This document discusses babyhood, which refers to the first 2 years of life after infancy. It outlines the key characteristics of babyhood, including rapid growth and development, decreasing dependency, increased individuality, and the beginning of socialization. The document also details the major developmental tasks in babyhood, such as physical, psychological, social, and language development. Additionally, it examines the play patterns of babies and potential hazards during the babyhood years, including physical, psychological, social, and family relationship risks.

1. Babyhood:
Meaning,
Characteristics
and hazards
Jammu University
2 Year B.Ed.
Paper 102
Sem: I
Unit: I

2. Babyhood/ Toddlerhood
First 2 years of life after infancy
Gradual but pronounced decrease in
helplessness

3. Characteristics
Regarded as foundation age (many
behavioural patterns, attitudes and emotional
expression get established)
Age of rapid growth and change (less top
heavy, limbs develop in proportion, best
growth in ability to recognize and respond to
people and objects in environment, able to
communicate their needs and demands in a
way which is understandable to others)

4. Age of decreasing dependency (rapid
development in body control- sit stand walk
and manipulate objects)
Age of increased individuality (appearance
and patterns of behaviour, no same child
training techniques)
Beginning of socialisation (attention seeking,
attachment behaviour)

5. Beginning of sex role typing
Babyhood is more appealing
Beginning of creativity
Hazardous age

6. Developmental Tasks of babyhood
Physical development
One of 2 periods of rapid growth (other
puberty)
In first year increase in weight is
proportionally more than increase in height
In 2 year reverse is true
Same pattern for boys and girls
Weight- 3X to birth weight
Height- 4months-24 inches, 1 yar-28-30 inches
and 2 years 32-34 inches

7. Physical proportions- head growth slows
down
Bones- on of bones increase, ossification
begins, soft spot on skull closes 50% by 18
months and 100% by 2 years
Muscles and fats develop
Teeth

8. Psychological Functions
Sleep pattern
Eating pattern: liquid form to semi liquid
Patterns of elimination: bowel control
begins, bladder control

9. Muscle control
Coordinated movements and use
 Eye control: optic nystagmus-12 hrs,
horizontal eye movement 1-2 months,
vertical eye movement 3-4 months
Smiling reflex smile, tactual smile, social
smile
Head rolling: erect head -1 month, lying on
back 5 months, sitting position 4-6 months

10. Trunk rolling: side to back 4 months
Sitting : 4 months, with support 5 months
Thumb opposition 8-9 months
Crawling creeping 8-9 stand with support
10 months, walk without support 14 months

11. Speech development
Comprehension
Learning to speak
Pre-speech form of communication
Emotional expression
Emotional expression: anger, fear, curiosity,
Joy, Affection

12. Development in socialisation
Extrovert or introvert mainly on their early
social experiences
Attachment as anxiety reducers
Crying babies: aggressive and other
attention seeking behaviour
By 6 weeks social smile or tactile stimuli
smile
In babyhood play no rules or regulations

13. Play more solitary than social
Social response to adults:
2-3 months: distinguish people from inanimate
objects, contented to be with people and
discontented when left alone;
4-5 months: wanted to be picked up by any one
who approaches, reaches differently to scolding
and to smiling faces, friendly faces and to angry
voices;
6-7 months: differentiate b/w friends and
strangers, shy and attachment age;

14. 8-9 Months: imitates speech, gestures, and
simple acts of others,
12 Months: reacts to warning NO,
16-18 Months: negativism in form of stubborn
resistance to requests or demands from adults,
physical withdrawals and anger outbursts,
22-24 Months: cooperates in number of ways
being dressed, fed and bathed

15.  Response to other babies
4-5 Months: ties to attract attention of others by
bouncing up and down, kicking, laughing or blowing
bubbles
6-7 Months: smiles at other babies and interest in their
crying
9-13 Months: explores clothes and hair of other babies
imitate their behaviour and vocalization cooperates in
use of toys
13-18 Months: fighting over toys decrease willingness to
share
18-24 Months: more interest in playing in other babies
uses play materials to build social relationship with them

16. Play Patterns
Sensory motor play: kicking, bouncing,
wiggling, moving fingers toes, climbing,
babbling ad rolling
Exploratory play: explore body by pulling
hair, sucking fingers and toes, shake,
throw, bang, suck and pull their toys
Imitative play: reading magazine,
sweeping floor, writing with pencil or
crayons

17. Make-believe play: toys to living
Games: peekaboo, hide and seek,
with parents grandparents or siblings
Amusements: like to be sung to,
talked to, and read to fascinated by
radio or television or pictures
Value of paly: problem solving and
creativity, information of
environment,

18. Development of understanding: sensory
explorations, simple generalisations
Beginning of sex role typing

19. Hazards in babyhood
Physical hazards
Mortality
Crib death
Illness
Accidents
Malnutrition
Foundations of obesity
Physiological habits: eating habits, sleep
habits, habits of elimination

20. Psychological hazards
Motor development
Speech hazards
Emotional hazards: emotional deprivation,
stress, too much affection, dominant emotions
Social hazards
Play hazards
Hazards in understanding
Hazards in mortality
Family relationship hazards
Personality development