Let's Play! Happy Talk & Dinosaur Dance

1.Happy Talk

It will be quite awhile before she says her first word, but that doesn't mean your baby isn't starting to get the hang of language. All those funny sounds she makes, from gurgles to coos, are early attempts to communicate. And the more responsive you are, the more encouraged she'll be to carry her end of the "conversation."

Skills developed: readiness for speech
What you'll need: nothing but an imaginative selection of sounds

Make your baby's natural attempts at call-and-response into a game. Start by helping her figure out all the fun sounds she can make with her mouth. Wait for her to make one of her characteristic baby noises, such as "goo," a raspberry, or a tongue-click, then imitate it back to her. You might also try making a series of rhythmic tongue clicks, and see if she responds to the different beats. Then show her some of the things you can do: Make an exaggerated smacking kiss, pop your finger out of the side of your mouth, or make a b-b-b noise by blowing air out of your mouth while wiggling your finger on your lips. Wait to see if your baby tries to make a similar type of sound back to you — she might surprise you!

2.Dinosaur Dance

Babies are born with a fully developed sense of touch. Here's a fun way to stimulate his sensitive skin while demonstrating cause and effect.

Skills developed: touch, sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: no equipment necessary

Ever play that game of making your hand into a dinosaur by lifting your middle finger to resemble a head and "walking" the other four fingers along? Next time your baby is lying down for a diaper change with his shirt up and tummy exposed, put your "hand-o-saur" where he can see it (on his chest or by his side, depending on his position) and walk the creature lightly over his skin, swaying its "head" from side to side and tickling him with its "feet." Then say, "Here comes a dinosaur, walking from your toes to your nose," and start the hand dinosaur walking slowly up your baby's leg to his tummy. Continue from there, building in lots of anticipation.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Food Faces & My Little Trampoline

1.Food Faces

This game teaches your baby to construct a pattern (in this case a face) — and who would guess such fun is also a way to hone the fine motor skills needed for eating? It works best if your baby is either in a highchair, seated on your lap, or in a booster seat at the "big table."

Skills developed: pattern recognition, fine motor
What you'll need: a meal that includes several small, easily manipulated items such as peas, cubed cooked carrots, corn off the cob, cherry tomatoes cut in half, coarsely grated cheese, meat cut into small bits, noodles or spaghetti

Set out the different parts of your baby's meal in small, nonbreakable bowls: cooked peas in one bowl, cubed meat in another, and so on. Place a large, relatively flat plate (not a compartmentalized toddler plate) in front of your baby, and help her make a face out of her dinner. You'll need to be the art director here, but your baby can take handfuls of food and place them (more or less) where you say: "Put the cheese here for the hair... let's use a tomato for the nose." (Tip: Cooked carrot cubes are great for eyes, and spaghetti and other noodles make very convincing hair.) Guide her hands if necessary, and then do the final arranging yourself. When the face is done, you're ready to eat. Hopefully, though, your baby's been snacking the whole way through.

Safety note: Round objects pose a choking risk, so definitely cut those cherry tomatoes and grapes in half, and cook meat and peas and other vegetables until very soft.

2.My Little Trampoline

It's no secret that kids love to jump on beds. Actually, babies do too, and it's a perfect way for little ones to build lower-body strength and learn to control their wobbly legs.

Skills developed: standing, walking
What you'll need: a bed with a springy mattress

Stand your baby upright in the middle of your bed, carefully supporting him with your hands holding both sides. Help him bounce up and down, lifting him off the bed, then landing him in a standing position. If your baby is already walking, you may be able to just hold his hands, once he gets used to the springy motion of the bed.

Another fun game: Have him sit on the bed with his legs out in front of him and gently bounce the bed with your hands.

Safety note: Never leave a baby unattended on a bed.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Flying Seesaw & Pour It On

1.Flying Seesaw

An almost-11-month-old is bound to be enthralled by this dynamic exercise.

Skills developed: sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: a cardboard tube stuffed with newspaper for stiffening, a short square board or large rectangular children's book, a small stuffed animal, a child's hammer or mallet

Lay the tube on a flat surface — preferably a smooth floor. Balance the board or book on the cylinder like a teeter-totter with one end down and the other angling upward. Set the stuffed animal on the lower end of the book. Announce, "Let's watch Bunny go for a ride," and have your child hit the high end of the book with the hammer. (If you don't have a hammer or mallet, have your baby use his fist.) Then watch your baby's face as the animal goes flying. Warning: He'll want to repeat this over and over, so for your sanity you may want to add a challenge, such as measuring how far away it lands.

