A baby’s brain has millions of connections, and these connections grow stronger when very young children have lots of different experiences and opportunities to talk and play with others.

Top 10 Tips

1. As well as giving your child time to play on their own, play with them.

2. While you’re playing with your baby, talk to them.

3. Role model good communication.

4. Choose play things selectively, so you don’t end up with a toy-box overflowing with things that hardly ever get played with.

5. A toy that can be used in a number of different ways is much better than a ‘single-purpose’ toy.

6. Natural objects such as sticks can make great playthings.

7. Remember though, that babies mouth everything, so stay with them and make sure what they pick up is safe.

8. Find some safe things in your kitchen for your child to play with, such as a pot and a wooden spoon.

9. A pile of plastic containers can be great fun too.

10. Babies this age will use both hands equally (they’re not right or left handed) so offer things to them in the middle and let them choose which hand they use.