If You Are Happy & You Know It

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

21 Jun 2006 11:30 AM

... clap your hands!

By 9 months of age, babies will have the muscle control; fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination necessary to bring his or her palms together. But between the ages of 9 and 12 months, it's a magical time when he or she will start clapping to show he or she is excited or happy!

Lend them a hand by playing classic games like patty-cake or singing songs, such as:

• If You're Happy and You Know It.
• The Wheels on the Bus

It's important to applaud your baby for their accomplishments. They will recognize the sound of delight in your voice as well as in your actions. They will enjoy the sound of your laughter and they will get a real kick out of seeing your hands come together. The relationship between clapping, joy and accomplishment is quickly made when you play with your baby.

Your baby will also begin to learn that the clapping is a way to communicate with you and the next round of applause may be your baby's hands coming together in sheer delight of some silly thing that you have done. During this stage of clapping and play, some babies will be doing the following:

• Stand while holding on to something
• Look for dropped objects
• Pull up to standing position from sitting
• Clap and bang objects together
• Combine syllables into word like sounds
• Separation and stranger anxiety may begin
• Say mama and dada to the right parents
• Say one word other than mama or dada

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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