Variation: Put a stuffed animal at both ends of the board or book to make a seesaw, then show your child how to balance it.

2.Pour It On

There's a reason Montessori-style preschools feature so many activities that involve pouring: It's a great way to explore concepts like "full" and "empty" and develop dexterity to boot.

Skills developed: hand-eye coordination, spatial relations
What you'll need: a large dish tub or bucket; some plastic cups, bowls, and other containers

Because it's messy, try this activity outside, or in a kitchen or bathroom with a bath mat or towel on the floor. Fill the dish tub or bucket about halfway with water, and set out the various pouring implements next to it. If your baby is walking, you can set up this activity on a low bench or chair; if she's not, have her sit next to the bucket.

Show her how to scoop water out of the bucket and pour it back in. When she has the technique down, show her how to transfer water into a larger cup or bowl using a smaller one as a tool. Funnels, measuring cups with spouts, and basters also make for great water play.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Flower Power & Copy Cat

1.Flower Power

With each passing day, your baby is becoming more aware of the world around her, and with awareness comes curiosity. One way she attunes herself to her surroundings is through her nose — that sharp sense of smell babies are born with. An afternoon among the flowers is a delightfully fragrant way to nurture her nosy nature.

Skills developed: olfactory
What you'll need: some blooming flowers

For your baby's first experience with aromatherapy, take her to a location — outdoors, a plant nursery, a florist — where you can find fragrant flowers such as lavender, daffodils, freesias, or roses. Hold her up with her face close to a fresh, newly opened bloom and watch her expression of astonished pleasure as she catches the sweet smell. Be careful, though: Not only do roses have sharp thorns, but some plants, such as lily of the valley, foxgloves, and rhododendrons, contain toxins that could make your baby sick if she ate them. So if she has reached the grabbing stage, hold her hands gently to prevent any touch- or taste-tests.

2.Copy Cat

Even from the first weeks, your baby is learning to recognize and imitate people. Make it a two-way interaction with this simple mirror game.

Skills developed: visual, social, sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: a full-length or large mirror

Stand in front of a full-length or other large mirror, holding your baby in front of you facing forward. (If you don't have a big enough mirror at home, a department store mirror or reflective shop window will work.) Make simple movements such as raising your arm, tilting your head, or touching your nose, all the while talking and pointing out to your baby what you are doing. When he makes a movement, such as wiggling an arm or kicking a leg, make the same one yourself so he sees both of your actions in the mirror and realizes that you are copying him. The older your baby, the more playful this pastime becomes, until you are teasing each other with actions to mimic.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source form http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Finger Puppets & Facing Off

1.Finger Puppet Parade

You may have noticed that your newborn's vision is a bit limited; she seems unaware of things that are far away, but bring something right into her line of vision (between 8 and 15 inches from her face is ideal) and suddenly she's all eyes. This is a survival skill; babies come into the world equipped to find food, and this is the distance between her face and yours when you're nursing! Explore your baby's developing visual skills with a simple game of finger puppets.

Skills developed: visual stimulation, interactivity
What you'll need: a set of simple finger puppets — you can make your own out of construction paper and felt-tip pens.

Lie your baby on her back or put her in a reclining bouncy seat. (If you can remember to bring the puppets, this activity also works well when she's in her stroller and you're stuck in line at the grocery store.) Using a set of finger puppets, either store-bought or homemade (see instructions below), put a finger puppet on the pointer finger of each hand. Bring your fingers slowly into your baby's line of sight and wait until she focuses on the faces. Then, speaking slowly, introduce each puppet to her. Something simple like "Hello, I'm Clover the cow" will do. As each puppet speaks, bend your finger forward so the puppet bows to your baby. Wait a moment, as if your baby were answering, then continue conducting a one-sided conversation between her and each puppet. Finally, have the puppets form a parade, bobbing up and down, out of your baby's sight.

To make paper finger puppets: Use stiff paper, such as colored construction paper. Cut out small rectangles and make simple cylinders the size of your fingertips, taping, gluing, or stapling the paper together around your finger. Paste on ears, whiskers, or hats, depending on which animal or character you want to create. A man in a top hat is fairly simple, as is a cat with pointy ears. Finally, draw faces with felt pen, keeping the features fairly plain: Babies react most directly and dramatically to simple, graphic faces.

2.Facing Off

Nature has primed babies to focus on faces from the moment they're born, and there's nothing as riveting to a baby as an expressive set of eyes, nose, and mouth. In fact, studies have shown that babies recognize and remember faces better than adults do. (They'll focus longer on a standardized representation of a human face than on any other shape, which is why so many baby toys have simple faces on them.)

