Safe spaces and smiley faces!
A ‘secure attachment’ is vital for your child’s development. It means tuning into your baby, talking and singing to them when they want to play, enjoying closeness and eye contact with them while feeding, and cuddling and comforting them when they’re distressed.
A secure attachment ensures that your child will feel secure and understood. When a child feels safe and secure with their caregiver it results in an eagerness to learn, healthy self-awareness, trust, and empathy.
Top tips:
- ‘Copy Cat’ game: copy your baby’s facial expressions such as poking out tongues, blinking etc – you could also add a mirror to make it more fun
- Tickles and floor play: allow your baby to climb over you, tickle them and encourage them to tickle you back
- Sing finger rhymes: ‘Round and Round the Garden’ or ‘This Little Piggy’ gives you a chance to make contact and get close to your baby – you could also use finger puppets to make it more fun
- Brushing hair: take your time to brush your child’s hair and allow them to brush your hair too – you could also try a range of brushes out on their little hands so they can explore what they feel like
- Massage: help your baby relax and develop closeness by using a lotion or oil to massage their arms and legs (make sure the lotion/oil is suitable for their skin first)
