East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-10-29
BABY'S FIRST TO0L-HIMSELF
BY Martha Gallaudet Waring

When wo begin the training of the
baby we must never forget that the
first thing he should learn to use is
himself, and that his first tools should
be the God-given ones of his own body
members and brain. We are apt to
overlook this in fact, though ready to
admit it in theory; therefore let us
glance over the beginning of this kind
OF training.
Froebel, with its never-failing in
sight into the needs of the developing
child, has given us among others, the
Mother Play of Failing Falling" This
as well as the play with the Limbs"
and "Pat-a-Cake" should be used with
the very tiny baby as soon as he shows
signs OF conscious, activity.
Babies always respond with pleasure
to exercises with the soes of the feet
pressed against the palms of the moth
er's hands, and to the careful NOV
ing of the arms up and down. These
simple exercises begin to differentiatc
their members for them, thus giving
them early control of their bodies,
'Pat-a-Cake" comes next and then
1.-TWO Little Dogs that are Walking a
Mile" played with the feet thus:
Two little dogs are walking a mile,
Two little dogs are crossing a stile,
Cross over, cross over, cross over"
During the first two lines lift up
the baby's feet successfully as though
walking in the air, and for the last line
cross over alternately. Next comes
rolling over in the bed and pulling up
ey the arms, first n little, gradually
all the way, before the baby tries to
stand or walk. As soon, however, os
he begins to pun himself up by objects,
show him stable ones that will not
rock or move. From then on, it is all
y matter of first lessons in using his
most important tool, himself.
AT tho age of two child who is
normally strong and has been proper
ly trained can do any Of the following
things, adding to his activities almost
hourly. lie can lcimb on chairs or
other objects, by which he can steady
himself He can walk and run with
ease, also balance against moving OBJ
jects such as go-cart He can open
and shut doors, drawers and boxes,
and fit covers or stopors to their prop
er openings.
At the age of twenty-five months
our baby, who was quite used to going
up and down the inside stairs alone, |
was observed laboriously climbing
down them, holding the banister with
one hand while in the other he held |
a rattan suitcase, light but unwiedly. |
This he carefully lifted down from |
step to step, climbing after it, with |
never a slip, SO we let hirl alone and |
watched, He carried the suitcase |
down long hall. carefully opened the |
back door and descended the back /
steps into the yard. We followed un-
observed intO the garage, until we saw !
him climb laborlously into my electric !
coupe still tusging at his precious suit
case. ana calling to the man BILL |
Mama's chine, choo-choo cars! Ty- /
bee Tybee is the seaside resort
nearest us, and the power of that
thoughtwish had taken him over as
difficult and lahorious a way as many
an explorers expedition.
My experience has been with my
own three children, that through prop
er training, there is n rapid growth of
mental control of the smaller or access
sorry muscles as they come into use,
so that In many WAYS, through their
and school life, they
show the effect of right start in the
lse, OF this most important of all tools
tho human body.