Personal-Social

4–8 Activities to Help Your Baby Grow and Learn

months

Your baby knows you very well now and will lift his arms to come to you. He may begin to fret when strangers approach. He likes to play with his image in the mirror and is really quite sociable as long as he feels safe and secure.

Allow your baby to hold a plastic cup. Put a little water in it and see what baby will do. She will A Cup probably enjoy trying to drink out of a cup. Let her experiment. A bib is a good idea. (You might for Baby also want to have a small towel handy!)

Your baby is discovering different body parts and probably has become very interested in his Body Awareness feet and hands. Encourage him by playing games with fingers and toes, such as “This Little Piggy.” Talk about his body parts. When he touches his feet, say, “You found your feet!”

Encourage your baby to pick up and eat safe foods, such as crackers or cereal bits. You may Self-Feeding also give baby her own spoon to hold while you feed her with another spoon. Try taking turns— you pretend to eat a little and then offer a bite to your baby. Baby will understand that feeding herself is the way to go.

Rock, walk, or dance and whisper sweet words in your baby’s ear. Whispering to your baby helps Whisper Power him to calm down and provides another way to talk in a quiet and loving voice.

Invite another parent and baby over to play with your baby. As the babies look at, reach for, and A Social Hour explore each other, they will make important discoveries about real people. Stay close by to keep each baby safe as they do their exploring.

Wave bye-bye when you leave the room for a moment or two. As you wave, tell your baby where Wave Bye-Bye you are going: “I am going into your bedroom to get your blanket. I’ll be right back. Bye-bye.”

While looking in the mirror with your baby, talk about body parts, such as the eyes, nose, and Faces in the Mirror ears. Touch your nose and say, “Daddy’s nose!” Touch baby’s nose and say, “Baby’s nose.” Then say, “Daddy’s eyes, baby’s eyes.” Play this game as long as baby seems interested.

Notes:

Don’t Forget! Activities should be supervised at all times by an adult. Any material, food, or toy given to a young child should be reviewed for safety. Always watch baby while she is eating. ASQ-3™ Learning Activities by Elizabeth Twombly and Ginger Fink. Copyright © 2013 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. All rights reserved.