0-2 years: What can I do as a parent? - Services for all
This is for all children and parents – to promote good speaking and listening.
What can I do?
Hungry Little Minds
From the moment they're born a baby needs food for their tummy to help their body grow.
Did you know they need food for their mind to help their brain grow too?
Feeding a hungry little mind is easy - you don’t need special skills, time or toys.
You are all they need!
And we’re here to show you how - Hungry Little Minds Staffordshire is a free service provided for families of 0 to 2 year olds by Staffordshire County Council and Stoke on Trent City Council.
Sign up to the newsletter to get started and have fun feeding your baby's hungry little mind!
1001 days
1001 days (conception until 2 years) are critical in a child’s life and directly impact on their development and future outcomes. Your child’s brain will be developing rapidly during the first 2 years of life.
Positive relationships with consistent loving care from parents and carers are crucial for optimum development. Knowing your baby and toddler is especially important. Recognising when they are tired, hungry or want a cuddle and offering them comfort and understanding helps them to feel safe and secure.
Babies are born primed for social interaction. They will be familiar with your voice at birth and recognise Mum’s face a few hours later.
Skin-to-skin contact at any time a baby needs comforting, can calm your baby and help develop a close, loving relationship. Your new born baby loves faces. From the moment they are born your baby will love you to smile, talk and sing to them.
Baby’s and children need to live and play in a healthy home environment. Everyday positive experiences will help shape their brain and provide opportunities for them to learn and grow.
You do not need expensive toys. Interacting with you and other important people in their lives, playing, chatting and helping them to explore their world safely is the best kind of support you can give your baby and child.
Your child will have a review at 9-12 months, before your child’s 9 – 12 month review you will be sent an Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) to complete. This allows you time to observe your childs development in the familiar surroundings of your own home.
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Learning in the home is really important for children and parents play a key role in helping their child to learn and develop new skills.
Books
It is never too early for books. New born babies like strong contrasting colours so will love black and white images.
Books are a good way to support early language development. They can help children learn sounds, letters and words. Babies don’t need to understand all the words, they will love to listen to your voice, look at the pictures and hold the books.
It's good to start sharing stories, books and rhymes with your child from as early an age as possible. Just ten minutes shared reading a day can help your child grow into a happy, confident learner.
As they develop they will love to share books with you. Make them fun using different voices and facial expressions. Talk about the pictures and using props or finger puppets to help bring stories alive.
Bookstart - gives free books to every child in England and Wales at two key stages before school, as well as free packs for children with additional needs, tips and guidance on reading together, resources and activities, and much more.
You are never too young to join the library! Your baby can have a library card from birth, just ask at any Staffordshire Library or join online. Library membership is free. There’s no need to buy books when you can borrow them free from our libraries. There are no overdue charges if you take out children’s books on a child’s library card and there are no lost and damaged charges for children’s books for under 5s borrowed on their library card. Staffordshire libraries love it when you visit the library with your child and don’t mind how noisy they are.
Stoke on Trent Libraries
Stoke libraries offer the following:
- Free library membership – New customers can join the library online
- Board books and picture books to borrow and share, including dual language books
- A sensory room at City Central Library – free for library members to book and use
- Bookstart Newborn Pack gifted by health visitors at 6 week check, and Bookstart Baby (including dual language and additional needs packs) gifted at 12 month check. Packs are administered through libraries, and health visitors signpost new parents to library activities.
- Enquiry service, including signposting to other services
- Mother & Baby eMagazine available on RBdigital
- Little Library Van visits to early years and community settings
- Stoke Reads 25 Reads reading challenge for children aged 0-5
Family Hubs
Your local Family Hub is a virtual space where you can find advice, support and connect with others in your area. They offer a range of information, support and advice for families at a local and county level communicated mainly through the Family Hub Facebook pages.
