Two Nice Fathers and Roll Olympics

These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.

FOR INFANTS
Two Nice Fathers

Say this finger play with your little one as you do the actions.

Two nice fathers met in the lane
(hold thumbs up)
Bowed most politely and bowed again.
(bend thumbs toward each other)
How do you do, how do you do
And how do you do again
(move thumbs as if they were talking to one another)
Repeat this verse while holding babies thumbs as you say the words.
Continue on with the finger play. You say it first and then move the babies fingers to repeat it.
Index finger - two nice mothers met in the lane....etc
Middle finger - two nice teachers....etc
Ring finger - two nice children....etc
Little fingers - two little babies....etc
On the "babies" it's fun to talk "baby talk." Try to make the sounds that the baby makes.

Ideas that you can to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: Let’s say the poem again as we move our fingers.

For developing the idea: I’ll say the words and you move your fingers. (depending on the age of your baby, you may need to help him with moving the fingers.)

For moving forward: Let’s pretend our fingers are kitties. What would they say to one another?

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Roll OlympicsHelping your baby roll over from tummy to back will develop the chest and arm muscles. Brain research says that using these muscles repeatedly gives babies’ the strength and elasticity for rolling over.

Here is a fun game to play while encouraging your baby to roll over.

Put your baby on her tummy on a soft and flat surface. Carpeted floors and the middle of beds are good for this game.

Hold up a teddy bear in front of your baby’s face and do antics with the bear. You might say the following poem as you make the teddy bear move around:

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn a round. (turn teddy bear around)
Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground. (make teddy fall down)

When you are sure that your baby is watching the teddy, move it to the side so that your baby’s eyes and hopefully her body will follow.

Repeat the poem, moving the teddy bear each time.

Ideas to do to that will take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: As you play the game, if your baby doesn’t roll over the first few times, move her physically to help her understand.

For developing the idea: Lay on the floor on your back. Put the baby on your tummy facing you. Rock from side to side and say the “teddy bear” poem.

For moving forward: Each time you baby is successful in rolling over, give her lots of praise and clap your hands.