AcTTivities

Help to keep your little ones progressing developmentally with these simple — yet mentally stimulating — activities.

Infants – Gather some of your baby’s favorite stuffed animals and place them around him or her. Make one of the animal sounds and encourage your baby to pick up or point to the animal that makes that sound.

Young Toddlers – Place a toy on the floor and say this chant with your child, “Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jump over the candlestick.” Encourage your child to jump over the toy. What other ways can your child and you get over or around the toy? Try out some different ways together.

Older Toddlers – Have your child pick out his or her favorite book. Read the book to your child and then ask your child to draw a picture about the book. Ask your child to tell you about the picture; write down the date and what your child has to say on the back of the picture.

Preschoolers – Tell your child the story of the day she or he came into your life.

• What was the weather like?
• Who was there?
• What did she or he look like?
• What did you think and feel when you first saw him or her?

Be sure to let your child know what a special and important day it was, because it was the day he or she joined your life! Each of you can draw a picture of that day to share with each other.

School-Agers – Have your child write his or her name (and everyone else’s in the family) on a piece of paper. Next, on another piece of paper, have your child write the alphabet from A to Z and number the letters 1 through 26. Tell your child that each number equals $1. Have your child figure out the value of his or her name and that of everyone in the family. Try doing last names or friends’ names also.