Development Stage

Babies 0 – 12 months

By the time your baby is born, their brain already has most of the brain cells they need. Every time you talk, sing or play with your baby, you’re not just bonding, you’re building connections in their brain and helping it to grow. Our babies need us to talk to them, as the more words they hear the better talkers they become.

Talking to you baby, or copying what they babble, is an easy way to build their brain throughout the day. Even talking about simple actions as you do them, such as changing their nappy, is a great place to start. Conversations with your baby might feel one-sided to begin with. But even though your young baby doesn’t have words yet, they will still try to join the conversation!

Babies communicate with you through crying, eye contact and listening and later on, they will coo, smile, laugh, make more sounds and move their body to communicate with you.

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  • Essex Early Years and Childcare Charter

    Essex Early Years and Childcare Charter

    What the Charter means to you as a parent or carer! If your child attends childcare or primary school, the setting may be a Charter member. Their membership supports Essex County Council’s Early Years and Childcare Strategy to ensure every child in Essex gets the best start in life. Since its launch in November 2022,…

  • Screen Time

    Screen Time

    Smart parenting in a digital world! The first 1,001 days are a critical period for a child’s development. Research shows us that babies and young children achieve the most development when an adult engages with them through playful learning on a regular basis – chatting, playing, and reading. This will help them build strong emotional…

  • Best Start in Life

    Best Start in Life

    Giving every child the best start in life! Best Start in Life was launched in September 2025 and is the UK Government’s strategy to ensure that a child’s background does not determine their future success, and that all children develop well by: learning to communicate, building relationships, managing their emotions, playing and learning. This is…

  • Going to the Seaside

    Going to the Seaside

    We do like to be beside the seaside! For young children, a trip to the seaside can provide opportunities for learning and development as part of the The Prime Areas of Learning – TLC. All the new experiences that come with a visit to the beach support your child’s personal, social and emotional development, helping…

  • Bedtime Routines

    Bedtime Routines

    Lights out for little ones! Sleep is essential for your child’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being as it supports growth, learning and memory, as well as impacting their behaviour. For some babies and young children sleep comes relatively easily, but for others good sleep habits (known as sleep hygiene) can take longer to establish. All…

  • Vertical Surface Play

    Vertical Surface Play

    Straight up fun! Vertical surface play involves engaging with activities on a vertical surface, such as a wall, whiteboard or fridge. It has many developmental benefits for all children, and it’s never too early to introduce it to your baby or child! It can help to improve: Top tips:

  • Cloth Nappies

    Cloth Nappies

    Planet friendly pants! Did you know that in the UK around 8 million disposable nappies go to landfill each year? A disposable nappy can take an estimated time of 300-500 years to break down; in that time, harmful chemicals and gases such as methane are released, contributing to global warming. Using cloth nappies can seem…

  • Sing, Sparkle, Smile

    Sing, Sparkle, Smile

    Make tooth brushing a daily adventure! We know that getting your little ones to brush their teeth can sometimes be challenging, so we’ve got some top tips to make it fun rather than a chore! Top tips: Here are some helpful resources for you to view and download: Essex Libraries Looking After Your Teeth Booklist:…

  • Oral Health

    Oral Health

    Tip top teeth! Oral health is all about looking after your mouth and teeth, no matter your age, as part of your general health and wellbeing. Taking care of baby teeth is essential for a child’s health and development, and there are lots of resources out there to help! What you need to know: Here…

  • Essex Family Information Service

    Essex Family Information Service

    The Essex Family Information Service (FIS) is a free and impartial service for parents and carers. The FIS includes lots of information to help you find out about local services for babies, children and young people. There are also links to extra help and services that are available if your child has a Special Educational…

  • Small World Play

    Small World Play

    It’s a small world! Small world play is a type of imaginary play that uses small toys and props to help your child to act out scenes from their daily life, or create fantasy worlds of their own! This type of play provides your child with opportunities to develop ideas, concepts such as size and…

  • Talk, Listen, Cuddle Top Ten Talking Tips

    Talk, Listen, Cuddle Top Ten Talking Tips

    10 top tips to help your child become a confident communicator! 1. Say your child’s name first as this will gain their attention 2. Get down to your child’s level so they can see your face when you speak 3. Use gestures when you are talking as this will give your child extra clues to…

  • Talk, Listen, Cuddle Number Rhyme Cards

    Talk, Listen, Cuddle Number Rhyme Cards

    Research shows that children who know 8 nursery rhymes by heart at age 4, are likely to be more confident at spelling and reading by age 8! To celebrate the Essex Year of Numbers we designed new rhyme cards! There are 5 rhymes that are all based around numbers – you might notice some of…

  • Talk, Listen, Cuddle Counting Book

    Talk, Listen, Cuddle Counting Book

    Count along with me, what can you see? To celebrate the Essex Year of Numbers, we created a counting and rhyming book all about numbers and shapes! The rhyming sentences not only make the book fun, they will help your child develop new vocabulary and building longer sentences. It is the perfect size for your…

  • Park Play

    Park Play

    Swing, skip, slide! Parks and playgrounds help your child’s development in so many ways, and sharing the experience alongside your child is a perfect opportunity to build their confidence and vocabulary! Benefits: Top tips:

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