from the beginning
Young Toddler (15 months to 2 years)
Older Baby (6
to 15 Months)
Older babies begin to say a few words. They like to grab, chew, poke, push, point and sort things around them as well as sit, crawl and maybe walk.
Your older baby will learn to:
- grab for and hold toys and books
- take objects in and out of containers
- bang, shake, bite and drop things
- play simple games (peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake)
- understand action words
- follow simple directions
- imitate speech sounds and words
What you can do with your older baby:
- let your baby "help" turn the pages of strong board books
- pick some books that allow your baby to move parts or put hands through holes
- sing to your baby; recite active rhymes
- point to and name objects in books
- reread the same favorite stories to your baby
- listen to and praise your baby's attempts to use real words
Hey Diddle Diddle
Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Find this and other rhymes and songs in Songs from Mother Goose by Nancy Larrick.