You baby will continue to love music, words and movement. Babies learn through repetition and your baby will love you to repeat things over and over again. As you are playing with baby he will be learing all the time. You can incorporate some games into your daily activities.

• If your are using household appliences, talk to baby about the sounds thay make and point to them as you talk.

• When you are changingbaby's nappy or clothes, include a game of 'peek-a-boo'.

• Read the newspaper, letter, email or book aloud so baby can hear your voice.

• When someone familiar comes to visit, ask baby, "Where is (Grandma)?

• If your favourite song comes on the radio, pick baby up, and sing and dance with him.

• When you take baby on an outgoing, talk to him about what you can see - a bus, a dog, a tree, autumn leaves, the sound of a bird - and piont to things. You will find you get a new appreciation of the worrld around you as well.

• In the kitchen have a bottom drawer or cupboard filled with household objects that are safe for baby to play with, such as plastic storage boxes, wooden spoons, pegs, pots with lids, an egg whisk. This collection will provide baby with hours of fun right where you can see her.

• As baby starts to eat family food, let him experiment. If he wants to feed himself, try to let him. This is how children learn to eat, and they need to make a mess in the process, so be prepared.


Games to play with your baby

• Take time to play with baby two or three times a day at least.

• Put a nappy or small towel on the floor and place a toy on it. Show baby how to reach the toy by pulling the towel.

• Draw a happy face on the side of the wooden spoon and a sad one on the other side. Give baby a little puppetshow or sing 'If you're Happy and You know It Clap Your Hands'.

• Whan baby is sitting in his highchair, tie a few toys or household items onto the highchair with a length of elastic. Show baby how to pull them up when they fall down. - Be sure to take elastic off when baby is not in the highchair as she may pull them down on himself.

• Put a funnel and a couple of plastic cups in the bath with baby and show her how to pour.

• When baby can move about, try these games.

• Play hide and seek. Hide nearby behind a piece of furniture and call out baby's name until he finds you.

• Get down on your hands and knees, and play 'I'm going to get you' as you crawl towards baby.

• Give baby the chance to play outside in the grass. Be sure to supervise him and talk about what he finds.

• Put pillows on the floor and encourage baby to crawl over them.

• Have a non-breakable or firmly fixed mirror at floor level. Baby will be fascinated by her own image.


Games to play with the older baby

• Play clapping games and naming games: 'Put your Finger on Your Nuse', 'Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes'.

• Have a toy box in every room where baby plays. Encourage baby to put the toys in as well as take them out. Make a game of taking out and putting in.

• Have a large piece of paper and a few fat crayons, and show baby how to scribble.

• Put a toy car on a low table and push it towards baby. Show him how to push it back. Put the toy car in a long cardboard tube and show baby how it comes out the other end.

• Be sure to read baby at least one story every day.