Animal Sounds
What To Do:
Children love to hear you sing silly songs! Make up a song about animal sounds. Enjoy singing this fun song, "Clap your hands and sing like a bird.Tweet, Tweet, Tweet, Tweet, Tweet.Touch your head and moo like a cow", etc. It may have you both laughing!
Colors
Materials You Will Need:
· large color stickers
What To Do:
· Have some fun today playing the 'Sticker Game!'Put a red sticker on each of your child's hands. Identify the color. Put a yellow one on each leg and do the same thing. Repeat with a blue one on each foot. Take them off and put them on you (same colors, same places. Ask your child to point to red... blue.... and yellow. (If you think your child isn't ready for this activity, try it at a later time.)
Variations:
· It may be easier for your child if you both put the stickers on at the same time. Ask your child to point to the sticker on the leg that is the same color as the one on your leg, etc.
· You can also use washable markers instead of stickers.
Food Book
Materials You Will Need:
pictures or photos
What To Do:
Children love books made for and about them! Try taking photos of your child's favorite foods and make a "Food Book." You could name it: "_________'s Favorite Foods". Locate pictures or take photos for the book. This is a good time to introduce healthy foods to your child.
Photo Album
Materials You Will Need:
Hole puncher, family photos, rings
What To Do:
Children love to see family photos! Select some of your favorite photos and laminate them. Have your child help you punch a hole in each photo and place them in a ring holder. Your child will love taking these along in the car or have available in the play room. Help your child to point to each family member as you name each one.
Variations:
You can also place the photos in a photo cube to enjoy with your child.
Sing and Move
What To Do:
Children learn about their body as they sing and move! Enjoy singing this song and doing the actions with your child, (to the tune of "London Bridge")."Move your head up and down,up and down, up and down.Move your head up and down,all through the town."Repeat with other parts of the body,"Move your shoulders side to side.""Move your legs back and forth," etc.
Tube Talk
Materials You Will Need:
2 paper towel or toilet paper tubes
What To Do:
Your child's speech is developing each day. Try talking through a tube! Hold one tube to your mouth and talk or make sounds to your child. The sound should be amplified. Give the other tube to your child and encourage your child to make sounds into the tube. Experiment by making a variety of noises and sounds.
Clapping
What To Do:
Your child loves copying you. Seat your child facing you on the floor. Clap your hands 3 times, then repeat. Now sing to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus," saying your child's name. Marie's little hands go clap, clap clap, clap, clap, clap clap, clap, clap You move your little hands and go clap, clap, clap, clap your little hands. Repeat for waving: Marie's little hand waves bye, bye, bye. Your child will soon clap and wave along with you.
Funny Fingers
Materials You Will Need:
socks, permanent felt pens
What To Do:
Create a finger puppet with your child, using a permanent marker to draw funny faces on a pair of discarded socks. Use the heel of the sock to draw the mouth and the toe of the sock to draw the nose, Draw eyes on the top of the sock where your foot goes. Now, talk with your child using finger motions. Read your child a book with your fingers.
Variations:
Use yarn for hair.
Freeze Dance
What To Do:
Clear the floor and turn on some music. Hold your child close as you move to the rhythm of the song. Surprise your child by clicking the 'mute' button on the remote to stop the music and "freeze" in place. You may find you and your child giggling with this fun activity.