Supporting Babies at Home (birth-18 months)

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(This pathway component is currently available to read on the web page below and will be available for download by: March 31st 2026)

Supporting Babies at Home

Shared Routines & Communication (0–18 Months)

A parent-facing guidance document supporting consistency, wellbeing and early communication from birth.

A Message for Parents and Carers

Babies learn from birth — not through activities or lessons, but through relationships, routines and everyday moments.

This guide shares how you can support your baby’s wellbeing, communication and development at home in simple, natural ways that fit into daily life.

There is no “right way” to do this.
What matters most is that your baby feels safe, loved and understood.

Babies Learn Through Everyday Life

For babies, learning happens through:

• being cared for

• being comforted

• being talked to

• being responded to

Moments like feeding, nappy changing, settling to sleep and cuddling are all rich learning experiences.

You don’t need to add anything extra — what you already do matters.

The Importance of Shared Routines

Routines help babies feel secure.

Predictable routines:

• help babies understand what comes next

• build trust

• support emotional wellbeing

At home, routines might include:

• morning and bedtime patterns

• feeding and sleep routines

• familiar ways of being comforted

Routines don’t need to be strict — gentle consistency is enough.

Supporting Communication at Home

Babies communicate before they can talk.

They use:

• cries and sounds

• facial expressions

• eye contact

• body movement

You support communication by:

• responding when your baby makes a sound or gesture

• talking about what you’re doing

• using a warm, calm voice

• copying your baby’s sounds or expressions

Your baby learns to communicate because you respond.

Talking With Your Baby

You don’t need special words or activities.

Simple talk helps, such as:

• describing what’s happening

• naming objects or actions

• talking during routines

• sharing attention

Pausing and waiting is just as important as talking.
This gives your baby time to respond in their own way.

Comforting and Settling Your Baby

Babies rely on adults to help them feel calm.

It is normal for babies to:

• need comfort

• want to be held

• need support to settle

Responding to your baby’s distress helps them:

• feel safe

• learn that their needs matter

• develop emotional security

Babies learn to calm themselves over time — because they have been comforted.

Supporting Emotional Wellbeing

Your baby’s emotional wellbeing grows when they experience:

• predictable care

• warm responses

• reassurance when upset

You can support this by:

• responding consistently

• comforting your baby when needed

• keeping routines familiar

• being patient with big emotions

There is no such thing as “spoiling” a baby with comfort.

Every Baby Is Different

Babies develop at their own pace.

Some babies:

• sleep more or less

• need more support to settle

• communicate in different ways

This is normal.

Try not to compare your baby to others.
If you ever have questions or concerns, sharing them early can be helpful.

Working Together with Your Setting

We value your knowledge of your baby.

Sharing information about:

• routines

• preferences

• comfort strategies

• communication cues

helps us provide consistent care between home and setting.

Small details make a big difference.

When to Ask for Support

If you have questions about:

• sleep

• communication

• emotional wellbeing

• development

please speak to your baby’s key person or a trusted professional.

Early conversations are supportive and reassuring — not a cause for concern.

In Summary

You support your baby’s learning every day by:

• caring

• comforting

• talking

• responding

There is no need to do more or do it differently.

Your relationship with your baby is the most important part of their learning journey.

Document Updated: January 2026

Download Document Here:

(This pathway component is currently available to read on the web page above and will be available for download by: March 31st 2026)

Recommended next read Selection

Additional Documents | Professional Membership Contents (Babies 0-18 months)

Navigate our Curriculum & Pedagogy guidance documents here.

Pedagogical identity:
Relationship-led, care-centred baby practice where routines, interaction and sensory experience are the curriculum.

• 1. Welcome to the Baby Room (Start Here)

  👉 This section protects developmentally appropriate practice.

  • Baby Pedagogy Position Statement – How Babies Learn (0–18 Months)

  • Care as Curriculum: What This Means in Practice

  • How Our Baby Room Practice Works

  • Curriculum Language in Baby Rooms(Intent, Implementation & Impact Explained)

• 2. Baby Development & Adult Understanding

  👉 These documents support adult understanding — not expectations for babies.

  • Baby Curriculum Maps - Developmental progression across age bands(0–3 months | 3–6 months | 6-9 months | 9-12 months | 12-18 months)

  • Adult Reference: Developmental Signals & Support

  • Understanding Early Communication & Regulation

• 3. Observation-Led Practice & Responsive Care

  👉 Observation informs interaction, routines and environment.

  • In-The-Moment Narrative Observation Template for Babies

  • Micro-Observation Template (Checklist Format)

  • Pocket-Sized Observation Card

  • Using Observation to Respond to Babies’ Needs

  • In-the-Moment Prompt Cards (x17)

• 4. Environment & Continuous Provision (Baby Room)

  👉 The environment supports exploration, movement and communication.

