Development activities for babies and toddlers, 0–24 months

Simple ways to support movement, curiosity, connection, and language through everyday play, following your child’s cues.

A song during a nappy change, a picture book, a toy passed back and forth: everyday interaction gives you many ways to support development. You do not need a packed activity schedule. Choose something your child enjoys and adapt it to the skills they use now.

Birth to 3 months: begin with connection

Talk softly, sing, and answer your baby’s sounds. Let them watch your face or a picture while you stay close. Offer supervised tummy time when awake, following your baby’s cues. Put them on their back in a safe sleep space when it is time to sleep. The CDC two-month guidance emphasizes responsive care and noticing when a baby needs a break.

4–6 months: sounds and exploration

Use sound-taking turns and picture talk. During supervised floor play, offer a safe toy to reach toward and explore. A baby-safe mirror can become a shared game: smile and talk about the face you both see. These invitations bring movement, curiosity, social contact, and language into the same moment. Adapt to your baby rather than expecting a particular response.

7–12 months: back-and-forth games

Try peekaboo with your hands, pass a toy between you, or put large age-appropriate blocks into an open container together. Name the objects and respond to gestures or sounds. These ideas draw on CDC nine-month and one-year activity suggestions; the age band is a way to find ideas, not a checklist of skills required throughout the band.

13–24 months: join everyday routines

Invite your toddler to place a napkin on the table or put toys into a basket with you. Roll a ball together and name pictures in a book. Respond to their words with a short phrase: if they say ‘ball,’ you might say ‘red ball.’ Keep tasks simple and offer help. These are opportunities to participate, not tests of independence.

Keep play safe and responsive

Stay close and supervise. Use age-appropriate toys without loose small parts, accessible batteries, magnets, or cords.
Choose a safe floor space for movement. Keep baby play away from raised surfaces and stairs.
Pause for tiredness, distress, or turning away. There is no required number of activities to complete.
Keep the interaction between you and your child. An app can hold your notes after play; it does not need to be the play activity.

Notice one thing, then carry on with your day

An example note might be: ‘Passed the block back after I held out my hand.’ Record the context and the help you gave rather than assigning a score. Emomo can hold these moments across the four development pillars so they are easier to recall at a pediatric visit.

Activities do not diagnose or treat a developmental delay. If you notice a missing milestone, loss of a skill, or another concern, talk with your child’s doctor and ask about screening. More practice is not a reason to postpone that conversation.

Frequently asked questions

Do development activities require special toys?

Many activities use your voice, a picture book, a safe ball, or age-appropriate blocks. Choose safe materials, supervise, and follow your child’s cues.