Skills developed: visual recognition
What you'll need: a hand mirror and a flexible face

Make a game of your baby's fascination with faces by putting on a few of your own. Sit down next to him when he's propped in a car seat, bouncy seat, or stroller or lying on his back on the floor. If he's in a stroller or seat, position yourself at eye level; if he's on the floor, bend over or lie down next to him so that you're at least somewhat face to face.

Start by slowing changing your expression, going from a smile to a surprised look to a sad or pouty expression. Then move through the expressions again with a pause in between each one, and wait to see if your baby tries to mimic you. Use a hand mirror to show him his own expression, describing it as you do: "Oh, don't you look surprised! Look what a happy baby!" Or make one of your own faces in the mirror, tilting it so he can see both you and the mirror image.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Different Drums & Kicking Back

1.Different Drums

It's quite a thrill (for her, at least!) when your baby reaches the banging age. Seeing that one pound of her fist can make a satisfying whomp is a powerful affirmation that actions can get results. Make it a bang-up time by giving her a range of high and low notes to aim for.

Skills developed: auditory, sense of rhythm, sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: empty oatmeal containers, ice cream tubs, coffee cans, or any other container with a flexible cardboard or plastic lid; plastic wrap

Make a few drums with different sounds so your baby can hear the difference between deeper and shallower tones. Turn any can or round-shaped container into a drum by stretching several layers of strong plastic wrap or a piece of thick paper over the top and taping it down. Or, even easier, use containers that already have drummable lids, such as Tupperware and oatmeal canisters. Tape the different drums together with duct or packing tape to make a drum set. Sit on the ground facing your baby and place the drums between you. Demonstrate how to tap the drums with your palms, fingers, and the heel of your hand. You might even try singing some doo-wops to demonstrate different rhythms as you play.

Variation: If your baby can grasp, make homemade drumsticks too. Chopsticks are ideal, but wrapped pencils will do just fine. Use some cotton or tissue paper and wad it around the ends of the sticks, then wrap it up in masking tape. Show your baby how to tap the drumsticks on both the tops and sides of the drums. Pretty soon you'll have your own rhythm section going.

2.Kicking Back

As your baby becomes more mobile, kicking is one of his favorite ways to exercise his restless limbs. And kicking in water — and feeling the water splash — is a wonderfully wet lesson in cause and effect.

Skills developed: gross motor, sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: a bathtub

Fill the bathroom tub or a small baby bathtub with four to six inches of water (no more). Lie your baby down in the water on his back, keeping your hand under his head to keep the water out of his ears and, even more important, his face out of the water. Most babies love the stimulation of the water and the new bathing position and start kicking their legs delightedly. The more they kick, the higher the splashes, and as they discover that it's their legs that are causing all the splashing, watch out!

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Diaper Dolly & Water "Coloring"

1.Diaper Dolly

A baby's penchant for "monkey see, monkey do" can add a cheery dimension to diaper changes — a fun first lesson in what it feels like to care for someone else.

Skills developed: fine motor, nurturing
What you'll need: a doll with easily removable clothes

Buy or make a doll with simple, removable clothes (preferably including a diaper) so your baby can change her dolly while you change her. (Of course, this will be easier for her when she's older, but even at this age she can remove a simple Velcro-ed diaper and possibly a shirt or dress, and what she can't get off you can take off for her.) Give her a square of toilet paper to wipe her doll's bottom while she's being cleaned up, and finally, your baby and her dolly can get dressed together and head back to play.

2.Water "Coloring"

When it's a beautiful day and you and your baby need some fresh air, try this simple activity. It'll keep an older baby engrossed for a surprising amount of time and develop all the fine motor skills of painting (without the mess).

Skills developed: hand-eye coordination
What you'll need: some inexpensive paintbrushes, a plastic bowl, and water

Outdoors, fill the bowl with water and give your baby several real paintbrushes — either bristle or foam is fine. Set him up so he's sitting in front of a wall or low piece of outdoor furniture, such as a step stool or bench, then show him how to "paint" it with water. Never mind if the water is going everywhere but on the piece to be painted; your baby will feel very proud that he's helping you get such an important job done. (Water safety note: A young child can drown in less than an inch of liquid — so don't leave him alone for a moment with a container of water.)

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Climb Every Cushion & "Beach" Baby

1.Climb Every Cushion

Even as your baby learns to walk, she'll set her sights on climbing. You'll spend lots of extra minutes getting up your front steps and into the house because she'll want to scale the stairs all by herself — not once, not twice, but until you call off the ascent.

