Nothing is more important than the time you spend with your child. Interactive Play encourages intellectual, social and physical development and teaches young children basic skills that will prepare them for success.
Below are some ideas for playing at home - they are filled with fun and designed to support the different aspects of your child’ s development.
Remember it is best to start with simple activities and then build in new and more demanding ones. As your baby/child develops he/she will become more confident.
Make sure you are enthusiastic about the games you play - praise your baby/child when things are achieved, encourage them to try again, stay close and help. There need not be any right or wrong way to approach a new activity as long as it is safe.
Children learn through repetition. If your baby/child enjoys an activity do it again and again.
The games shown here are broken down by age group. The same objects are used for each age group - they are a Blanket/Cushion, Beach Ball, Bubbles using a bubble kit and coloured Scarves.
Have Fun!
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0 - 6 Months
What to do
What it does
Fold a towel or blanket in half length ways and then roll it up tight and secure with masking tape at each end. Place your baby on its chest with his/her arms over the front edge. This will strengthen the neck muscles and will give your baby a new angle on the world.
Visual Stimulation
Strength
Place your baby on its tummy on top of a large beach ball with its head turned slightly to one side. With your hand on your baby’ s back, gently rock
the ball back and forth and side to side for a strength and balancing experience.
Balance
Strength
Place your baby on its back on a blanket- fill his/her vision with bubbles blown from a bubble kit and watch their changing responses and visual skills develop.
Visual Stimulation
Again lie your baby on his/her back on a blanket. Have two adults hold the blanket up and sway the baby side to side and lift your baby up and down.
Social Emotional
Development
Balance
Use a variety of scarves to stimulate your baby’ s sense of touch. Gently rub your baby’ s arms, legs tummy and head with the scarf. Lightly cover your baby's face and pull it off again playing 'peek a boo'.
Tactile Stimulation
Social Emotional
Development
6 - 12 Months
What to do
What it does
Use a blanket which has been rolled up length ways and secured at each end using masking tape. Place your baby on its back and gently roll the banket over your baby giving him/her a soothing massage.
Tactile Stimulation
Play a game of football by holding your baby by the torso and gently swinging his/her legs so that they touch and seemingly kick the ball. This could be played on your own or with another person who then kicks it back.
Balance
Tactile Stimulation
Blow bubbles in reach of your baby so that they can try to catch them or pop them.
Coordination
Visual Stimulation
Show your baby a toy and then hide the same toy under a blanket - ask your baby to find it. This will test your baby's ability to hold a mental image
Cognitive Development
Social Emotional
Development
Place a scarf over your head and ask your baby to pull it off. This will help your baby to understand that objects and people still exist even when out of sight.
Social Emotional
Development
Tactile Stimulation
Cognitive Development
