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The first 12 months: A journey in your baby's development

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Author Danina Kooijman
Published March 21, 2024

The first 12 months: A journey in your baby's development 
Your baby's first year is very special. It is full of new discoveries, growth and development. As a parent you are of course extremely important in this. Childcare also contributes to this. Did you know that a baby usually doubles his or her body weight during the first year of life? Suppose this were to continue, your child would weigh 5e already 112 kilos. So you can see how great the physical development is in the first year alone.  

But how does your baby actually develop, what can you do as a parent and where is childcare?  

Your child will discover the world step by step with a safe feeling
It is important that your child feels safe. Especially in the first few months of life and actually also in the abdomen. When children feel safe and secure, they discover the world step by step. Your child likes a lot of skin-to-skin contact and individual attention. This way your baby starts to recognize your voice, smell and the environment. This reassures your baby and creates bonding between you as a parent and your child. This bonding lays a foundation for later relationships and social-emotional development.   

Encourage your child to explore
Over the months, your baby will gain more and more control over his or her body. Your baby tries to roll, sit or even crawl. As a parent you can encourage your child in this by, for example, placing toys around your baby. Your baby will then try to move there and grab the toy. Your baby is incredibly curious and you can encourage this. Let your baby explore!  

Once your child can move independently, a whole new world opens up. Your child explores, grabs objects, moves and reaches for everything. It is also important during this period that you as a parent are nearby and available. This gives your baby confidence to explore with a safe feeling.   

From breast or bottle feeding to solid food and new flavors
Your baby also discovers and develops a lot in the field of nutrition in the first year. This way, your child will gradually move from breast or bottle feeding to more and more solid food. Did you know that babies have more taste buds than adults? The perfect period to taste new flavors and experience structures. What does your baby like and what doesn't?   

At Kibeo in the baby group we follow the rhythm of home
Your child will come to the baby group in a safe and familiar environment. Your baby has its own mentor and permanent pedagogical professionals in the group. Also with Kibeo your child starts to recognize more and more voices and faces. That feels safe! And that safe feeling is extremely important for your child's development. In addition, the pedagogical professionals of Kibeo connect as much as possible to the rhythm of home. Great for your baby and your family. Is your baby ready for its first bites at home? Then we will also adopt this to the group. With Kibeo, your baby will receive freshly pureed fruit snacks, among other things. This starts with practice snacks and will eventually be expanded to a fruit meal. Attuned to your baby's pace.

The pedagogical professionals adapt to the development phase of your child
At Kibeo we work development-oriented. This means that we look carefully at where your child is in development and we adapt accordingly. We place materials around your baby that match the age and development phase. The focus is on sensorimotor skills; the link between movement and feeling, seeing and smelling new things. In this phase, your baby will find materials of different structures or colors around him.

If your baby is increasingly interested in other children, your baby will be included in the group with them. This lays the foundation for social-emotional development and your baby may make contact with his or her first friends.

Enjoy singing, reading and chatting. That's good for language development!
Your baby also starts language development at Kibeo. In the baby group there is extra attention to rhythm and tones, your baby is read to and singing. There is a lot of interaction with your child. We chat a bit about the group! And your little one happily participates in this. In addition to reading books, crinkle books and fabric books are also very interesting. And those books can be felt and tasted. Your baby, no matter how small, already enjoys reading!  

Because your baby goes to childcare at Kibeo, you also meet other parents from the area. This can be supportive and provide a nice social network. The pedagogical professionals are also ready to give you tips or advice if you have any questions about your baby's first 12 months!   

Read more about childcare for your baby at Kibeo