Children Activities and Child Development from Fisher-Price

Enjoy these activities with your 6 to 9-month-old:

�	Squeezers	�	Drum Beat	�	Pop Goes the Parent	�	Snow Scape

�	Abracadabra	�	Touch 'n' Tell	�	Bells Are Ringing	�	At the Zoo

�	Happy!	�	Sink or Float	�	Tipsy Teeter-Totter	�	Tunnel Trip

Squeezers *

Your baby gains gross motor strength during this time, but she also works on her fine motor skills as her tiny fingers explore the world of temperature, texture, and touch.

Materials:
�	Variety of squeezable objects, such as Play-Doh, clay, marshmallows, sponges, squeeze toys, stress balls, Koosh balls
�	Highchair


	�	Classification skills
	�	Cognitive development
	�	Exploration of the senses�touch
	�	Fine motor development

What to do:
1. Collect a variety of squeezable items, including a few that make noise.
2. Seat your baby in her highchair and securely attach the tray.
3. Place one squeezable item on the tray and let your baby explore it. Encourage her to squeeze it and to feel the texture, resistance, tempature, and so on.
4. After a few minutes, replace the first item with another squeezable item.
5. Repeat until your baby has explored all the squeezable item.
6. Place the items in small thin socks, so your baby can't see them. Set all the items on the tray and let your baby explore their similarities and differences through the socks.

Safety: Supervise your baby at all times to be sure she doesn't eat the items.

Drum Beat *

Even at this young age, your baby has rhythm! She loves to pound and make noise, so use those skills to turn her into an amateur percussionist. Here are several ways to enjoy the beat of the drums.

Materials:
�	Highchair and tray
�	Wooden spoon, basting brush, and other "drumsticks"
�	Foil, metal pot, plastic bowl, pie pan, newspaper, and other items to pound


	�	Cause and effect
	�	Listening skills
	�	Rhythm and coordination

What to do:
1. Seat your baby in the highchair with the tray attached.
2. Offer her a wooden spoon and show her how to pound it on the tray.
3. Next offer her the basting brush and any other "drumsticks," one at a time.
4. Then offer her different items to beat, such as a metal pot, a plastic bowl, a pie pan, a newspaper, and so on.
5. Stuff cotton in your ears so you won't get a headache! (Just kidding!)

Safety: Watch that your baby doesn't hit herself or others with the drumsticks.

Pop Goes the Parent *

Babies enjoy the game of jack-in-the-box, but the game becomes even more fun when the parent becomes Jack! All you have to do is find a great big box, and you'll delight your baby with a great big surprise.

Materials:
�	Large box
�	Yourself


	�	Anticipation and surprise
	�	Emotional expression
	�	Object permanence
	�	Social interaction

What to do:
1. Get a box large enough for you to fit inside. Set it in the living room and get inside.
2. Have the other parent bring your baby into the room, asking, "Where's mummy/Daddy?" and singing the jack-in-the-box song: Jack-in-the-Box Jack-in-the-box, you've gone away, Won't you come out and play? Jack-in-the-box, you're hidden away, Pop out so we can play!
3. Have the parent in the box pop out after the last line of the song.
4. Switch parents and repeat the game.

Safety: Pop out slowly and quietly so you don't scare your baby. The idea here is to surprise and delight your baby, not terrify him!

Snow Scape *

As your baby learns about the many different textures in his environment, you can add to his world by providing some new experiences. Use real snow for this game, or make your own using a blender.

Materials:
�	Clean snow
�	Highchair and tray
�	Towel


	�	Cognitive skills
	�	Fine motor development
	�	Properties of snow�touch, texture, temperature

What to do:
1. Collect some clean snow from the yard, or make your own by whirling ice cubes in a blender until they are soft and flaky.
2. Seat your baby in the highchair and securely attach the tray.
3. Place a cup of snow onto the tray.
4. Let your baby explore the properties of the snow with his hands and mouth.
5. If your baby is reluctant to touch the snow, demonstrate how to play with this strange, cold substance.
6. As the snow melts on the tray, wipe it off with a towel and add another cup of still-frozen snow.

Safety: If using real snow, be sure it is clean, because your baby will put it in his mouth.

Abracadabra *

Play a magical game of �Where did it go?� with your baby, and make a toy disappear right before his eyes�without mirrors! He will soon be on to you, and will realise that the toy didn�t disappear, but is still in your hand.

Materials:
�	A favourite toy


	�	Cognitive skills
	�	Eye/hand coordination
	�	Object permanence

What to do:
1. Find a bright toy that will fit into your hand.
2. Lay your baby on his back and let him see the toy.
3. Let your baby hold the toy for a few minutes to explore it.
4. Gently take the toy from his hands and place it in your palm.
5. Close both hands and show your baby your closed fists.
6. Ask your baby, �Where did it go?�
7. When your baby looks puzzled, open your hand and show him the toy, saying, �Here it is!�
8. Repeat the game, alternating hands and toys.

Safety: Be sure the toy is not too small, so your baby won�t choke on it when he examines it.

Touch 'n' Tell *

Your baby�s environment offers a lot of stimulation for her five senses. Provide your baby with a rich variety of interesting things to explore, and she�ll have a great time with her hands and mouth.

Materials:
�	Variety of favourite foods
�	Highchair
�	Plastic floor covering


	�	Awareness of the environment
	�	Fine motor development
	�	Science experimentation

What to do:
1. Prepare a number of interesting foods for your baby to touch, taste, and smell �in very small amounts�such as fruit flavored gelatin, yogurt, banana, O-shaped cereal, oatmeal, spaghetti, and so on.
2. Spread a plastic floor covering in the kitchen, and place the highchair on the covering.
3. Seat your baby in the highchair and place one food item on the tray.
4. Let your baby play with the food for a few minutes, exploring it with her hands and mouth.
5. Remove the food and offer a second item for exploration.
6. Watch your baby�s expression as she examines each new food. Make sure to name and descote each item as you place it in front of your baby.