Skills developed: gross motor
What you'll need: lots of pillows from the bed, sofa, and elsewhere

Pile up a high stack of pillows for a safe, fun climbing activity. Use the largest, most stable pillows, such as couch cushions and bed pillows, on the bottom, then add chair pillows, throw pillows, and so on. Holding your baby steady, help her climb up the mountain of pillows and stand triumphant on top. If you have a lot of rectangular pillows, you can use them to create more of a stair-step structure, but you'll need to hold your baby's hand to make sure she doesn't step off the top tier into thin air.

Safety note: Never leave a baby alone with her pillow mountain; this activity should be supervised constantly. And move any furniture with sharp corners, so there's nothing for her to bang against if she falls.

2."Beach" Baby

No time to get to the park? Not to worry: Here's a way your baby can do all the sifting, measuring, pouring, and fantasizing that comes with sandbox play.

Skills developed: fine motor, imagination
What you'll need: a dishpan or other large, relatively shallow container; cornmeal or sand; newspaper; and some sand toys or cooking utensils

Spread newspaper on the kitchen floor, then fill a dishpan or other shallow container with corn meal (or sand from an actual sandbox, if you have one) and place it on top. Offer some small sand toys or kitchen utensils to play with. Mini strainers, sifters, and flour scoops are great fun, as are measuring cups and spoons and, of course, good old buckets and shovels.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Classified Info & Campfire Tales

1.Classified Info

Sometime around 9 months comes the urge to categorize. But playing with plastic shape sorters has its limits if a baby hasn't mastered the spatial skill of fitting the shapes through the correct holes. This homemade alternative helps him sort things out on his own.

Skills developed: sorting, fine motor
What you'll need: a muffin tin, preferably one for 12 muffins, and groups of seashells or other objects

Collect a few large groups of related small objects such as seashells, rubber balls, or even large hair barrettes. Show your baby how to put an object into each cup of a muffin tin. Then, after you've helped him fill the tin and dump it out a few times, sort the same types of objects into their own cups. This is a game you can continue to play for years, making it more sophisticated in terms of sorting and matching, grouping items, for example, by color and shape.

Safety note: Don't use any objects that are small enough for your baby to swallow.


2.Campfire Tales

Story hour is extra-special now that your baby seems to treasure particular picture books. Make it even more fun by turning it into a "campout." (It's a good way to get in some quiet cuddling time on a cold winter night or a long midsummer evening when darkness doesn't come early enough.).

Skills developed: verbal, pre-reading
What you'll need: a large sheet or blanket, two or three chairs, a flashlight, books

Position two kitchen chairs near a third piece of furniture, such as a table or sofa, or use three chairs, and stretch a large sheet or blanket over them to make a tent. (A cotton sheet is coolest on a hot night, a wooly blanket coziest on a cold one.) Use nonbreakable weighty objects like shoes or books to anchor the edges. Settle in together with some books and a favorite bedtime toy or blankie, and savor the joys of reading by flashlight.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Inside the Box & Where Did It Go?

1.Inside the Box

Now that she's got the motor skills to explore new territory, your baby is ready for some basic spatial concepts. A computer carton or other large box can introduce her to "inside" and "outside" — and also provides the perfect secret hideout.

Skills developed: gross motor, spatial relations
What you'll need: a sturdy cardboard box big enough for your baby to crawl in and out of

Put a soft blanket and some toys and books in the box with your baby and let her explore her own little space. Babies who are mobile can climb in and out of a box with 8-inch sides. A taller-sided carton provides more privacy, but watch carefully or she might tip it over. Cut windows out of a tall crate and you've created a "clubhouse," where your baby can play peekaboo with you and get her first deliciously powerful taste of "no parents allowed."

Safety note: Never leave your baby unattended in the box, as it could tip over.

Another option: Use a large appliance box turned on its side, and let your baby crawl in and out at her leisure.

2.Where Did It Go?

Your baby still delights in the surprise of finding something that was previously hidden, and his increasing fine motor skills allow for all sorts of new hunting and finding games.

Skills developed: fine motor, understanding of object permanence
What you'll need: a sandbox, a few small colorful objects (sticks or coins will do in a pinch)

At the park, the beach, or in a backyard sandbox, show your baby a brightly colored object (sunglasses, a plastic dinosaur, anything that will stand out reasonably well). With your baby watching you, bury it under a small mound of sand. With a perplexed look on your face, say, "Now where did those sunglasses go?" Then put your baby's hand on the mound of sand and help him brush the sand away until the object is uncovered. Once he gets the hang of the search, he'll do the digging without help. Gradually, you can move on to hiding the item when he's not watching.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! My Little Thumbkin & Sticky Situation

1.My Little Thumbkin

Fingers are fascinating to your baby because he's discovering how much they can do. In the classic children's singing game "Where Is Thumbkin?" the individual digits of each hand really come to life.

