’t appear until they can understand make-believe from about 18 months. But for many parents evidence abounds that babies are keen to join the comedy club. More baby and toddler tips from Junior:How to improve your child's fine motor skillsHow to have fun

. It never fails to entertain babies.More development tips by Junior:Five ways to deal with dawdling toddlersFive ways to decipher toddler talk

Tummy funEven a very young baby will enjoy looking at herself in a mirror. Putting one in front of her when she’s having “tummy time” will encourage her to practise raising her head – the beginnings of crawling.Hello you!Sit your baby on your lap

to entertain your baby when you're tiredFive ways to deal with dawdling toddlers

.More development tips by Junior:Five ways to entertain your baby when you're tiredFive ways to decipher toddler talk

1. Jump and hop  Make two circles with two pieces of string – a big circle with a longer piece and a small circle with the shorter piece. Then show your child how to jump up and down inside the bigger circle, then do the same for the small circle. Count each complete jump or chan...

Sharing is not something that comes naturally to young children, but it is an important social skill that they will need to master to make friends. As with most skills, your job is to offer gentle guidance, encouragement and praise. Here are a few tips that can help.• Make the un...