What Can My Baby See? Visual Development and How Vision Peaks and Develops Around Age Two “What can my baby see?” is a question many new parents ask – and it’s a brilliant one. Vision is one of the fastest-developing senses in the early years, and by the age of two, your child’s visual abilities…
A Parent’s Role in Early Development “Which contributes more to the area of a rectangle, its length or its width?” – Donald Hebb, psychologist When it comes to understanding how babies and young children develop, the debate between nature and nurture has been long and lively. Are children born with their personalities and abilities already…
Save Money Over Easter: Top 15 Family Dining Deals Looking to enjoy dining out with your family this Easter without breaking the bank? Check out these fantastic deals from everyday family-friendly cafes and special occasion restaurants across the UK: Everyday Family-Friendly Deals: ASDA Café: Kids eat for just £1 all day, every day, with no…
Easter Holidays at Baby College – What a Term It’s Been! 🐣🌼 As we head into the Easter break, we’d like to say a big thank you to all the families who’ve joined us this term. It’s been a joy to welcome you each week and support your little one’s development through play, movement, music…
🎵 Your Baby’s Brain: Building a Beautiful Symphony If you’ve ever looked at your baby and wondered what’s going on inside their head, the answer is: a lot! From the moment they’re born (and even before), your child’s brain is developing at an astonishing rate—laying the foundation for everything from their first smile to their…
And how can you help? How do infants begin to make sense out of the world into which they are born? Research has highlighted that babies are born with many abilities that help them begin to organise their world almost immediately. Learning in infants is based in the sensory systems of touch, taste, smell, hearing,…
Discovering Schemas in Toddlers: How Play and Classes Boost Early Learning Have you ever caught your toddler repeatedly dropping a toy from different heights or lining up their favourite blocks in a precise row? These playful actions are far more than just fun—they are part of a learning process known as schemas. Understanding these repeated…
The Vestibular System Explained Watching your baby discover the world is an absolute delight. Every giggle, wobbly step, and curious gaze is underpinned by an extraordinary system within their tiny body—the vestibular system. Nestled deep within the inner ear, this remarkable mechanism is essential for balance, spatial awareness, and coordinated movement. In this blog, we’ll…
Learning Through Play: Nurturing 0–5 Year Olds at Baby College Babies are born into a complex social world. Learning to navigate this intricate environment is a lifelong process that begins from the moment they arrive. Through active participation in everyday experiences and interactions, children start to understand not only the world around them but also…
Two Infant Reflexes: Stepping and Babinski Infant reflexes offer a fascinating glimpse into early neurological development. Among these, the stepping and Babinski reflexes stand out for their unique characteristics and developmental significance. Stepping Reflex: One of the earliest observed reflexes in infants is the stepping reflex. When held upright with their feet touching a flat…
The Importance of (and common myths about) Crawling for Toddlers—Even After They Start Walking And Why Skipping This Milestone Isn’t the End of the World Crawling is often seen as one of the major developmental milestones—right alongside saying that first word or taking those first steps. But what if your baby goes straight to walking…
As the New Year begins, it’s the perfect time to start something exciting for you and your little one. At Baby College, we love supporting families in their journey through early development—and we’re thrilled to introduce you to a very special member of our team: Colin the Crocodile! 🐊 Colin is our tummy time superstar,…
Practical Tips for Supporting Baby Development in a Development Class At Baby College, we’re passionate about supporting parents and their little ones through engaging development classes. One key focus in these sessions is encouraging your baby to cross the midline—a vital skill that helps with everyday tasks like brushing teeth, buttoning clothes, and even learning…
Gross Motor Milestones: Rolling, Sitting, Crawling, and Beyond Movement is an incredibly complex process that begins early in life. When a baby moves a muscle—whether it’s reaching for a toy or turning their head—it requires sophisticated coordination in the brain. Initiating movement takes information from multiple brain regions, and keeping a movement steady and intentional…
How and When Do Babies Choose a Favourite Hand? It’s widely known that most adults are right-handed—around 90% of us, in fact! But what about babies? How do they decide which hand to use, and when do they show a clear preference? Newborns start life with the ability to use both hands equally. However, over…
