Be on the lookout for rising mobile phone bills if your plan fails to cover unlimited imaginary minutes.

Older infants enjoy pretending to talk on the phone. They use toy phones–sometimes real phones–to talk to friends, family, and fictitious characters.

This indicates progress in their ability to develop relationships with other children.

More examples of progress and quick tips to support it follow.

Age: 8-18 Months
Domain: Social Emotional Development
Sub-domain: Relationships With Other Children

Progress and Support

Older infants show progress in this area when they

• jump up and down, smile, and laugh as they see another child do the same,
• play with toys as they sit with other children,
• attempt to comfort crying children by offering them toys,
• point to a toy that another child has to indicate that they want it.

These quick tips support development:

• provide plenty of toys for play,
• give the child dolls to pretend with,
• invite other children to bring toys to the child while you hold him,
• talk to the infant about what other children are doing as you watch them play,
• create opportunities for the child to interact and play with other children.

Let’s combine our minds and think of more quick tips to help children thrive. Please share your thoughts below.

Resources: Minnesota’s Early Childhood Indicators of Progress, 2007