Safety: Be sure to keep an eye on your baby so she doesn�t choke on any of the foods.

Bells Are Ringing *

In this musical version of hide-and-seek, your baby has to search for and find the hidden bells. It's not very difficult�all he has to do is listen while the bells are ringing to discover the secret hiding place.

Materials:
�	Soft toy with a bell inside, or a bracelet made of bells
�	Various hiding places, such as soft toys and blankets


	�	Cause and effect
	�	Cognitive development
	�	Listening skills

What to do:
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.

Safety: Be sure the bells are securely attached to something, so your baby can't swallow them

At the Zoo *

As your baby begins to talk, she loves making sounds. So take an imaginary trip to the zoo and learn about animals while you increase your baby�s listening and language skills.

Materials:
�	Stuffed animals or large pictures of animals
�	Infant seat
�	Your voice


	�	Auditory recognition
	�	Classification skills
	�	Language development
	�	Social interaction

What to do:
1. Collect a variety of stuffed animals or large pictures of animals.
2. Seat your baby in her infant seat and sit facing her.
3. Hold up an animal or picture next to your face, so your baby can see your mouth, then make the animal�s sound.
4. Give your baby a chance to imitate the sound, then repeat the sound.
5. Hold up the next animal or picture and make the appropriate sound.
6. Repeat for all the animals or pictures.
7. Hold up the animals or pictures again, this time pausing a mument before making the animal sounds, so your baby can anticipate them.

Safety: Don�t make the sounds too loud; you don�t want to scare your baby.

Happy! *

Your baby now has a wide range of emotions-from joy, to sadness, to anger, even to guilt and pride. Here's a game to help her express positive emotions, while learning her body parts.

Materials:
�	Infant seat
�	Your body parts
�	Your voice


	�	Coordination and mimicry
	�	Emotional expression
	�	Gross and fine motor development
	�	Language development

What to do:
1. Seat your baby in her infant seat on the floor.
2. Sing the song, "If You're Happy and You Know It," and move the appropriate body part for your baby as you sing.

If You're Happy and You Know It
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you're happy and you know it,
Then your hands will really show it.
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.

3. Repeat the song, replacing "clap your hands" with "stomp your feet," "nod your head," "wave your arms," "bend your knees," and "blow a kiss."

Safety: Move your baby's body gently, so you don't hurt her while you play this active game.

Sink or Float *

As your baby begins to understand how the world works, you can help her begin to classify items according to similar properties. At this age she�ll think these differences and similarities are magical, but soon she�ll learn they can all be explained scientifically.

Materials:
�	5 items that sink, such as heavy toys, teething ring, spoons, baby bottle full of water, a key chain, and so on
�	5 items that float, such as soap, plastic toys, hairbrush, sponges, and so on
�	Baby bathtub


	�	Beginning scientific properties
	�	Classification skills

What to do:
1. Fill a baby bathtub with warm water and gently lower your baby into the water.
2. Place one floating item into the tub and say, �It floats!�
3. After a minute, place a sinkable item into the tub and say, �It sinks!�
4. Alternate items to keep your baby�s interest, then let her drop the items in the tub herself.

Safety: Never leave your baby alone in or near water.

Tipsy Teeter-Totter *

Balance is a tricky task for your baby to master in those early months. At first he has difficulty just balancing that big head. But soon he�ll enjoy being challenged with games like Tipsy Teeter-Totter!

Materials:
�	Small towel
�	Your leg


	�	Balance
	�	Development of trust
	�	Social interaction

What to do:
1. Place a small towel on your thigh as a cushion for your baby.
2. Seat your baby on your thigh, facing you.
3. Hold your baby by his arms, then move your hands down the length of his arms to his fingers, so you�re holding on lightly. As you balance your baby on your leg, move your leg around slowly.
4. Try to let go of one hand, then the other, while balancing your baby, being ready to catch him if needed.
5. Turn your baby in the other direction and play again.

Safety: Be ready to catch and hold your baby steady at all times, in case he loses his balance.

Tunnel Trip *

As your baby begins to move around the room, make movement more fun for him with a Tunnel Trip. He�ll discover a new way to move himself, and a surprise at the end of the tunnel! All you need is a big box.

Materials:
�	Cardboard box, a little larger than your baby�s body
�	Small baby blanket


	�	Cognitive/thinking skills
	�	Depth perception
	�	Object permanence
	�	Problem solving

What to do:
1. Find a box a little larger than your baby�s body, so he can crawl through easily. Cut both ends off the box to make a tunnel.
2. Place your baby on the floor at one end of the tunnel.
3. Position yourself at the other end of the tunnel and call to your baby. Try to get him to come into the box. If your baby needs help, reach in and gently pull him through the box to the other side.
4. Repeat several times.
5. Place a blanket over your end of the box so your baby can�t see you, then reach in and pull your baby through to the other side.

Safety: Make sure the box isn�t too small, and don�t leave your baby alone in the box or he might get scared.

* Play & Learn activities reprinted from "Baby Play & Learn" with permission of its author, Penny Warner, and its publisher, Meadowbrook Press (1999.)

Online Games & Activities All About Play

FISHER-PRICE PRIVACY POLICY | FISHER-PRICE LEGAL TERMS & CONDITIONS
� 2009 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Use of this AU or NZ site signifies your acceptance of the terms and conditions of use.
Not all Products Available in all Markets