Think about the last time you visited your best friend’s house for dinner or when you dined at your favourite restaurant. Did you feel happy and welcomed or were you anxious and stressed? Then, consider places you don’t enjoy going to, such as the hospital or a rowdy market. In which setting were you most at ease?
Our environment can influence our mood dramatically and even alter the way we function. And as with adults, our children are also easily affected by their surroundings. Unfortunately, while we can easily take ourselves out of the situation, our children may not be able to properly express their discomfort. This is why it is our responsibility to ensure that the spaces we put our children in can make them feel comfortable.
According to research, children learn and grow best when they experience emotional security. Whether it's a cosy baby nursery or a fun play zone, designing a nurturing home for your child can help you meet their needs and aid them in developing in numerous ways. Find out how to below!
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Provide a Rich Sensory Experience
If you haven’t realised, children love staring at things in their surroundings and reaching for items that pique their interest. Reason being, they’re generally curious and eager to explore the world around them. By filling your child’s play area with different sensory stimuli, you can help them immerse themselves in a whole new world and provide them with a holistic learning experience.
From colourful baby floor mats to smooth and rough textures, stimulating your baby’s senses facilitates different aspects of development. For instance, when their sense of touch is engaged, they enhance their tactile awareness and motor skills. Looking at bright colours also encourages visual exploration, which can improve their cognitive abilities.
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Create a Safe Space
Think that ensuring your child’s safety means keeping them away from danger? While that’s not wrong, there’s actually more to it. Learning to let go and giving your little one the autonomy to explore is also important.
The freedom to try new things, engage in play, and participate in activities that promote physical, cognitive, and emotional development can boost your child’s self-confidence and instil independence. These are benefits that can translate into greater abilities in their adulthood, such as emotional regulation and critical thinking skills.
To keep them from harm’s way yet avoid giving them constant supervision, you can set up a few playmats in a baby playpen to restrict their movement to a safe boundary. You will never have to worry about them venturing beyond the safe zones.
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Encourage Play and Exploration
Children gain new knowledge and grow best through play, where they are free to express themselves and learn about the world in their own ways. It is through playtime that our little ones can develop crucial skills that could be helpful in their adult years. Cognitive development is one of these benefits.
When your child pretends to cook or acts as the main character in a storybook, their brain goes through a series of processes that strengthen neural connections. Not only is this helpful at nurturing your baby’s creativity, it can also boost early language development and problem-solving skills. But that’s not all, if combined with active play, such as running or jumping, children get to experience unprecedented growth in the social and intellectual aspects of their formative years.
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Responsive Caregiving
Have you ever left your child crying alone, or quickly dismissed his or her requests to play together with a “okay, daddy mommy will join you later”, only to leave them hanging after? Such actions can be detrimental to your child’s emotional and social development.
When you fail to give your child the attention and care that they need, they are less likely to be able to form secure attachments with you, which are critical for healthy relationships and well-being. To help support your little one’s development, always respond to them promptly. Whether it’s replying to the comments they made about a cartoon, or participating in activities with them, being attentive can build upon your child’s abilities to regulate emotions and foster emotional resilience.
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Bond through Physical Contact
Is physical touch low on your list of love languages? Unfortunately, you’ll have to overcome it to provide your child with all the hugs and kisses they need. Similar to the effects of responsive caregiving, physical contact develops a sense of safety and security in children. Whether it’s a pat on their head or long hugs before bed, offering comfort this way can help your little one develop emotionally and socially. This will influence their future relationships.
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Promote Healthy Sleep Habits
Just like how sleep facilitates healthy bodily functions in adults, it’s also essential for your child’s physical growth, cognitive function, and emotional well-being.
As your child drifts off to dreamland, their body releases growth hormones that promote musculoskeletal development. Sleep is also beneficial for memory, problem solving skills and overall cognitive performance, which will help your child in excelling academically during formal education.
Healthy sleep habits can be nurtured from a young age. Start by designing an environment conducive to sleep, such as painting the baby nursery in soothing colours and separating the sleep and play areas. The former helps babies wind down effectively, while the latter prevents them from associating their bedroom with play and excitement, which can help your child fall asleep faster.
Parents hold huge responsibilities over their children’s growth and development, and providing a nurturing, fun and safe space can help you give your little one a healthy and happy life.
Looking for ways to enrich your child’s life? RaaB Family is here to help! We are a baby store in Singapore carrying a range of baby furniture, such as indoor slides for kids, baby cots, playmats, and more. Shop the collection here to give your child the home they deserve!