Baby’s Developmental Leaps Leap 6 – Categories

Developmental leap 6, happens approximately at week 37 or between weeks 36 and 40. At this stage, you can watch your baby spend hours observing small objects from the ground, be it a bread shell, an ant, or other small items, which to him is a great novelty.

He will also spend more time observing food from the dish and how each item is assembled, chopped or crumpled. This field research of your baby is the way he finds himself to categorize what happens around him.

In leap six, he comes to understand that people, animals and things can be associated with other things as a kind of category.

Leap six takes place about the 7th month, as described above.  This phase may be the most fun in learning for your baby, since he begins to understand words and demonstrates that he understands some of them. In this phase, he also begins to clap and want to crawl. He’ll show more affection for his mother and want to be closer.

In addition to Leap 6 – The events, babies go through another developmental 9 leaps.

 

Let’s understand what Developmental Leaps are and how it is possible to help babies enjoy this phase in a quiet way.

What are developmental leaps?

For those who have a baby at home is easy to notice how much they change and develop very fast, isn`t it?

Babies seem to adapt very easily in the world outside the womb and suddenly when everything seemed fine, they begin crying and having difficulties to sleep, eat, etc. return.

Some mood swings in babies are caused by their development process. It is very possible that the baby is going through what we call the developmental leap.

The developmental leap are those times when the baby is learning a new ability. These moments are accompanied by some behavioral stress in babies, which we can say is normal, since the baby may be anxious about a new discovery, or feel fear.  We can say that all changes in life bring discomfort, fear and anxiety, and with the little ones is no different.

The behavior of babies in facing developmental leaps may vary from one to another. Babies are interested in the things that go on around them, or in other words, the feeling they feel about the new discoveries, but each baby expresses it in its own way. There are babies who are fascinated by everything they see; other  babies prefer to hear sounds. And there are those who like warmth and affection all day long. Each baby is unique and will act differently for each sensation.

But we can simplify this process that babies experience and understand what is happening to the baby. Parents can help their child develop and also pass through developmental leaps in a more relaxed way. Just identify which leap your child is in at the current time and follow the tips we have for each phase of your baby.

Features of the Sixth Leap – Categories

As we mentioned above, at this stage of the categories, babies begin to associate things, people and animals with other situations. An example is when it associates an animal with the sound that the animal makes. The dog does “woof, woof”.

 

We will understand each stage of this leap and how your baby expresses himself in this moment of new sensations and learning.

Starting to categorize

At this stage, your baby begins to sort everything into categories. If you show your child the image of a horse and at the same time imitate the sound of a horse for him to learn, and he will associate that sound with the animal.  When going out on the street and your baby sees a dog of the same color as the horse of the book, it will spontaneously produce the sound of the horse, associating that pet that looked like the figure to the sound you made.

It is normal that your baby is wrong when making his connections of objects, people and animals. After all, he is learning. That’s how he starts making the first connections.

 

Feeling the categories

At this stage, your baby will start to get his hands on everything. That’s because he also wants to feel the categories. As an example, feel if the objects are soft, hard, soft, rough etc…

Head circumference

From leap six, your baby will have a transformation in the size of the head circumference and also, in the production of glucose in the brain. Because of this transformation, it begins to be easier to categorize situations, people, animals, objects and sensations. Until month 9, this transformation will continue, and soon your baby will already be making more mature associations.

 

 

How to help the baby during the Sixth Leap – Categories

Below are some tips to help your baby to go through leap six in a more fruitful way for his development and also more securely about the changes that the little one has been developing.

Tip 1: Feel the surroundings

To further encourage the development of your baby during leap six, let your baby touch and feel things. He needs to feel to learn the different textures. And, in the case of leap six, he will begin to associate these sensations with every object he touches.

Facial expressions for each sensation can also be a good idea to help your baby categorize objects or other things. We can cite as an example, making a face of disgust for something sour, making an expression of warmth when an object is soft. This game of expressions will further help your baby categorize his feelings about what he touches.

Tip 2: Experimenting with categories

Parents often don’t let babies experience certain sensations. Namely: stepping on the grass, putting his hand in the mud, feeling the food and playing with the texture of each food. However, this is a good idea to help your team experience and categorize their experiences with each item. Reason that, the more you forbid the baby from living these sensations, the slower it will be for him to learn about them.

Tip 3: Paper

Give your baby a piece of paper. Let him explore the material. He will look, feel, crumple and tear it, and every discovery about this object will be a diversion and learning for the baby. Soon, he will begin to categorize the paper, already understanding that he can crumple and tear.

 

How to deal with the changes and setbacks of each leap?

