Baby Smarts by Jackie Silberg

Both my boys have lots and lots of toys and educational DVDs, all of which I think are great and help to foster learning, imagination, and other skills. However, I really think one of the best ways for a baby to learn is through interaction with other babies and adults and through "every day" experiences, and the book Baby Smarts: Games for Playing and Learning by Jackie Silberg (ARV $12.95, Gryphon House) reinforces that notion and provides many great ideas to help develop your baby’s motor, cognitive, and self-help skills.

Did you know?
* A baby’s brain is 250% more active than that of an adult.
* The networking of the brain's synapses is nearly complete after the first 3 years of life.
* Giving your baby stimulating experiences encourages brain development that will prepare your baby for successful learning in the future.

Filled with developmental games based on the latest brain research, Baby Smarts helps you build your baby’s brain power, one activity at a time! Baby Smarts is divided into four chapters, each representing a three-month period. Each chapter begins with a chart that helps teachers and parents anticipate the typical developmental milestones for that age. The corresponding games and activities develop and reinforce the skills babies need to reach those milestones. Each activity in Baby Smarts uses common materials—there’s no need for expensive toys or props. Every activity in Baby Smarts builds the foundation for future learning!

Even though you may already play some of the games that are mentioned in Baby Smarts with your baby, I’m sure you’ll find some new and fun ideas, just as I have. Some games that I’ve already been playing with Smiley Boy include Obstacle Course (making an obstacle course out of pillows to strengthen Smiley Boy’s motor skills), Show Me (pointing to different body parts), and Bye, Bye, Light (saying “bye” to the light whenever I turn it off).

Some of the new games I’ve discovered in Baby Smarts for babies 6-9 months old include Blow, Blow, Blow (showing your baby how to blow), Counting and Popping (clapping and saying “pop” to develop baby’s anticipation of the word “pop”), and Something Different (seeing if your baby can recognize a different feature between two similar pictures).

There are many, many activities featured in Baby Smarts. You can play a new one each day or play the same one repeatedly and it’ll always be lots of fun for both you and baby!

Although I won’t stop buying bright and colorful toys and educational DVDs, I totally agree with Silberg about how babies’ learn the most through stimulating experiences--through interaction with other babies and adults, by playing with everyday objects (paper, cups, bowls, etc.), and through "every day" experiences, and Baby Smarts is a great resource that will help to encourage and reinforce your baby’s learning!

Shop: You can purchase Baby Smarts on the Gryphon House website, or click here to find a retailer near you.

Thank you to Gryphon House for the product(s) for review and/or giveaway.

Posted in: Baby Smarts,books,Gryphon House,Jackie Silberg,reviews