Skills developed: fine motor, auditory
What you'll need: a nonpermanent pen

Use a pen to draw a small face on the pad of each of your fingers and both thumbs. Start by making fists and holding them both out in front of your baby, clenched tight so no fingers show. To the tune of "Frère Jacques," sing:

"Where is Thumbkin, where is Thumbkin?"
"Here I am, here I am" (bring out one thumb, then the other),
"How are you today, sir?" (make one thumb bow),
"Very well, I thank you" (the other thumb returns the bow),
"Run away, run away" (put one hand, then the other, behind your back).

The song repeats with each finger called by name: Pointer, Tallman, Ringman, and Pinky. Then, for the grand finale, sing, "Where's the whole family?" waving all five fingers together on "Here we are." If you've given each finger-face a slightly different expression, this last verse is a hilarious hands-down winner.


2.Sticky Situation

When your baby has mastered the knack of picking up and manipulating toys, she's ready for the surprise silliness of this captivating challenge.

Skills developed: fine motor, hand-eye coordination
What you'll need: a piece of contact paper, tape, and a few small toys

Take a piece of sticky contact paper, the kind you use for lining drawers and shelves, and place it, sticky side up, on your kitchen floor. Then tape it down securely along all four edges. (You can put some newspaper down first for extra protection.) Gather an assortment of small toys and arrange them on the paper, pushing down on them to make sure they're firmly adhering. Then show your baby the toys and encourage her to pick them up — or try to. You'll both get a good laugh as your baby figures out how to get them un-stuck. Once all the toys are rescued, help her step barefoot onto the contact paper. She's likely to be fascinated with the sensation of the sticky surface pulling at her soles as you help her lift each foot and put it down again. Of course, if she doesn't like the sticky feeling, don't force the issue.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Flour Power & Squirt the Tummy

1. Flour Power

You've probably already noticed that whatever you do, your baby wants to do the same thing. Make a game of this mimicry by giving him a chance to "cook" — he'll enjoy playing grown-up and delight in the new textures you're introducing.

Skills developed: fine motor
What you'll need: newspaper, a flour sifter or measuring cup, and some flour or cornmeal

Spread some newspaper on the floor, then put a little pile of flour or corn meal on it and let your baby mix his own "cake." If you have a flour sifter, show him how to put the flour in and turn the handle. If you don't, a strainer is just as much fun. Together, use measuring spoons or a cup to scoop up the flour and dump it out again — he'll have a ball copying your moves. Pour a little on his hands or feet so he can explore the sensation of the flour on his skin. Things will get a bit messy, sure, but the scene will make for some classic photo opportunities.

Safety note: Don't leave your baby alone when he's playing with flour. It could interfere with his breathing if he were to inhale a big cloud or get a heaping handful in his mouth.

2.Squirt the Tummy

Reading books about body parts is fun, but why not play a game that teaches your baby to identify her own?

Skills developed: familiarity with body parts
What you'll need: a simple, gentle squirt gun or other squirt toy

With your baby seated in a warm bath — either in a swiveling bath seat, on a foam bath pad, or just in the tub watched closely by you — get out a squirt toy and fill it with warm bathwater. (For safety's sake, bring it with you to the tub; never leave a baby unattended to retrieve a toy.) Let your baby see the squirt toy and watch you fill it so there won't be too much surprise. Ask your baby, "Where's your tummy?" and then point to it with your finger and say, "There's your tummy!" Finally, squirt your baby's tummy gently, saying "I'm squirting your tummy!" Repeat for arms, legs, back, shoulders, and other body parts (never squirt your baby near the face — aim below the neck).

If your baby likes the surprise element here, drop the question-and-answer part and simply squirt each body part, saying, "I'm squirting your legs!" "I'm squirting your elbow!" and so on, varying the order so your giggly target never knows which body part will be next.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Shh! Listen In & Airplane Takeoff

1.Shhh! Listen In

Your baby is learning to listen — or, as the experts say, developing receptive language — just as fast as he's learning to communicate himself. Treat him to a surprise eavesdrop by turning his baby monitor into a listening device.

