Leap 6: The world of categories

Question 1

What changes occur in the brain during this leap?

Answer 1

Approximately 8 months:

• Drastic changes in brain waves
• Head circumference grows drastically.
• Glucose metabolism in the brain changes.

Question 2

What are the signs baby is beginning the leap (fussy phase)?

Answer 2

• cries more often
• frequently bad-tempered or cranky
• demands more attention
• Pronounced mood swings
• want to be kept busy more often
• clings more to parent, or more often.
• acts unusually sweet
• throws temper tantrums, or more often
• shyer, or more shy
• protests more or more often when put down from being held.
• sleeps poorly
• seems to have nightmares more frequently
• loses appetite
• babbles less often
• sometimes just sit there, daydreaming
• refusal of being dressed or getting diaper changed.
• sucks thumb, or more often
• reaches for a soft toy, or more often.
• more babyish.

Question 3

What happens during this leap?

Answer 3

• Once baby acquires the ability to perceive and experiment with categories, they begin to understand that they can classify their world into groups.
• They discover that different things can share the same traits.
• They can understand that a horse, no matter it’s color or if they see it in person or a picture, is a horse.
  Some researchers believe that intelligence makes its first appearance at this age. (doesn’t mean babies didn’t have thoughts prior - they had their own ways of thinking that were perfectly suited to each stage of development)
• Baby can learn to categorize “sensations”, “patterns”, “Smooth transitions”, “events”, and/or “relationships”. (builds off of previous leaps, can’t categorize things from later leaps)
• Baby now understands that they are a human like their parents and peers. They will learn new behaviors and mimic more.

Question 4

How can we help baby during this leap?

Answer 4

• Allow baby to explore notions of “one” and “more than one” (ex, stack blocks and have baby remove one block at a time.
• Allow baby to explore the notions of “roughly” and “carefully” (let them know certain things hurt and objects break)
• Allow baby to explore different shapes
• Allow baby to examine the components of things
• Allow baby to explore how materials feel
• Allow baby to explore notions of “heavy” and “light”
• Allow baby to explore notions of “high” and “low”, “little” and “large” (usually done using their whole body crawling, standing, or walking)
• Give baby room to investigate (keep baby safe but allow them to fully explore spaces on their own)
• Give baby the opportunity to “playact”
• When baby wants to give you something or have something, use “can i have” and “please” to combine the giving and receiving game with speech development and understanding.
• Show understanding for “irrational” fears

Question 5

What is observable during the easy period?

Answer 5

• admired for their progress, independence, and cheerfulness.
• they find a wide range of things interesting.
• many want to spend more time outdoors
• other people start playing an increasingly important part in their lives. They make more contact with those people.