🧠💫 Vestibular Development: Key to Your Baby’s Growth! 🌟👶 As parents, we often wonder why some babies experience travel sickness while others seem perfectly fine on long car rides or flights. The answer lies in a fascinating part of your baby’s early development – the vestibular system. This little-known but crucial system plays a significant…
Dive into Summer: Introducing Swimming for Babies With holidays in full swing, now is an ideal time to introduce your baby or toddler to the joys of swimming. This new adventure is not only fun but also beneficial, helping your little one develop coordination, balance, muscle tone, and overall fitness. For new parents, the thought…
This article on Outdoor Play was written for Baby College by Nina Politimou, Senior Teaching Fellow at UCL, Institute of Education and an Associate Lecturer at Birkbeck, Department of Psychological Sciences. 1. Sun exposure. Sun exposure is important for our bodies as it helps them produce vitamin D, a vitamin that plays a significant…
Why wait till around 6 months? The World Health Organization and the UK Department of Health both recommend that breastfeeding continues for two years and beyond, introducing complementary solid foods around the middle of the first year. Breastfeeding provides everything your child needs for the first six months, and its nutritional and emotional value continues…
Can You Help Your Baby Meet Milestones: How You Can and Can’t Help Babies are born almost completely unable to control their bodies, save for a few vital reflexive actions necessary for survival. However, they develop quickly, revealing their unique personalities in fascinating ways. As a parent, your role in this development is crucial. While…
The Teething Journey: What to Expect and How to Help Your Little One Teething can be one of the most challenging yet fascinating phases in your baby’s development. As those tiny teeth start to make their grand entrance, it’s a mixture of excitement and, let’s be honest, a bit of frustration for both you and…
Nurturing Future Sports Stars? The Power of Visual Exercises in Early Childhood As parents, we’re always on the lookout for ways to support our children’s development, including their potential in sports. While academic skills are vital, we shouldn’t overlook the importance of physical abilities, especially in sports. Did you know that simple visual exercises during…
What are Reflexes? A reflex action is an involuntary response to a particular stimulus. Reflexes exist to keep us safe, for example, the reflex action of withdrawing your hand if you accidentally touch a hot or sharp object. This is an automatic reaction that protects your hand from damage, and occurs much faster than if…
As new parents, we’re often intrigued by the nature versus nurture debate, wondering how much of our baby’s personality is inherited and how much is shaped by their environment. It’s a fascinating journey that begins the moment we welcome our little ones into the world. Nature, the genetic makeup inherited from us, lays the groundwork…
A vast amount of brain development takes place during a relatively short period of time during childhood. Compared to other animals, which are born with the ability to move and feed independently, humans are born at a much earlier developmental stage. This evolved out of necessity, as if humans were born at a more…
The skin is the largest organ in the body and touch is one of the first senses to develop. It plays an essential role in human growth and development, particularly during infancy. But do we, as a society, realise the importance of touch and do we touch enough? Studies have shown that the Western…
What is a schema? As your small child grows you have probably come across the term schemas, but what is a schema? Schemas are repeated patterns of behaviour that children will go through in order to learn about and explore their environment. These schemas (patterns of behaviour) are present from birth. You will…
and why is vestibular so important? We know that it is important for our children’s health that we make sure that they have an active lifestyle, but did you know that for babies and toddlers movement is an essential for their development? This is because of something called our vestibular and our vestibular system …
Babies enter a world of endless possibilities, brimming with opportunities for learning. As parents, understanding the various types of learning play for 0-3 year-olds becomes crucial in nurturing their cognitive and social development. In this blog, we’ll explore the different stages of learning play, emphasizing the importance of active engagement and providing insights on how…
Embarking on the adventure of parenthood is like uncovering the secrets of your baby’s very own superhero abilities. Picture this: your little one, equipped with tiny but mighty reflexes that play out like scenes from a superhero origin story. 1. Root Reflex: The Quest for Nourishment In the early weeks, your baby exhibits the Root…