Baby Steps: Exercises for Baby's First Year of Life [Paperback]

Susan Fox (Author)

Book Description

Not just a baby exercise book, this wide-ranging guide combines the latest trends for developing a child's physical, mental, emotional, and language skills. (It's fun, too!)

Parents want to give their babies the best start they can. The simple, fun, and healthy exercises in this book show parents how to do just that--aiding their child in physical, mental and emotional development, as well as strengthening the parent-child bond. With detailed exercise instructions, developmental charts, tips on toys, and sensible advice, Susan Fox gives valuable advice on how to help infants:* Develop hand-eye coordination * Improve muscle tone * Stop fussing more quickly * Enjoy touch and movement * Build pre-speech and early language skills * Develop motor skills * Learn body awareness * Sit up independently * Develop thinking, learning and playing skills

* More comprehensive than other baby exercise books--these activities can enhance physical, mental and language skills, as well as emotional health, hand-eye coordination, sensory-motor and cognitive skills
* Ideal for all parents, including those with premature babies or babies with special needs
* Also recommended for teachers, therapists, and doctors
* Includes step-by-step instructions and developmental charts
* Susan Fox is an authority on pediatric development, with twenty years of experience helping parents and babies

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Susan Fox is a pediatric neurodevelopmental therapist and director of The Pediatric Therapy Clinic in Seattle, with twenty years of experience helping parents and babies. She has taught numerous workshops on child development and teaches parent/infant classes designed to maximize babies' development. She also lectures regularly and provides consultation and training to early childhood educators and therapists.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425170578
• ISBN-13: 978-0425170571
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,104,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, and helpful addition to early intervention therapy, August 25, 2000

By 

R. S. Trindle (Bellevue, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baby Steps: Exercises for Baby's First Year of Life (Paperback)

When one of my twin sons was diagnosed with brain damage and probable cerebral palsy shortly after birth, I knew that we would do everything possible to help him overcome his physical problems. We started weekly physical therapy sessions and early intervention programs, which are important, but the greatest focus was on daily work and interaction at home. That's where Fox's "Baby Steps" proved a valuable resource. The activities outlined in the book provide simple ways to help your baby learn important developmental skills. The format is clear and to the point, including black and white photos. The chapters follow a logical progression as your baby builds on previously learned skills. There are also suggestions for age-appropriate toys that will complement the exercises.

Our whole family uses many of the games and exercises from this book with both our handicapped son and his typically-developing identical twin. It's fun to have a repetoire of activities that goes beyond "this little piggy" and even my pre-schooler enjoys "making the babies do their workout". My husband has proved to be the best at putting our little guys through their paces. The exercises provide him with a natural way to bond with the babies, even in the earliest months.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great resource, January 31, 2001

By 

James Tisdale (Duvall, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baby Steps: Exercises for Baby's First Year of Life (Paperback)

I'm a stay-at-home dad who craves any and all information that can assure me that I'm "doing it right." This book is a wonderful resouce for expaining what skills are needed for my son to accomplish the major goals of his young life (rolling over, sitting up, crawling, driving the jeep . . .) One example of how the book has helped us concerns "tummy time". Like most parents in this day and age, my wife and I have been drilled constantly on not letting our son sleep on his stomach. As essential as this advice is, the necessity of making up the time on his stomach so that he can work his back muscles while awake has been a great help. Knowing that taking the extra time to work on these skills will only help him sit up sooner. On the technical side the book's pictures probably need to be re-shot to make them look a little more professional. The text and organization though are right on target

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Too hard to use, very focused on major skills, June 26, 2006

By 

D. Hemphill "homeschool mom" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Baby Steps: Exercises for Baby's First Year of Life (Paperback)

I just bought this to use with my almost 7mo who just started crawling. Rather than exercises, it seems to be better described as tips to help your baby hold his/her head up, roll over, crawl, stand, and walk. My child can crawl, but doesn't meet the skill requirements for standing. Yet, the book gives no suggestions to help with those requirements. It just describes some things that may make learning to stand with stability easier. I didn't find the "exercises" all that helpful at all, and will be reselling my copy.