Chat with your child about how foods change as you cook them. You could show them how a pancake or tortilla goes from doughy to solid. Or how pasta or rice becomes soft. Let them use all their senses and touch them before and after (once cooled.) Talk together about what you see!
Category: 6 Loving Habits
Getting Dressed Conversations
While getting dressed in the morning, chat with your child about if they should wear short sleeves or long sleeves. Do they need long sleeves to stay warm, or short sleeves to stay cool? Pretend together to be hot or cold and act out how you would feel. Brrrr!
Singing Conversations
While waiting, create singing conversations. Instead of talking back-and-forth, quietly sing what you want to say to each other. How does your child respond? Then try whispering. Keep going back and forth and make it a game.
Counting items in nature
Being out and about is a great time to be on the lookout for what’s around. As you go, point out what you see. Do you see birds, trees, leaves, people? Ask your child, “How many do you see?” Take turns pointing to different things all over!
Different Volumes
As you walk, listen to your child. Which sounds are quiet, which are loud? Yell “loud!” and mimic the sound. Then whisper “quiet” and try that one too. Go back and forth with them imitating all the sounds at their different volumes.
Dance
Let your child pick a fun, fast song to dance to. Ask them to make a dance move and then copy what they do. Take turns going back and forth copying each other’s dance moves.
Compare your drinks
As you both have something to drink, take turns talking about how your cups are the same and different. Is one bigger? Smaller? What colors are they? What is in your cups? Is the liquid warm or cold?
Guess what’s inside
Is there an empty tissue or wipes box handy when changing your child’s diaper? Hide something safe inside, lie them down, and give them the box. Shaking it, ask “Can you guess what’s inside?” See if you can keep the guessing game going until they’re changed and dressed!
What do you feel?
Put some safe items your child loves—like an egg carton, plastic bottle, or small box—into a bag just for them. They can play with the full bag. When they reach in, ask, “What do you feel? Is it an egg carton or a bottle?”
Point out favorite foods
As you go shopping, point out some of your favorite foods to your child and see if they like them: “I love bananas, do you?” Then invite them to point out a favorite food. Tell them if you like it. Play back and forth as you move down the aisles.
