Baby Gesture: Encourage waving "hi" and "bye" as early gestures.
Rattle Game: Hold your baby in your lap and softly shake a rattle on one side of his head, then the other side. Shake slowly at first, then faster. Your baby will search for the noise with his eyes.
Sensory Play: Gently rub your baby with a soft cloth, a paper towel, or nylon. Talk about how things feel (soft, rough, slippery). Lotion feels good, too.
20–24 Months
Name Recognition: Encourage your child to learn her full name, address, and telephone number. Make it into a singing or rhyming game. Ask your child to repeat it back when riding in the car or on the bus.
Crafts: Wrap tape around one end of a piece of yarn to make it stiff like a needle and put a large knot at the other end. Have your child string large elbow macaroni, buttons, or beads. Make an edible necklace out of Cheerios.
30–36 Months
Outdoor Play: Make your toddler an outdoor “paint” set using a large wide paint brush and a bowl or bucket of water. Your toddler will have fun "painting" the side of the house, a fence, or the front porch.
Games at Dinner: While cooking or eating dinner, play the “more or less” game with your child. Ask who has more potatoes and who has less. Try this using same-size glasses or cups filled with juice or milk.
Additional Activities
Reading Game: Play the “show me” game when looking at books. Ask your toddler to find an object in a picture. Take turns. Let your toddler ask you to find an object in a picture.
Bucket Hoops: Play “bucket hoops.” Have your child stand about 6 feet away and throw a medium-size ball at a large bucket or trash can. For fun outdoors on a summer day, fill the bucket with water.
Practice Writing: After washing hands, practice writing letters and numbers in pudding or thinned mashed potatoes spread on a cookie sheet or cutting board. Licking fingers is allowed!
Collecting Activities: Use a bucket for collecting things. Your toddler can practice putting objects in and out of it. It can also be used to store favorite items.
Personal Book: Make a book “about me” for your child. Save pictures, leaves, magazine images of a favorite food, and drawings your child makes.