How babies learn through movement, senses, and play
👶 What Is Sensorimotor Development?
From birth to 2 years, babies learn by interacting with their environment.
They develop:
- Object permanence (knowing something exists even when it’s out of sight)
- Motor skills (reaching, crawling, grasping)
- Sensory awareness (touch, sound, sight)
🔄 Key Developmental Substages
| Stage | Description | Example |
| Primary Circular Reactions | Repeating actions focused on their own body | Making sounds or sucking thumb |
| Secondary Circular Reactions | Repeating actions involving objects | Shaking a rattle to hear the sound |
| Tertiary Circular Reactions | Combining actions to solve problems | Crawling to reach a toy on purpose |
🎲 Play Styles by Age
| Age | Play Style | Description |
| 0–3 months | 🌀 Unoccupied Play | Random movements to explore surroundings |
| 3–24 months | 🧸 Solitary Play | Playing alone to practice and master new skills |
👨👩👧👦 How Can Parents Get Involved?
- 🧸 Encourage reaching: Dangle a toy above your baby and let them reach for it
- 🗣️ Copy their sounds: Mimic coos and babbles to support vocal development
- 🙈 Play peek-a-boo: Helps develop object permanence in a fun way
📚 Resources & More Information
- Ages & Stages Questionnaire (3-Year)
- Stages of Play – Brightest Beginning
- Piaget’s Theory – Simply Psychology
- Theories of Play – The OT Toolbox