  • Baby Room Environment Guide & Resourcing Lists

  • Baby Room Continuous Provision Maps

    • 0–9 Months

    • 9–18 Months

  • Labelling Pack | Baby Room (0–18 Months)

• 5. Routines, Care & Emotional Wellbeing

  👉 Care routines are central to learning and wellbeing.

  • Daily Routines as Learning Opportunities

  • Transition & Sleep Routine Record Pack

    • Daily Transition Record

    • Individual Sleep Routine Profile

    • Review Template

  • Supporting Emotional Regulation in Baby Rooms

• 6. Language & Interaction in Baby Rooms

  👉 Language is built through interaction, not instruction.

  • Five Sentence Stems Every Baby Room Practitioner Should Use (Baby Room Poster)

  • Responsive Talk, Narration & Imitation

  • Supporting Early Communication (Pre-Verbal & Emerging Speech)

• 7. Planning & Documentation

  👉 Planning supports adults — it never directs babies.

  • Weekly Care & Learning Planning Templates (x2)

  • Using Baby Room Planning Templates Responsively

  • ‘Intent - Implementation - Impact’ Reference Grids(Emotional, Communication, Physical, Sensory, Social, Problem-Solving, Independence)

  • Baby Responsive Planning Sheet

  • When (and When Not) to Plan in Baby Rooms

• 8. Assessment, Safeguarding & Statutory Responsibilities

  👉 Proportionate, sensitive and statutory practice.

  • Concerns & Referrals Quick Form

  • Recording and Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

  • Progress Check at Age 2(looking ahead)

    • Report Template

    • Practitioner Guidance

• 9. SEND & Early Identification

  👉 Early support is relational, preventative and respectful.

  • SEND Identification & Next Steps Pack | Babies

    • What to Look For

    • What Evidence to Collect

    • Practical Next Steps

  • SEND & Inclusion Support Pack

    • A practical Toolkit for Early Years Practitioners

    • Inclusion Through Environment & Interaction

• 10. Parent Partnership & Communication

  👉 Strong partnerships support consistency and trust.

  • Daily Diary – Baby Room

  • Baby Room Welcome & Settling-In Pack

  • Supporting Babies at Home (Shared Routines & Communication)

  • Supporting Speech & Language at Home (0–3 Years)

• 11. Transition Beyond the Baby Room

  👉 Transitions are emotional, not academic.

  • Preparing for Transition to Toddler Room

  • Sharing Information with Sensitivity

  • Supporting Babies and Families Through Change

Additional Whole-Setting Guidance | for Professional Members

Explore our whole-setting guidance below, including overarching curriculum and pedagogy documents, early years schemas and EYFS setting policies.

• Curriculum & Pedagogy

  • Little Owls Resources’ Curriculum Intent Statement

  • EYFS from Birth to 5: Curriculum Coherence & Pedagogical Throughline

  • Whole-Setting Curriculum Map (Birth-5): Curriculum Intent & Progression

  • Pedagogy Guidance Document

  • Speech & Language Development - Setting Statement

  • EYFS Inspection-Facing Summaries

• Early Years Schemas

  Early Years Schemas - Practitioner Toolkit | EYFS Birth-5

  ↪ Schema Cards (definition, behaviours, age-related examples, enabling resources)

  ↪ Schema Observation & Responsive Provision Planning Template

• EYFS Setting Policies

  • EYFS Group Setting Policies Pack

    ↪ x 22 Policy Documents

    ↪ Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document

    ↪ EYFS Setting Policy Folder Contents List

  • Childminder Setting Policies Pack

    ↪ x 22 Policy Documents

    ↪ Childminder Assistant or Volunteer Policy Sign-Off and Confirmation Document

    ↪ Childminder Policy Folder Contents List

• EYFS Glossary

  EYFS Glossary

  ↪ Clear, practitioner-friendly explanations of key curriculum and pedagogy terms used throughout our guidance.

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Content within the EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Membership is provided as professional guidance and support. It reflects current understanding of the EYFS statutory framework, Development Matters and inspection expectations at the time of writing. Practitioners are responsible for applying professional judgement and ensuring practice aligns with current statutory requirements and their specific context.

All resources, experiences and environment arrangements must be risk assessed by the setting and used in accordance with individual children’s developmental stages, needs and supervision requirements. Practitioners must apply professional judgement and adapt practice to their setting, cohort and current statutory requirements.

Safeguarding Notice
Safeguarding-related content is provided to support professional understanding and reflective practice. It does not replace a setting’s safeguarding and child protection policy, local authority procedures, statutory guidance, or the role and decision-making responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). All safeguarding concerns must be managed in line with current statutory requirements and local safeguarding partnership guidance.

Updated: January 2026