The Mom I Want to Be

Box-in-a-Box

• Variety of boxes in different sizes, nesting one inside another

• Toy or treat

 1. Collect a variety of boxes that will nest one inside another. Try to get very large boxes and very small boxes, as well as everything in between.

2. Place a special toy or treat in the smallest box for your baby to discover at the end of the game. Close the small box and place it in the next larger box; close the outside box.

3. Continue until you’ve nested all the boxes inside each other, ending with the giant box.

4. Bring your baby into the room and show her the box.

5. Ask her, “What’s inside?” and help her open the box.

6. When your baby sees the next box, say, “Another box!” Lift that box out of the bigger box and ask your baby to open it.

7. Continue until you get to the smallest box, and then let your baby open up the surprise!

 

Baby’s House

• Card table or other small table, or large cardboard box

• Sheet, blanket, or other covering

• Large floor space

• Flashlight

1. Set up a card table in the middle of a large floor area.

2. Cover the table with a sheet or blanket to form a house.

3. Fold back a corner to make a door.

4. Go inside and bring your baby with you.

5. Close the corner door and enjoy your new space.

6. When baby feels comfortable, leave him to enjoy his house by himself.

7. Give him a flashlight if his new house is a little dark.

 

Paper Play

• Variety of papers, such as typing paper, stiff tagboard, tissue paper, rice paper, colored paper, wrapping paper, and so on

• Floor space

1. Stack a variety of textured papers on the floor.

2. Seat your baby in the middle of the floor.

3. Give your baby one sheet of paper at a time and let her explore the properties of each sheet.

4. When your baby has explored all the papers, show her ways to experiment with them, such as tearing, crinkling into a ball, floating, folding, and so on.

 

Wash ’em Up

• Large, clean paintbrush

• Child-safe cleaning items, such as sponges, towels, squeegees, squirt bottles, scrubbers, dust cloths, cobweb cleaners, and so on

• 2 small buckets

• Water

1. Collect child-safe cleaning items in a bucket, so your toddler can carry them from place to place.

2. Fill the other bucket with water.

3. Take your toddler outside and teach her how to “paint” the house with the brush and water.

4. Then let her explore the other cleaning items and use them the way she’s seen you use them.

5. Praise your toddler on the great job she’s done cleaning the house!

 

Wiggly Gelatin Worms

• Firm blocks of unflavored or fruit-flavored gelatin

• Highchair and tray

1. Make gelatin according to package directions for firmer consistency.

2. Pour the gelatin into a shallow square pan and chill until firm.

3. Cut the firm gelatin into long thin lengths, approximately four inches by one inch, to simulate worms.

4. Seat your baby in her highchair and secure the tray.

5. Flip the pan of worms over onto the tray to set them free.

6. Let your baby explore the worms with her fingers and mouth!

 

Hats Off

1. Collect a variety of hats around the house, or buy inexpensive hats from a thrift shop or party store. Includes things like a baseball cap, a knit cap, a funny hat, a firefighter’s hat, a clown hat, a bowler, a beret, a pair of earmuffs, or a fancy, feathery hat. (Don’t include masks in your play. They tend to scare babies at this young age.)

2. Place your baby in his infant seat on the floor and sit facing him.

3. Put the first hat on your head and make a funny face as you say something interesting, such as, “Look at me!” or, “I’m a firefighter!”

4. Lean toward your baby so he can grasp the hat and pull it off, or pull the hat off yourself.

5. Repeat several times with one hat before moving on to another hat.

 

Hold your baby and let her switch the room’s light on and off. She’ll enjoy making the room bright or dark. Say the word “light” when she turns it on and “all gone” when she turns it off. You can also do things to help your baby explore.

 

It doesn’t take any sleight of hand to amaze your little audience with this trick. Tie together several long, brightly colored scarves end to end. Stuff them inside an empty tissue box (the “boutique” size with the small oval opening on top works best). At first your baby will be enthralled just by watching you extract the scarves, but it won’t be long before she wants to perform the trick herself.

 

1. Hold your baby in your lap, facing you so he can see your face clearly.

2. Begin making noises with your mouth, such as

* Kissing and smooching

* Clicking your tongue

* Making raspberries with your tongue

* Blowing your lips like a motorboat

* Growling, squealing, gurgling, cooing

* Whistling, singing, humming

* Making animal sounds, such as a duck, dog, cat, horse, cow, pig, chicken, rooster, monkey, snake, bird, donkey, or wolf

 

1. Find a toy with a bell, or make a bracelet with bells. (Make sure you use bells that are too big for baby to choke on.)

2. Set your baby on the floor and surround him with a variety of potential hiding places, such as soft toys, and blankets.

3. Hold up the bells for your baby to see, and shake them for your baby to hear.

4. Secretly hide the bells under or in one of the hiding places.

5. Ask your baby, “Where are the bells?”

6. One by one, lift the hiding objects and shake them. When you lift the object that hides the bells, shake it, but don’t let your baby see the bells.

7. Watch your baby’s expression change as you shake the bells.

8. Uncover the bells and say, “There are the bells!”

9. Play again, varying the hiding places.

 

1. Buy a pair of white socks, large enough to fit over your hands.

2. Use permanent felt-tip markers to draw eyes, eyebrows, noses, and ears on the socks’ toes. Outline the heels to create mouths, and draw red tongues inside the folds.

3. Place your baby in your lap, on the changing table, or in his infant seat.

4. Slip one puppet onto your hand and entertain your baby with songs, rhymes, or simple conversation. Slip the second puppet onto your other hand for two-handed fun.

 

Note:  Oobi Eyes, way better!   Have puppet eat an item, burp, then puke it up! Haha