S, T, R, W, P

(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!

Activity

For infants, sing a nursery rhyme such as “Turkey Wore a Red Feather” while tickling their face or cheek. For toddler, hide feathers in a book and have seek and find them. Then blow them together out of the book. Remember to talk, talk, talk with your child about what is happening!

S, T, R, W, P

(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!

Activity

“Hang streamers from baby’s activity gym for him to touch. You can substitute strips of wrapping tissue paper for crepe streamers and they’ll make the same crinkly sound when touched. He’ll get both touch and sound feedback from his movements and learn from the cause and effect of his actions. If you don’t have an activity gym, you can make a streamer curtain hanging from the edge of a chair.”

S, T, R, W, P

(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!

Activity

Learn a new lullaby or refresh your mind on a classic one and take moments to relax with your child while singing it.

S, T, R, W, P

(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!

Activity

Read Spooky Pookie by Sandra Boynton and talk about the different colors that you see.

S, T, R, W, P

(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!

Activity

Using a clear bottle, add drops of food coloring while baby watches. Talk about the colors with Baby as you mix them and find things around Baby’s environment that match those colors.

S, T, R, W, P

(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!

Activity

They these sensory activities that have nothing to do with getting squeaky clean, but are great fun!

1) Put whipped cream on a plate and let baby squish it through his fingers. Show baby how to draw a squiggle or a shape. If he’s past the oral stage, try it with shaving cream.

2) Convert a plastic colander, cup, and plate into tub-time go-tos. Let your sweetie discover what happens when he uses them to scoop up water.

3) Or fill the tub with plastic balls and let baby roll on top, under and through them.

These and other bathtime activities can be found at www.highlights.com/parents/games/10-fun-tub-time-activities-babies-and-toddlers.

S, T, R, W, P

(Sing while pointing to each finger on your child’s hand.) Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play! Sing, talk, read, write, play each day!

Activity

Make a tunnel from a large cardboard box by opening both ends. Place the child at one end of the tunnel. You sit at the opposite end. Peek your face in the tunnel and say, “Hi!” Then lean away from the tunnel (so the child can’t see you) and say, “Bye!” Does the child try to communicate with you by crawling to find you, or by making sounds to copy your “hi” and “bye”? If your child isn’t mobile, you can use the box to prop them with a blanket and their favorite toys in the box. You can also push them around on the floor while making car, boat, and train noises.