Lights! Music! Action! Start by demonstrating some of the toy's specific features, showing baby how to start the action, lights, or music.

What will happen? As you play, encourage baby to do something with the toy … he'll be greeted with a fun surprise that will make him want to play again and again!

Describe it. Use stacking toys to introduce other simple words and descriptions, like big and little, or top and bottom. You can also use these toys to reinforce understanding of cause and effect.

What color? Help your child make connections between words and concepts by talking about colors: “That's the big yellow cup.”

Play active games to exercise gross motor skills. When babies’ feet press against a solid surface, they stretch out their legs. This is called the “walking reflex,” and you can use it to help your baby practice for crawling!

• Place baby on tummy
• Put a fun, colorful toy a few inches from baby’s head and call attention to it
• Sit behind baby with your legs or hands pressed against her feet
• Let your baby push against the pressure, causing her to move forward
• Keep moving the toy and pushing against baby’s feet until she’s moved forward

Let’s roll! Roll or slide a toy back and forth across the floor to each other. It can be a good workout for baby's eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity.

What’s that sound? Take baby on a "sound" tour of your house. Ring the doorbell, turn on the clock's alarm, start the computer. As you make your way through the house, tell baby what each sound means: "Company's coming! … Time to get up … I'm going to check my email."

Makin’ it happen. To foster awareness of cause-and-effect relationships, let your child turn a light switch or a faucet on and off and see how her actions make things happen.

Everyday play. Open the cupboard and pull out pots, pans and wooden spoons. Watch baby smile as he realizes, "I made that sound!" As he plays, talk to him about what you see and hear. He'll enjoy the sound of your voice, and you'll be helping his speech develop.