Skills developed: verbal, sense of object permanence (the concept that something out of sight still exists)
What you'll need: a two-way baby monitor

Prepare for this aural ambush by sneaking into your baby's room while he's sleeping and switching the settings on the baby monitor to "listen" (or receive) and the one in your room to "talk" (or transmit). Listen for him to wake up — and then, before going into his room, spend a few minutes talking into the monitor. Carrying your monitor with you, describe your progress through the house: "Here I go heading down the hall to my baby's room..." or make remarks about the weather, your plans for the day, or your baby himself. (This game works particularly well if you have a friend or other favorite adult around to join in the conversation.) When you finally appear in person, your entrance with be met with pleased astonishment.

2.Airplane Takeoff

Here's a game that gives you some fun together-time with your baby while teaching her about the sheer joy of movement: You'll be helping her hone those developing motor skills as you "fly" her body through the air.

Skills developed: gross motor
What you'll need: a full-size bathtub

Sit cross-legged in the tub, with your baby in your lap facing away from you. With one hand holding her firmly and the other on the bottom of the tub supporting your back, raise your legs, still crossed, with your baby resting on them, until she's just clear of the water. As your baby goes up, say, "Airplane taking off, up, up and away!" and, as you lower her back down: "Airplane coming in for a landing!" Encourage your baby to raise her arms out to the sides and make airplane wings. As she gets older, you can raise and lower your legs a bit faster, creating a splash as you reenter the water, announcing "Rocket ship launching" and "Rocket ship splashdown!"

To calm her down before getting out of the tub, use a slower, more gradual motion as you elevate your baby out of the water, saying "Elevator going up," then lower her back into the water as you say, "Elevator going down."

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Chef Teddy & Tickle a Funnybone

1.Chef Teddy

Dinnertime can be another chance to learn that actions have results. This game is particularly useful when your baby seems bored or tired at meals and resists eating.

Skills developed: sense of cause and effect, a good appetite
What you'll need: a teddy bear or doll with flexible arms, a baby spoon

If it seems that being fed by you just isn't enough of a thrill to help the food go down, enlist some help from a favorite doll, teddy bear, or other stuffed creature. Bring the toy to the table and explain that a special friend is going to be serving dinner tonight. Holding the spoon in the stuffed animal's paw or the doll's hand, have the dinner guest feed your baby her food. Teddy's cajoling is guaranteed to get better results than Mom or Dad's nightly nagging. You can also sit the doll or animal next to your baby, tie a bib around its neck, and announce that you are going to "feed" your baby and her guest in turns. If she's already learned to hold a spoon well herself, let her spoon-feed her friend. (Be prepared to wash its face afterwards, though.)

2.Tickle a Funnybone

Games involving body parts are even more fun now that your baby can move his arms and legs whenever he wants. With this one, you can help him associate an arm, leg, or belly-button with a name.

Skills developed: verbal, fine motor
What you'll need: a plastic puff such as those that come with shower gel

With your baby seated in a bath seat or in the tub itself (with you right there), saturate the puff with water, then approach your baby with the puff submerged under the water. Say, "I'm going to tickle your toes," and tickle them lightly with the puff, pulling it out of reach by the string if he makes a grab for it. Approach from different directions, saying, "I'm going to tickle your knees, I'm going to tickle your back, I'm going to tickle your bottom," each time pulling the puff away through the water when he tries to grab it. Then let him hold the puff, and show him how to tickle himself with it, provided he doesn't just want to chew on it (not such a good idea when it's been in the bathwater). Or, put your hand down into the water and let him take a turn tickling your fingers.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Jack-in-the-Can & Cause and Effect

1.Jack-in-the-Can

When a baby is getting the hang of object permanence (the idea that something still exists even when it can't be seen), any game where things appear and disappear is a hit. While traditional windup jack-in-the-boxes can still be too startling or scary at this age, you can make a baby-friendlier one yourself using simple materials from around the house.

Skills developed: understanding of object permanence
What you'll need: a coffee can, yogurt carton, or large paper cup; a chopstick, pencil, or ruler; a small colorful toy (a finger puppet works best); some tape or glue

Punch a hole in the bottom of the container. Insert a chopstick, pencil, or ruler (even a stick from your garden will do) through the hole, then glue or tape to the tip a small stuffed animal, plastic figure, or, even better, a finger puppet (just slip it over the end of the stick and secure it with a bit of tape). Now you have a hand-operated pop-up toy: Pull the stick down so the toy or puppet is hidden inside the can or cup, then push it up suddenly when you want the jack-in-the-can to greet your baby.


2.Cause and Effect

As babies become more observant and attuned to the notion of cause and effect, they become fascinated with light switches, TV remotes, and other things that seem like powerful agents of change. Cater to that fascination by showing your baby how certain actions bring certain results.

