6 months to 1 year
What kind of play can you do with a child this age?
Your baby is becoming more aware of how interact with the surrounding world and finding his place. Try these play activities:
- peek-a-boo
- put your child’s favorite toy under a blanket, and you’ll find he’ll try to move the blanket to get it back
- continue to talk and sing to your baby, and don’t be surprised when he responds by imitating you, making noising, dancing and making an attempt to repeat familiar words
- show your baby how to shake a rattle, and you’ll notice he’ll try to shake it, too
How does this play help your child develop at this age?
If you’ve been waiting to get your baby to respond to you, now is the time it will happen. During this stage of development, babies are really grasping the concepts of object permanence and cause and effect. They are also learning to become great imitators. When you play peek-a-boo with your baby, with either an object or your face, you’re reinforcing the concept that something or someone one still exists, even if he can’t see it. When he sees you shake a rattle and it makes a sound, he’ll want to try it to, which builds his understanding of cause and effect. By engaging his sense of sight, touch and sound, he learns about his world.
Click here to learn how to play with a 1 – 2 year old.
