Category: Play with

While you’re doing laundry, ask your child to help. Invite them to sort clothes into piles of dark and light colors.

Make a silly face and ask your child to make it too. Then ask them to make a sillier one for you to copy. Then take turns back and forth and see who can be the silliest.

While washing dishes, give your child a spoon to hold. Say, “You have a spoon!” Then hold your hand open and say, “My turn!” See if they will hand the spoon back to you. If they do, say, “Thank you!” If they don’t, give them another utensil and see if you can trade them back-and-forth.

While cleaning up, give your child a soapy sponge and a large container with a little water so they can help wash safe kitchen items. Scrub up lots of bubbles together. When you’re ready say, “Bye-bye bubbles!” and show them how to rinse the bubbles away. Encourage them to try it.

As you play with your child, take a toy or safe object and hide it as they watch you. Ask them, “Where is it?” and let them find it. Then ask them if they can hide it and you find it. Create a cheer to use when each of you finds the toy and keep… Continue reading “Where Is It?”

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!

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?

Go through the ABCs with your child and make the shape of each letter with your bodies. How would you make the letter A? Make a triangle with your arms above your head and your legs standing wide. Can your child make the letter B with their body? Take turns making the other letters!

Ask your child to create a path to get from one side of a room to the other without touching the ground. Use pillows, newspaper, or whatever is handy. Make it harder by seeing how far or fast they can go. Or limit what they can use to make the path to make it more… Continue reading The Floor is Lava

Ask your child to play a game of pretend catch. Imagine you’re holding a ball and throw it to them. Encourage them to throw it back to you. Try making the ball bigger or smaller. Talk with them about what you’re doing: “I’m going to throw it fast! Get ready!”