Skills developed: sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: no equipment necessary

Start with simple changes: Open and close a cupboard door or dresser drawer, then turn a light switch on and off (besides on/off, this demonstrates light versus dark). Then branch out into more active scenarios: Roll a ball across the floor to your baby or put a stuffed animal at the edge of the table, then push it off onto the chair. If you're feeling really adventurous, let her turn the faucet on and off — as long as it's the cold one.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Hide and Peek & Water Balloons

1.Hide & Peek

This simple tablecloth game is great fun and very reassuring for babies just beginning to understand that out of sight doesn't mean out of mind.

Skills developed: understanding of object permanence
What you'll need: a table with crawl space underneath and a long tablecloth, sheet, or blanket

Throw a large blanket, sheet, or tablecloth over a table so that it reaches all the way to the floor. Show your baby how she can crawl underneath the table (you may need to get down there first yourself and coax her along if she's timid). Then demonstrate how, when you're outside the tablecloth and she's underneath, you can't see her. Ask, "Where's my baby?" When she crawls out or peeks out from under the cloth, say, "There's my baby!" Next, bring her outside with you, then hide a doll or stuffed animal underneath and ask about it: "Where's Teddy?" Let your baby crawl underneath to find her lost friend, and when she does, exclaim, "There's Teddy!"

2.Water Balloons

What better lesson in cause and effect than to blow up a balloon and let it go? Add water and it becomes an immersion course. (Save this game for those evenings when everyone's a little punchy and you don't mind cleaning up the bathroom afterwards.)

Skills developed: hand-eye coordination, sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: a sturdy balloon

With your baby sitting securely in the tub, put a bit of water in a balloon and blow it up, but don't tie it. Give it to him and show him how to let it fly — then watch it zoom around the room, spraying water as it goes. (Close the shower curtain to keep the room from getting completely soaked.)

Warning: An uninflated balloon presents a serious choking hazard, so don't let your baby put the balloon in his mouth, and never let him play with it unsupervised.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Choo-Choo Training & Shower Power

1.Choo-Choo Training

Best when your baby has lots of energy and is raring to go, this activity is a blast for new crawlers who have clearly "left the station."

Skills developed: crawling, gross motor
What you'll need: no equipment necessary

Stand with your legs a little wider apart than your shoulders. Tell your baby she's the train and you're the tunnel, then have her crawlthrough your legs. Add a few "chug-a-chug-a's" and train whistle sound effects as she passes through. After she's done this a few times, suggest that now the train needs to go through the tunnel quickly, before it collapses. As she passes through, squeeze your legs together and try to catch her (giving her a head start, of course), or lower your body (bending your knees) as if you're about to sit on her. Provided you don't get her overly excited while playing, this is a great way to tucker out a pre-walker before bed.

2.Shower Power

Splish-splashing in the bath lets a baby explore the thrill of making something happen — and because water is such fun to manipulate, he's flexing those fine motor skills to boot. Here's a game where he actually gets to make it "rain."

Skills developed: fine motor, sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: a small plastic food container (like a tub of cottage cheese or yogurt) with a lid

Using a knife, fork, or scissors, punch small holes in the container's lid. When your baby is in the bath, fill the container with water and snap the lid on, and show him how to turn it upside down and sprinkle water into the tub. A water toy like this has endless potential: He can help a doll or rubber ducky take a "shower," he can take a shower himself like Mom and Dad, or he can make it "rain" over the water — and you can point out how the droplets make ripples on the surface.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http:http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! The Aim Game & Floating Blocks

1.The Aim Game

Why is it so hard to keep a baby's attention focused on food long enough to get him to eat? Think about how tricky it is for him to even get a spoonful of food near his mouth, and it's easy to see why he loses interest and sends it all to the floor. But give him some new and unusual tools, and meals become fun occasions for practicing his technique.

Skills developed: fine motor, hand-eye coordination, eating with utensils
What you'll need: any utensils you have handy that are safe for your baby to eat with, including wooden spoons, measuring spoons, rubber spatulas, even very dull butter knives

Your cooking utensil drawer is full of things that look like toys to your baby. Show him how to use them for eating, and lunch or dinner becomes an exciting new game. Give them to him one at a time, pantomiming eating with each one, or feed him once yourself with each one. He may slather food all over himself with the spatula or flip it onto the walls with the wooden spoon, but he does that with his regular utensils anyway, right?

2.Floating Blocks

Once your baby is sitting securely in the tub, she's ready to use bath time for some seriously silly water play. A set of foam blocks lets her indulge her love of stacking and manipulating things.