As we mentioned above, during each leap the baby may have some not very pleasant changes in appetite, mood and have some sleep setbacks.

It’s part of it, isn’t it? Even we adults have certain difficulties in dealing with the new and with changes. Imagine for the little ones who know nothing in this world.

Let’s read below some tips that can alleviate the baby’s insecurity and irritability during these phases of change and be able to take advantage of its development in a more relaxed way.

Tip 1 – In these phases of change babies seek to feel safe, even if the new discoveries are fun, they are afraid, and many babies may need more holding. In this way, he will feel less discomfort at this stage;

Tip 2 – Babies feel safe when they listen to their mother’s heartbeat. This sound is familiar to them and brings warmth and security. So, you can use a kangaroo or sling to keep your baby closer and bring more warmth to him.

Tip 3 – Stimulate your baby’s abilities with every leap. That way, he will develop with his support, will feel more relaxed with the changes and will have a lot of fun with the new discoveries.

Tip 4 – Be patient with the changes your baby faces. As difficult as the beginning of a new leap may be, over time he will adapt and everything will pass.

What are the other developmental leaps and when do they occur?

Developmental leaps happen at specific times. Of course, each baby will have his own time, we cannot tell the exact moment, because each baby is unique, but we can analyze approximately by the age of the baby and also by his behavior, so it is important to observe the changes that your baby has presented, whether in the mood or in the new things he has been doing.

 

In addition to leap number six we described above, there are nine more leaps. Let’s understand below what they are and when they occur:

 

 

 

• 1st Leap – Discovering sensations: Leap one happens approximately in the 1st month. At that moment the baby is already discovering the sensations of his body and also what happens around him. The touch of the mom’s hands, sounds, and many other things.

 

 

• 2nd Leap – Understanding the patterns: Leap two happens approximately in the 2nd month. At this point, the baby is already discovering shapes with contrast and also has a firmer neck, so it can be placed face down to further stimulate his development. In this phase, the baby requires a little more security that he will seek in the mother and during breastfeeding.

 

 

• 3rd Leap – Improving his skills: Leap three takes place approximately in the 3rd month. At this stage, the baby can already see objects clearly and should gradually try to follow them. He already tries (and many already can) move his eyes and head in the direction in which the object is moved. In this phase, the baby can also play with a rattle and hear the sound. He may also begin to cry louder than before.

 

• 4th Leap – Recognizing sounds: Leap four happens approximately in the 4th month. At this stage the baby already begins to emit more acute sounds, and when the father and mother are not around he can make sounds for the purpose of calling to them. This phase can also bring more crying, but it is the phase that the baby begins to play alone more often.

 

• 5th Leap – Making relationships: Leap five happens approximately in the 5th month. At this stage, the baby begins to become more curious to know what happens to and with some things, such as throwing an object on the floor, pulling clothing on labels, earrings, etc. He will also show dissatisfaction when the parents are away from him. In this phase, the baby can get flustered, crying more. Holding and breastfeeding are great allies at this stage.

 

• 6th Leap – Starting to integrate: Leap six happens approximately in the 7th month. At this stage, the baby is already beginning to understand words and demonstrate that he understands some of them. In this phase, he also begins to clap and to want to crawl. He’s going to show more affection for his mother and want to be closer.

 

• 7th Leap – Curiosity about what is and what the things are for: Leap seven happens approximately in the 10th month. At this stage, the baby already begins to understand that objects have specific functions, and he tries to use it in the right way. For example, a ball is to be kicked, a spoon to eat, etc. At this stage, he also begins to demonstrate more of his will, to eat, not to sleep, to play, etc.

 

• 8th Leap – Playing with objects: Leap eight happens approximately in the 11th month. At this stage, your baby begins to use creativity. He also observes what adults do and tries to imitate them. This phase also brings some changes in sleep, and the baby can further express the desire not to sleep.

 

• 9th Leap – Desire for independence: The ninth leap happens approximately at fourteen months. At this stage, the baby already begins to want to dress alone, will also test emotions and start negotiating. This phase is also the time when he begins to not want to go with other people, only with his mother.

 

• 10th Leap – Control of his body: The tenth leap happens approximately in the first year and a half. At this stage, the baby already knows how to control his desires and also understands more clearly his parents’ will. However, expressing himself is still difficult. He may lose his appetite a little and also have nightmares at this stage.

 

Now that you’ve understood how developmental leap six works, take the opportunity to learn more about these other leaps we mentioned above. The more you understand how each leap works, the easier it will be for the baby and also for you to go through the changes in a calm, meaningful way. Every new step in the development that your baby takes is fun for him, and he has the desire to improve and train new skills. Just encourage and congratulate him so that he can move forward more and more.