New babies are constantly learning. What is “down time” for moms and dads – traveling, waiting in line, sitting at home – isn’t down time for babies! The experiences they’re having are teaching them about sound, light, color, touch, movement, and more.
Play and learn wherever you go with a few timeless activities from Go Anywhere Games for Babies. Each of these games, designed to be used anywhere, will help your baby develop skills he or she will need. Read the explanations below to understand their importance in your child's life.
Help Your Baby Learn Listening Skills
A crucial first step to developing your child's comprehension and literacy skills, as well as her ability to follow directions. Listening helps develop language skills. One of the newborn's most highly developed abilities is responding to sound, including the difference between high- and low-pitched sounds.
High and Low
Ages: 0-3 months
- Hold your baby close to you, and say her name in a soft, high-pitched voice. For example, “Susie, Susie, I love you.”
- Next, say the same words in a soft, low-pitched voice.
- Alternate between high and low several times.
Help Your Baby Learn Body Awareness
Essential to develop responsive interaction and bonding between you and your child. Additionally, it stimulates proper brain and social-emotional development.
The Kissy Game
Ages: 3-6 months
Hold your baby in your arms and recite the poem, kissing each part of the body named as you sing each line:
Kissy, kissy fingers,
Kissy, kissy toes,
Kissy, kissy baby,
On your kissy nose.
I love to kiss your fingers,
I love to kiss your toes,
I love to kiss my baby,
On your kissy nose.
Help Your Baby Learn Motor Skills
Your child's emerging fine motor skills provide the framework for later self-help skills (such as picking up and putting down objects) and writing skills.
Fast Food Fun
Ages: 6-9 months
At a fast-food restaurant, you can make a simple toy for your baby to play with.
- Take the lids from several drinking cups and put them on one straw, leaving space between each lid.
- Show your baby how to take the lids off and put them on again.
- Let the baby try it by herself.
Help Your Baby Learn Language Skills
The Snail
Ages: 9-12 months
- Cup one hand. While reciting the poem, creep the fingers of the other hand into the cupped one:
Hand in hand you see us well,
Creep like a snail into his shell,
Ever nearer, ever nearer,
Ever closer, ever closer,
Very snug indeed your dwell,
Snail within your tiny shell.
- Cup your hand and let your baby creep your fingers into it.
- Show your baby how to cup her hand. Creep your fingers into it.
Go Anywhere Games for Babies by best-selling author and early childhood advocate Jackie Silberg, is packed with nearly 40 fun games designed for each stage of a baby's first year. This durable, wipeable, backpackable book is printed on extra-heavy coated paper for maximum durability and the special binding allows it to lie flat on any surface -- even a parent's knee! Sections include games for babies birth to 3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months and 9-12 months, plus a bonus section of going-to-sleep games.
