After a clean diaper is on, hold a small safe toy over your child’s head as they lie on their back. Make a soft noise and jiggle the toy. Do they bat at it with their hands? Try to kick it? Answer their actions with another sound and gentle jiggle.
Category: 6 Loving Habits
Put a snack in a bottle
Drop a small snack inside an empty clear plastic bottle. Encourage your child to get the piece out of the bottle. Do they shake the bottle or put their fingers inside? Can they try in different ways. If they’re struggling ask, “What would happen if you turned it upside down?”
Describe food flavors
As you eat with your child, describe the flavors you both are eating. “The fruit is sweet.” “The pickle is sour.” Make a face that goes along with each flavor to make it more fun. You can also talk about which foods you like the best.
Set the table together
As you sit down to eat, look at the table and talk with your child about where things are. “Where’s the plate? The plate is on the table. Veggies are in the bowl. The spoon is next to the plate.” What if you move them? “Now, where is the spoon?”
Copy each other while you eat
Time to eat? Invite your child to imitate what you do. Pick up your spoon, take some food and say, “Mmm delicious,” and put the spoon down. Or take tiny bites and have them do the same. Then invite them to do something and you copy them.
Who wears this?
As you sort laundry, ask your child to guess who it belongs to. You can hold up a shirt, “Who wears this?” Let them respond and then they can pick the next piece of clothing and you guess. If they don’t know, you can tell them and share how you know this.
Describe steps to change clothes
Dressing your child? Talk about each step of the process. For example, “First we put your leg in the pants. Then we put in the other leg. Now we pull the pants up.” Pause after each step so they can move their legs, stand up to help you, or make a comment.
Describe steps to change diaper
When changing your child’s diaper, describe the steps you’re taking: “First you lay down. Then we take off your pants. Now I unfasten your diaper.” Pause after each so they can lift their bottom or move their legs to help.
Point out colors
As you shop, let your child help by holding some stuff. Choose the items by color or let them point to the one they want to hold and name the color. “You’re holding the yellow box. What else is yellow?” or “Can you hold this brown box?”
What’s that sound?
Do you hear a sound? Pause. Ask your child, “What’s that sound?” Take turns guessing. Are you hearing a slamming door or papers rustling? The squeak of a sliding chair or someone clearing their throat? Name them all together!
