Active Baby Bonding 9-12 months

Here's where the mischief really begins! Around this age babies should be pulling themselves into a standing position using furniture (or whatever is close to hand) exploring their way around your living room. Baby will also be learning how to be understood, especially when trying to say no.

Try these simple exercises with your little one to help her milestone development:

- The Drummer Line up several pots, pans and bowls and show your baby how to hit these with a wooden spoon. Your baby learns that different shapes, sizes and materials make different noises. It will probably take a while until she can bang with both hands but it is good experience in co-ordination. Once this has been mastered you can then have a ‘pan band' concert to show off this new skill.

- Memory: You will need three plastic bowls and a little toy. Put all the bowls upside down and hide the toy under one of them and ask your baby where the toy is. When she is a little older you can hide a different toy under each bowl and ask her to find a specific object. Don't forget, it is more important to have fun with this game rather than finding the correct object.