In what period of a child's development should you try and encourage their social and mental skills?

The period of 8 to 20 months is crucial for encouraging a child's social and mental skills. During this stage, children are rapidly developing their ability to interact with others and begin to form attachments. They engage in social behaviors such as smiling, making eye contact, and responding to their caregiver's voices, which are foundational to social development.

Around this age, infants also start to explore their environment, which enhances their cognitive skills. They become more aware of the interactions between themselves and others, making it an opportune time for caregivers to introduce social play, simple games, and routines that foster language development and emotional bonding. Encouraging activities such as sharing toys, playing peek-a-boo, or mimicking sounds can be particularly effective in supporting their growth in social and mental domains.

In contrast, the earlier stage of 0 to 6 months focuses mainly on basic sensory and attachment experiences rather than complex social interactions. The later stage of 1 to 3 years involves more pronounced social skills, but by that time, the foundational skills cultivated between 8 to 20 months have already begun to set the stage for more advanced social interactions. Hence, the period of 8 to 20 months stands out as particularly impactful for nurturing social and mental