We also have produced a wealth of in-house support which has been created by the Early Years Coordination team. This includes topics such as Family Hub Cooking, Family Craft Hub, Community Crates Fun and School Readiness to support your child’s learning and development within the home.
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As they grow and develop sing nursery rhymes and make up songs. Babies enjoy repetitive sounds and rhythm.
Tummy time activities during the first few months will encourage your baby to practice using their arms and legs and helps to strengthen their neck and shoulder muscles.
You could lie down on the floor next to them so they can see your face. Never leave your baby alone during tummy time.
It is important to say their name when you speak to your child. Focus on giving them your full attention and show interest in what they are interested in.
At 6 months start to introduce solid foods and use of a free flow or open beaker. This and stopping the dummy will help your child’s speech and language to develop.
Limit screen time and monitor the TV whenever it is on. Choose programmes that are not too busy or confusing. Sit and talk about the things that you have seen, for example the farmer driving the tractor.
Introduce your child to stimulating groups you will find these run by local groups, Staffordshire libraries, Stoke on Trent Libraries or Staffordshire Children’s centre. Attending baby and toddler groups is a great way of promoting your child’s social development and speech and language and also allows you as parents/carers to get to know others, which could prove to be a supportive network to you.
More information on Staffordshire Connects - ‘Places to Go and Things to Do’ pages.
Childrens Centres
Childrens centres run sessions for children and parents. They have regular activities taking place. Find out where your nearest Staffordshire childrens centre is and what is available.
Libraries
Staffordshire Libraries hold a range of different sessions each week. Baby Bounce and Rhyme sessions are held in most Staffordshire Libraries. These sessions actively encourage loud singing, jangling of musical instruments and roaring (if a lion is seen!). Free and fun, these sessions are a great way for parents to make new friends and help their under 5s develop language and communication skills through nursery rhymes and songs.
Stoke on Trent Libraries offer a range of activities:
- Singing Bears – free weekly rhyme sessions in all libraries
- Bouncing Bears – free weekly sessions for active toddlers in selected libraries, comprising music, movement, stories and rhymes
- Story Bears – free weekly story sessions in selected libraries
- Early Years ad-hoc events held across libraries
Activities can be booked on Facebook or Librariesonline
Simple activities
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Staffordshire has 10 Children’s Centres where families can:
- access a range of services
- participate in activities with their young children and
- get information about what is going on locally.
The purpose of a Children’s Centre is to ensure young children get the best start in life and that their families are supported to help them achieve this.
Find out what’s available within your local Children’s Centre for you and your child to engage with. Families can see the current activity timetable, links to individual Children’s Centre Facebook pages and Centre contact details on Staffordshire Connects Children’s Centres. Follow your local Children’s Centre on Facebook so you can see information relevant to families and details of new activity sessions. Make contact with your local Children’s Centre to discuss what sessions are offered and find out a bit more.
Stoke-on-Trent Children’s Centres
Please see Stoke on Trent Children’s Centres for more information on the Children’s Centre offer in this area.
Family Hubs
Following your districts Family Hub on Facebook is also a good way to keep informed on things of interest to families and any Family Hub projects. You can find more information on the Family Hubs on Staffordshire Connects as well as links to our Family Hub projects.
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Staffordshire Libraries hold a range of different sessions each week. Baby Bounce and Rhyme sessions are held in most Staffordshire Libraries. These sessions actively encourage loud singing, jangling of musical instruments and roaring (if a lion is seen!). Free and fun, these sessions are a great way for parents to make new friends and help their under 5s develop language and communication skills through nursery rhymes and songs.
Stoke on Trent Libraries offer a range of activities:
- Singing Bears – free weekly rhyme sessions in all libraries
- Bouncing Bears – free weekly sessions for active toddlers in selected libraries, comprising music, movement, stories and rhymes
- Story Bears – free weekly story sessions in selected libraries
- Early Years ad-hoc events held across libraries
Activities can be booked at:
Facebook page or Librariesonline