Page 60 - HBEC4303_flipTest

46  TOPIC 3 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS
Materials such as soft blocks, stacked toys, textured balls or rubber toys that can be squeezed help infants to learn important coordination skills, especially when they learn to transfer objects between their hands. For safety reasons, adults have to be sure that none of the materials can be swallowed and have sharp edges.
Movement during infancy such as crawling is vital in the early years of childÊs life. Many paediatricians and parents believe infants must crawl before they walk. Even though it takes a lot of practice, infants who miss the important crawling stage before walking are likely to miss a fundamental part of motor development. Therefore, infants should give a chance to develop their body muscles through crawling. They become truly mobile once they begin to crawl. Usually, infants begin to crawl between six and eight months. It begins after they practise lifting their stomach off the ground. Once an infant can crawl and pull his or her body up, moving becomes a major interest. Crawling (see Figure 3.3) helps infants to master their physical skill. This skill enables them to explore more in the environment. However, there no scientific research that links not crawling to any negative outcome even though crawling helps infants develop well. Research only indicates that children with developmental problems did not manage to do a lot of things, but not crawling by itself is not a cause for concern.
Figure 3.3: Crawling helps infants to master their physical skills Source: http://theworkingparent.com/family-articles/when-will-my-baby- crawl/#.VqY4Kfl9600
Copyright © Open University Malaysia (OUM)