Skills developed: fine motor
What you'll need: a package of sponges or bathtub blocks made of dense plastic foam; a sharp knife

To make your own bath blocks: Stiffen the sponges by wetting them and letting them dry, then use a sharp knife to cut them into a variety of interesting shapes and sizes. Make sure you cut at least one larger flat shape to use as a base for the others.

Show your baby how to press the blocks against the sides of the tub, squeeze the water out of them, push them down to the bottom of the tub and let them pop back up again, and stack them on top of each other. Sponge blocks are soft enough to safely throw against the wall or into the water for a resounding splash. With the plastic foam, which floats, she can try stacking smaller blocks on larger ones while they're floating on the water, an interesting challenge.

Note: If she's still at the stage where she's chewing on everything in sight, watch carefully to keep her from biting off pieces of foam.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! Supper Sorting & Bubble Surprise

1.Supper Sorting

By now you've faced the fact that your baby is going to play with her food just as she plays with blocks, spools, and anything else she can pile up and scatter. Serve her "Japanese style," with foods in little containers, and at least she'll learn to sort shapes, practice picking up and dropping things, and sharpen a host of other new skills.

Skills developed: fine motor, hand-eye coordination
What you'll need: several small bowls and Tupperware containers with lids; finger foods

Fill small bowls with a colorful assortment of your baby's favorite figer foods — like small chunks of soft fruits or well-cooked veggies, O-shaped cereal, tidbits of chicken or fish, and little cubes of cheese or hard-boiled egg. Give her some empty containers as well, and encourage her to mix and match, transferring the foods from one bowl to the next. If she has enough dexterity to open and close lids, provide some small plastic containers and let her open them herself — a great way to make a meal last long enough for a grown-up conversation.

2.Bubble Surprise

The surprise of "now you see it, now you don't" is especially fun with glittery soap bubbles. Your baby will love the excitement of discovery, and you'll be pleased that he stays in the bath long enough to get clean!

Skills developed: understanding of object permanence, hand-eye coordination
What you'll need: soap bubbles

Get your baby safely settled in a bath seat or in the tub. (If he's not enclosed in a seat, be sure to make clear that a rule of this game is that he can't stand up in the water.) Duck down so he can't see you, then blow clouds of bubbles, letting them cascade down on him. (It works best if your tub area has high walls or a shower curtain for you to hide behind.) Pause for occasional intervals, then blow some more. Each surprise soapy shower will elicit fits of giggles — somehow, not being able to see you but knowing you're right there producing the bubbles is endlessly funny to babies. Once he's on to you, try changing locations (if you're standing at one end of the tub, move to the other, or to one side) so the bubbles suddenly come from a new direction — guaranteed to get the giggles going all over again.

Safety note: No matter how much fun you're having, never take your eyes off your baby for more than a few moments while he's in the tub.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com

Let's Play! The Book of Me & Cruise Control

1.The Book of Me

We all like to talk over our day's experiences as we get ready to turn in for the night, and your baby is no exception. The trick is, he can't tell you much yet. One way to get him to "share" is to put together a scrapbook of things that help illustrate his day's adventures, then look at it together each night.

Skills developed: hand-eye coordination
What you'll need: cardboard, paper, plastic bags or plastic wrap, photographs, and a three-ring binder or string or yarn for binding

Start with some photos of your baby and the people he sees every day: siblings, babysitters, friends from his playgroup. A photo of his favorite stuffed animal might also be a hit. You can add a leaf you found together on a walk, a flower from the garden, or a "drawing" that your baby made that day. Paste the photos and other mementos on pieces of stiff paper or cardboard, then cover them with plastic wrap or see-through plastic bags and tape the plastic down. You can tie the book together with string or yarn, but it will be sturdiest if you insert the pages into a three-ring notebook. Store it in a safe place: Today it's a wildly useful bedtime tool, tomorrow a treasured keepsake.


2.Cruise Control

Babies will walk when they're good and ready — this is one skill you can't rush. But as your baby gets closer to taking her first steps, it's fun to "sneak-preview" the joys of getting around.

Skills developed: hand-eye coordination, walking
What you'll need: kitchen-table chairs

Line up a row of chairs against a wall (preferably in a carpeted room). Help your baby stand up and hold on to a chair at one end of the row, then show her how to use the chairs to propel herself slowly along from one to another. If she needs extra incentive, take a favorite toy and place it on the farthest chair, and when she reaches the toy, help her get it, then clap and give her a big hug. Put another toy at the opposite end and send her back in the other direction. You can keep it up as long as she's having fun and still steady on her feet.

Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.

source from http://www.babycenter.com