Let's Listen!

This month, you and your baby will explore:

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hand-eye coordination
Your baby is starting to get better at focusing on and grabbing objects. Which is great — because hand-eye coordination is at the heart of everything from eating to dressing to brushing teeth.

hearing
Your baby is learning to zero in on the source of a sound. They might show off their skills by responding to their name and simple requests (Wave hello!) and searching for named objects (Where’s the ball?).

rhythm
Play a zippy tune, and your baby might break into a smile (and a wiggle). That’s because humans are hardwired to link movement to metrically regular sounds, like heartbeats or the steady thump-thump of a drum.

fine & gross motor
Your baby is on the move (or getting there), figuring out how to coordinate major muscle groups that’ll let them crawl, pull themselves up, cruise, and walk. Smaller muscles are getting a workout, too. You’ll see your baby move from grasping objects with their whole hand to using just the thumb and forefinger (the pincer grasp).

spatial awareness
Your baby is figuring out how people and things move through space, a skill that develops through movement and exploration. So encourage your child to stack, roll, and toss baby-safe objects, and later, to crawl and walk as far as their little legs take them.

independent play
Solo play builds lifelong skills like self-confidence and self-reliance. Try leaving your baby in a safe space with their favorite toys for 3–10 minutes at a time. (But keep a watchful eye from nearby!)

object permanence
Your baby is learning that even when their favorite people or toys are out of sight, they still exist. That’s why they love playing endless rounds of peekaboo. (It’s also why they may get upset — to put it mildly — when you leave the room.)

cause and effect
When I move the rattle, it makes a sound! Congratulations! You have a young scientist on your hands. After all, cause and effect — the understanding that one event makes another happen — is a foundation of scientific discovery.

hand-eye coordination
Your baby is starting to get better at focusing on and grabbing objects. Which is great — because hand-eye coordination is at the heart of everything from eating to dressing to brushing teeth.

hearing
Your baby is learning to zero in on the source of a sound. They might show off their skills by responding to their name and simple requests (Wave hello!) and searching for named objects (Where’s the ball?).

rhythm
Play a zippy tune, and your baby might break into a smile (and a wiggle). That’s because humans are hardwired to link movement to metrically regular sounds, like heartbeats or the steady thump-thump of a drum.

fine & gross motor
Your baby is on the move (or getting there), figuring out how to coordinate major muscle groups that’ll let them crawl, pull themselves up, cruise, and walk. Smaller muscles are getting a workout, too. You’ll see your baby move from grasping objects with their whole hand to using just the thumb and forefinger (the pincer grasp).

spatial awareness
Your baby is figuring out how people and things move through space, a skill that develops through movement and exploration. So encourage your child to stack, roll, and toss baby-safe objects, and later, to crawl and walk as far as their little legs take them.

independent play
Solo play builds lifelong skills like self-confidence and self-reliance. Try leaving your baby in a safe space with their favorite toys for 3–10 minutes at a time. (But keep a watchful eye from nearby!)

object permanence
Your baby is learning that even when their favorite people or toys are out of sight, they still exist. That’s why they love playing endless rounds of peekaboo. (It’s also why they may get upset — to put it mildly — when you leave the room.)

cause and effect
When I move the rattle, it makes a sound! Congratulations! You have a young scientist on your hands. After all, cause and effect — the understanding that one event makes another happen — is a foundation of scientific discovery.

hand-eye coordination
Your baby is starting to get better at focusing on and grabbing objects. Which is great — because hand-eye coordination is at the heart of everything from eating to dressing to brushing teeth.
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1. 

   In Essentials + Plus + Deluxe:

   Play Scarves

   Wave the three scarves in the air, play a game of peekaboo, and help your baby visualize rhythm by moving a scarf to music.

2. 

   In Essentials + Plus + Deluxe:

   Wood Scarf Keeper

   Your baby can spin and slide the beads to practice fine motor skills before pulling out some play scarves.

3. 

   In Essentials + Plus + Deluxe:

   Round Wood Shaker

   Encourage your baby to grasp and shake the shaker to watch the beads rise and fall.

4. 

   In Essentials + Plus + Deluxe:

   Waterfall Shaker

   Tilt, turn, and roll the shaker to introduce new sounds while demonstrating cause and effect.

5. 

   In Essentials + Plus + Deluxe:

   Grownup Guide

   Over 20 pages of research-backed guidance, development milestones, and activities to try at home.

6. 

   Only in Plus + Deluxe:

   Piano Xylophone and Shaker Set

   Easy-to-press keys and a full octave help strengthen your baby’s motor skills while each shaker introduces sound and movement.

7. 

   Only in Deluxe:

   Music Is…

   Explore the many moods and styles of music through your eyes and ears.