Cognitive Development
Magic Movers
Make paper fans for children by accordion folding sheets of construction paper. Show them how to create a breeze with their fans. Demonstrate using the fan to move lightweight materials (small wads of paper, Styrofoam chips, cotton balls). Place the materials on a table and invite your child to try to make them move without touching them.
Physical Literacy
Frozen Pom Poms
Your infant’s fingers are getting stronger every day. Provide them with opportunities to pinch and pick up small items. Fill a medium size reusable food container with large pom-poms. Fill the remaining space in the container with water and freeze. Once completely frozen, remove and place in a tub or wash basin. As the ice block melts, model for your child how the pompoms can be pulled out of the block. Encourage your child to pour water over the block. Describe what is happening to the ice.
Social-Emotional Development
Mirror, Mirror
Stand with your infant in front a mirror. Gesture to yourself and ask, “Who is this?”
If your infant does not verbalize, then add, “Mommy”. Gesture to your infant and repeat the process. While looking in the mirror together gesture to your nose, eyes, mouth, ears and other body parts. Encourage your infant to find their body parts while looking in the mirror.
Language Development
Discovery Basket
Create a basket or bin of different items (scarves, clean pot scrubbers, shiny bangles, microfiber cloths, large pom-poms). Encourage your infant to explore the items in the basket. Describe the properties of each item. “This cloth is soft” “This pom-pom is squishy” “This bangle is shiny” Add new words that your infant may not have heard before.
Creative Activity
Peppermint Play Dough
The aroma peppermint wakes up the brain and enhances alertness. Add a drop of peppermint essential oil to a playdough recipe. When ready, encourage your infant to smell the dough as they shape it into interesting shapes.
Additional resources:
www.stevespanglerscience.com – Click on the Free at Home Experiments in the upper right-hand corner to access hundreds of at home science experiments.
https://www.seussville.com/ – Dr. Seuss themed printable pages, activities, crafts and more