Aphiwe's developmental record is ready. Start by tracking a few skills or logging an observation, and the growth picture will build here over time.
How to grow these skills — activities for this child
A balanced starter set across all six domains for this age — begin here, then assess. Every activity uses low-cost materials and shows how to make it easier or harder.
Peekaboo & Hide-the-Cloth
Social & Emotional
Grows: Object permanence, secure attachment and social anticipation (learning that people and things still exist when out of sight)
You need: A soft cloth, nappy or your own hands. Free.
How to do it ↓
Sit facing the baby, close enough to make eye contact.
Cover your face with the cloth, pause, then pull it away with a warm 'Bhoo!' or 'Nangu!'.
Wait each time for the baby to react before repeating.
Next, hide a favourite object under the cloth and let the baby pull it off.
Watch for: Baby smiles, laughs, or looks toward the cloth expecting you to reappear; older babies lift the cloth themselves to find the toy.
Make it easier
Shorten the hide, add more sound and exaggerate your reappearance so the wait is very short.
Extend it
Hide the object fully under one of two cloths and let the child remember which one.
Name Song & Mirror Greeting
Identity & Belonging
Grows: Responding to own name and early self-recognition - the roots of identity
You need: An unbreakable mirror or shiny lid, your voice. Free.
How to do it ↓
Hold the baby near the mirror.
Point to their reflection and sing their name warmly.
Touch their nose, hands and tummy naming each part and 'This is YOU'.
Repeat daily so the name-song becomes familiar.
Watch for: Baby turns to their name, looks at the reflection and later points to themselves.
Make it easier
Use an exaggerated sing-song voice and lots of touch.
Extend it
Add family members' names and photos to greet in the mirror too.
Serve-and-Return Babble
Communication
Grows: Turn-taking conversation and the foundation of all spoken language
You need: Just your voice and attention. Free.
How to do it ↓
When the baby makes a sound, copy it back warmly.
Pause and wait for the baby to 'answer'.
Take turns like a real conversation - your sound, their sound.
Add a real word for what they look at ('Yes, dog!').
Watch for: Baby makes more sounds, waits for your turn and eventually copies your sounds.
Make it easier
Get very close, exaggerate your face and keep turns slow.
Extend it
Turn babble into simple words and short back-and-forth 'chats'.
Sensory Treasure Basket
Creativity
Grows: Exploration, sensory discovery and making choices (creative and cognitive foundation)
You need: A basket of safe natural objects: smooth stone, wooden spoon, pine cone, cloth, gourd. Free.
How to do it ↓
Fill a basket with safe, interesting, clean objects of different textures.
Sit with the baby and let them choose and explore freely.
Name what they pick up and describe it (rough, smooth, cold).
Refresh the objects every few days.
Watch for: Baby reaches, chooses, mouths and explores objects in different ways.
Make it easier
Offer fewer, larger, very different objects.
Extend it
Add objects that do something (a shaker, nesting cups) to explore further.
Reach, Grasp & Dangle
Physical
Grows: Reaching, grasping (early fine motor) and cause-and-effect
You need: Safe objects (cloth, wooden ring, spoon) hung on a string within reach. Free.
How to do it ↓
Hang a few safe objects low over the baby on their back.
Encourage them to reach and bat at them.
Let them grasp, pull and feel the movement they cause.
Change the objects to keep interest.
Watch for: Baby reaches with aim, grasps and repeats to make things move.
Make it easier
Bring the object right to the hand and help them touch it.
Extend it
Place objects to one side so they reach across the body and roll.
Fill & Empty Containers
Thinking & Reasoning
Grows: Capacity, cause-and-effect and the spatial base of number
You need: Tins, cups, small bottles, sand or water. Free.
How to do it ↓
Give the baby/toddler containers and things to put in them (safe, big).
Show filling up and tipping out.
Use the words full, empty, in, out, more.
Let them repeat it as long as they are interested.
Watch for: Child fills and empties on purpose and reacts to full/empty.
Make it easier
Use one big container and large safe objects.
Extend it
Ask 'which holds more?' and let them pour between different sizes.
Development across the six domains
Social & Emotional
0%
0 achieved · 0 emerging · 0 need support · 8 not yet assessed
Track 8 skills ↓
Reacts when the caregiver leaves and calms when they return; shows attachment to those they spend most time with RtHB 9m; ELDA2 Aim3
Smiles at people and laughs aloud RtHB 6wk-6m; ELDA1 Aim5
Uses different cries or sounds to show hunger, tiredness or discomfort RtHB 6m; ELDA2 Aim2
Develops feelings of trust and belonging through loving, responsive care ELDA1 Aim3
Learns that they are loved unconditionally and accepts comfort and encouragement ELDA1 Aim5
Begins to recognise feelings as adults name them (sad, glad, happy, angry, frightened) ELDA1 Aim5
Mostly enjoys being with others and watches other children and adults ELDA2 Aim3
Begins to understand limits and boundaries set with gestures and simple words ELDA1 Aim5
Identity & Belonging
0%
0 achieved · 0 emerging · 0 need support · 7 not yet assessed
Track 7 skills ↓
Starts to become aware of self and others and responds to their own name ELDA2 Aim1; RtHB
Recognises familiar faces and looks at their own hands RtHB 6m; ELDA2 Aim1
Has a strong drive to explore their immediate environment ELDA2 Aim1
Lets adults know when they are hungry, thirsty or uncomfortable ELDA2 Aim2
Becomes aware of routines such as mealtimes ELDA2 Aim2
Shows attachment to those they spend most time with ELDA2 Aim3
Shows awareness, excitement or fear when things in their environment change ELDA2 Aim4
Communication
0%
0 achieved · 0 emerging · 0 need support · 9 not yet assessed
Track 9 skills ↓
Listens and responds to human voices and imitates conversation by babbling ELDA3 Aim1; RtHB
Babbles to themselves with changes in tone and loudness ('ma-ma', 'da-da') by about 9 months ELDA3 Aim2; RtHB 9m
Communicates through crying, smiling, moving limbs and gestures ELDA3 Aim2
Turns or responds when called by name RtHB 9m
Starts to show understanding of several words ELDA3 Aim1
