paediatric sources keep encouraging it. If a baby gets fussy quickly, that’s normal, you can do it in small bits through the day, and build up as they tolerate it.
Books & Reading
I started books and reading from the very beginning. In the early months I mostly used black and white books and soft cloth books, and even when she couldn’t see things clearly yet, I would still show the pages while she was relaxed or playing. After a few months I added more cloth books and board books, like animal and farm books, and I would sit with her and flip pages slowly, and sometimes I would give the cloth books to her so she could squeeze them, open and close them, and explore on her own. As she grew, I kept buying more books, and once she started sitting properly, I naturally made it a daily thing, a little reading time in the morning and a bedtime book at night. Now, if I give her a stack of books, she will actually sit and look through them by herself, and I really feel it’s because books were always part of her routine from the start. What experts also say is that shared reading from infancy supports language and early brain development and it’s never too early to start, even if you’re only talking about the pictures.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This colourful book was one of her favourites during the early months. The bright illustrations and little holes through the pages kept her interested and encouraged interaction. It was a lovely way to introduce colours, counting, and simple concepts through storytelling.
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
This was one of the first flap books she truly enjoyed. Lifting the flaps to discover different animals made reading exciting and interactive. It was a fun way to learn animal names and sounds while building anticipation with every page.
Where's Spot? by Eric Hill
Another wonderful flap book that kept her engaged from beginning to end. She loved opening the flaps to find different animals while searching for Spot. The simple story and interactive format made it a favourite for repeated reading.
Where is Baby's Belly Button by Karen Katz
This playful lift-the-flap book was a lovely introduction to body parts. The bright illustrations and interactive flaps encouraged participation and curiosity. It made learning about the body fun and memorable.
Time To Go With Ted by Sophy Henn
This imaginative book quickly became one of our favourites. Each outing turns into a fun adventure through Ted's imagination, making the story engaging and entertaining for little ones. The illustrations are colourful, playful, and full of details to explore together.
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
This became part of our bedtime routine and was a book we read again and again. The gentle rhythm and calming story helped signal that it was time to sleep. Over time, she started recognising familiar objects and anticipating what came next, making reading together even more special.
Walk Under the Stars by Emiri Hayashi
A beautifully illustrated interactive book with moving parts that encourage babies and toddlers to explore and engage with the story.Features fun elements like blinking cats, moving stars, and pull-tabs that make reading exciting and hands-on.The colourful artwork and simple storyline kept her interested and made it one of our favourite books to read together.
Play by Age
0–2 Months
Focus: Bonding & Sensory Development
Activities:
3–4 Months
Focus: Reaching & Exploring
Activities:
5–6 Months
Focus: Hand Coordination & Early Communication
Activities:
7–8 Months
Focus: Movement & Exploration
Activities:
9–10 Months
Focus: Problem Solving & Coordination
Activities:
11–12 Months
Focus: Language & Independence
Activities:
Independent Play
Independent play is something I truly believe in. I read during pregnancy that we don’t have to entertain babies every minute, and over time I realised it makes sense because kids also need space to explore and learn to play on their own. So once she could sit, I would give her small pockets of time where I didn’t engage too much, I would just stay nearby and let her do her thing. When she started moving on all fours, she loved coming into the kitchen, opening drawers, pulling out safe items like a plate, a spoon, or a lid, and just sitting and exploring. Later it became blocks, books, and little toys she could play with by herself. Most of the time we still played together, but these small independent moments helped her stay busy on her own too, and experts also say this kind of unstructured time supports independence, creativity, and emotional regulation.
Music and Rhymes
Music and rhymes were a really easy, screen free way for us to connect. Even before she understood the words, we would sing to her and we did simple action songs like clapping along, so it felt playful and interactive. Later, after about 9 months, I started playing rhymes sometimes and we would dance, do actions, and sing together, and she enjoyed it so much.
Talking & Interaction
Talking and interaction can start from day one, even before they understand anything. I used to talk to her like I’m talking to a little person, saying what we’re doing, what she’s wearing, where we’re going, and what’s coming next, like now we’re taking a bath, now we’re doing massage, now we’re going for a walk. Over time they start responding in their own way, first with eye contact and small sounds, then more babbling, and slowly real words come in. Experts also say this kind of back and forth interaction really supports early brain development and language, especially when we respond to their sounds and expressions like it’s a real conversation.
Outdoor Time
In the first month or two, we mostly just sat outside the house in the porch during the morning sun, and sometimes in the evening too, so she could feel the breeze and look around. After about two to three months, we started taking her around the house, to the terrace, near the gate, just small walks. By four months we started going out more, and by five months she even went to the beach. After that, whenever possible, we would take her out to visit places, and I feel that’s why now she really enjoys being outside. At 15 months she loved going out, walking around, picking flowers, touching mud, and just exploring everything around the house and outside the gate.
Screen Time
I’ve decided not to give any screen time until the age of 2, and sometimes I even feel it’s best to extend it until 4. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends avoiding screen time for children below 2 years, except for occasional video calls with family.