is puzzled because the learned association is not followed through.Toys are to babies what work is to adults. Without play, a child would not thrive in the way that without work most grown-ups would not. Perhaps most importantly, for a baby to play with a toy

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...

? Even lovely ones, like crescents or semi-circles, are a toddler tongue-twister. And that star that twinkles in the sky is probably the only time we celebrate a shape in song with our babies. However, it seems that Tom’s celebration of certain shapes

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

lots of wonderful tents and tipis to buy: we love this canvas Cowboy Wigwam from Lakeland, that’s easy to assemble and packs neatly away so you can transport it for imaginative play at the park, in the woods, or even on the beach.For your child

THERE ARE SOME things in life that just go together. Like fish and chips. Laurel and Hardy. Toddlers and puddles. And the moment, your toddler spies that tantalizing pool of water, there’s something in his psyche that urges him to make a splash

is dressing up as an occasional part of play,” she says. “In fact, this kind of role play is actually a normal and healthy part of growing up and helps your child develop his sense of self.” Felix is not alone in his penchant for wanting to occasionally switch

to each other in funny voices.3. Play fetch the puppy Great to play with crawling babies – you throw a toy, and then ask her to “fetch” it back to you… while you wait and have a nice sit down. The further you throw it the better!4. Create a sofa snowstorm

tips that can help.• Make the underlying principle one of fairness and involve your child in the decision making. Talk to him about why it is nice to share his cars and ask him to choose which car his friend can play with. This way, he is playing

1 Use props Tempt your baby with a new bath toy – it is a great way to entice her into the water.2 Share a bathAsk your partner to hold her while you play in the bath with her toys. She will forget her fears and want to join you. 3 Hold off