Turn cleaning into a game. Give your child a clean, almost-dry sponge and ask them to help you wipe off a surface you’re cleaning. Ask them to wipe it clean in long lines from top to bottom. Then try making a zigzag. Then circles. See what they think of too!
Author: Five Ones
Dance Together
Play, sing, or hum a slow song and hold your child while you dance together. How do they respond to the feeling of dancing? What about the sound of the music? Respond to what they do. Laugh if they laugh! Enjoy this special moment.
What Will Happen Next?
When feeding your baby, talk about what they’re doing and why you think they’re doing it. “You’re drinking your milk because you’re so hungry!” Talk about what will happen next. “After your tummy is full of milk, you’ll be sleepy and it will be time for your nap.”
Cleaning Song
Cleanup time can be a learning time if you sing about it with your child. “This is the way, we clean the house, so early in the morning.” If they respond with sounds, use them in your song. “(Your child’s name) says, ba, ba, ba, so early in the morning.”
Eye Conversation
Take a few minutes and look into your child’s eyes. As they look back, smile and talk with them. Do what they do. If they blink, you blink. If they look left, you look left. Let them see your eyes too, and have fun keeping eye contact.
Babbling Conversations
Don’t be afraid to babble. When your child starts to make noises, treat it like a real conversation and mimic the sounds right back. See how many times you can go back and forth!
Tap Along to the Beat
When your child is on their back, gently pat their tummy. Sing a favorite song and tap along to the beat on your baby’s tummy. Try patting fast and slow. Do they smile or kick? Keep going as long as they seem to be having fun.
Babble with B
Is your child starting to babble? Use bathtime as an opportunity to babble about the letter B. If they say, “ba,” you can say, “Baby takes a bath with bubbles! Ba-ba-ba!” If they respond with more babbles, copy them right back! What other words can you make from their babbling sounds?
Do You Feel the Wind?
Gently blow on your child’s face and hair. Ask them, “Do you feel the wind?” Notice if they seem to like the sensation. If so, blow with long and short breaths. Make your pauses in between long and short, too. How long can you and your baby play?
Picture Talk
Do you have some books or magazines around? Show your child the pictures. They will like clear simple pictures, especially of faces. Talk with them about what you see. How do they respond? Now talk about their response!
