Tiny Watcher
Parent observes early visual tracking, head control, early reaching, and hand exploration in a young baby. Covers thirteen early sensory and motor milestones spanning 2-10 months across visual tracking, prone lifting, midline hand play, reaching, head balance, early vocalisation, and hand-to-mouth exploration.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Firm flat surface (blanket on floor, not a soft mattress). Bright or high-contrast object held at arm's length. Baby in light clothing, awake and alert. Stay close throughout.
How it works
- 1~40s
Hold the bright object about 30 centimetres — roughly 12 inches — from your child's face. Move it slowly side to side, then up and down. Does your child's gaze follow it? Does they turn their head to track it? Can they follow all the way to the side — a full 90-degree sweep in each direction? Tell me what you see.
Watch for: Baby fixes gaze on object and tracks it through 180-degree arc
- 2~50s
Now place your child on their tummy on the blanket. Does they lift their head — even just 45 degrees? Does the whole head and chest come up? Does they prop on forearms? Then flip them onto their back and hold the object just within reach: does your child reach toward it? Do their hands come together in front of their face at midline? And when sitting with your support, does they hold their head steady without it flopping? Tell me all of that.
Watch for: Baby lifts head to approximately 45 degrees in prone
- 3~60s
Last section — sounds and hand discovery. Watch and listen naturally for a minute. Does your child make vowel sounds — 'eh', 'ah', 'ooh' — on their own or in response to you talking? Make a sound with a rattle or tap something — does they look toward the source? Now watch their hands: does your child look at their own hands? Explore one hand with the other — fingers touching fingers? And does they bring objects or their own hand to their mouth? Tell me what you notice.
Watch for: Baby shows interest in making or locating a sound
What this develops
- MilestoneFixes and follows 180 degreesThinkingprimary
- MilestoneLifts head in prone 45 degreesphysicalprimary
- MilestoneLifts head, shoulders, chest when pronephysicalprimary
- MilestonePuts hands together in front of facephysicalprimary
- MilestoneReaches for an objectphysicalprimary
- MilestoneBalances head while supportedphysicalprimary
- MilestoneShows interest in making a soundThinkingprimary
- MilestoneFollows an object's movement by turning {his/her} headThinkingprimary
- MilestoneMakes vowel sounds, such as "eh" or "ah"Thinkingprimary
- MilestoneBrings objects to {his/her} mouthThinkingprimary
- MilestoneSupports {his/her} head completelyphysicalprimary
- MilestoneLooks at {his/her} handsThinkingprimary
- MilestoneExplores one hand with the otherThinkingprimary