See-through Shake ToysMaterials: Small plastic bottles with screw tops, interesting objects to put inside i.e beads or buttons, hot glue or super glue.
Age: 5 months+ Cognitive skills do develop with casual experiences. You can place numerous objects in the bottle that will make noise. Place these bottles around the child and have them choose which they want. You can use different types of containers as well. As the children grow you can put different objects in the bottles with sand and ask them to find the object within the sand. Does the child shake the bottles to repeat the affect? |
Hide the TeddyMaterials: Teddy bear or other large stuffed animal
Age: 8 months+ This activity will help with their language and social skills as hey search for the Teddy. Place the teddy in a spot where he is partially hidden, leaving a large part of him sticking out. Ask "where's teddy?" As they get older you can hide more of the teddy's body. Then eventually take turns hiding the bear. You can hide the teddy under objects like a blanket where the shape of the object is clearly visible. |
Baby BasketballMaterials: Small hoop with about a 12" diameter of heavy wire or flexible plumbing tube, fabric to cover the hoop, needle and thread, ball that fits through the hoop, and heavy string to hang from ceiling.
Age: 18 months+ This is an object permanence activity. Children really enjoy watching things disappear and reappear. Make hoop and suspend from ceiling while leaving the bottom open. You may not have to demonstrate sooner or later hey will push a ball through the hoop. You can take the activity outside an detach them that they can also throw the ball through the hoop. You can also hang hoops of several sizes and let the children figure out what ball fits through what hoop. Allow the kids do different variations of the game. The also children explore the concept of size. |