ASQ Activities for Infants 8-12 Months Old

Resource Type

Parent Handouts and Info - Parent

Description

Activities for Infants 8-12 Months Old ASQ

Ages

All Ages

Age Groups

Infancy (<1)

Web Address

http://resources.childhealthcare.org/cocoon/dtw/parent-text/development/activities_8_12.html

Languages

English

ASQ Activities for Infants 8-12 Months Old

ASQ Activities for Infants 8-12 Months Old

Let your baby feed her- or himself. This gives your baby practice picking up small objects (cereal, cooked peas) and also gives him experience with textures in his hands and mouth. Soon your baby will be able to finger feed an entire meal. Your baby will be interested in banging objects to make noise. Give your baby blocks to bang, rattles to shake, or wooden spoons to bang on containers. Show your baby how to bang objects together. A good pastime is putting objects in and out of containers. Give your baby plastic containers with large beads or blocks. Your baby may enjoy putting socks in and out of the sock drawer or small cartons (Jell-O, tuna or soup cans) on and off shelves. Mirrors are exciting at this age. Let your baby pat and poke at herself in the mirror. Smile and make faces together in the mirror. Your baby will begin using her or his index fingers to poke. Let your baby poke at a play telephone or busy box. Your baby will want to poke at faces. Name the body parts as your baby touches your face.

Put toys on a sofa or sturdy table so your baby can practice standing while playing with the toys. Find a big box that your baby can crawl in and out of. Stay close by and talk to your baby about what he or she is doing. "You went in! Now you are out!" Read baby books or colorful magazines by pointing and telling your baby what is in the picture. Let your baby pat pictures in the book. Play hide-and-seek games with objects. Let your baby see you hide an object under a blanket, diaper, or pillow. If your baby doesn't uncover the object, just cover part of it. Help your baby find the object. Play ball games. Roll a ball to your baby. Help your baby, or have a partner help him roll the ball back to you. Your baby may even throw the ball, so beach balls or Nerf balls are great for this game.

Turn on a radio or stereo. Hold your baby in a standing position and let your baby bounce and dance. If your baby can stand with a little support, hold her hands and dance like partners. Play imitation games like Peekaboo and So Big. Show pleasure at your baby's imitations of movements and sounds. Babies enjoy playing the same games over and over. Let your baby play with plastic measuring cups, cups with handles, sieves and strainers, sponges, and balls that float in the bathtub. Bath time is a great learning time. Play Pat-a-cake with your baby. Clap his or her hands together or take turns. Wait and see if your baby signals you to start the game again. Try the game using blocks or spoons to clap and bang with. Your baby will play more with different sounds like "la-la" and "dada." Copy the sounds your baby makes. Add a new one and see if your baby tries it, too. Enjoy baby's early attempts at talking.

Make a simple puzzle for your baby by putting blocks or Ping- Pong balls inside a muffin pan or egg carton. You can make another simple toy by cutting a round hole in the plastic lid of a coffee can. Give your baby wooden clothes pins or Ping-Pong balls to drop inside. Say "Hi" and wave when entering a room with your baby. Encourage your baby to imitate. Help your baby wave to greet others. Waving "Hi" and "Bye" are early gestures. Let your baby make choices. Offer two toys or foods and see which one your baby picks. Encourage your baby to reach or point to the chosen object. Babies have definite likes and dislikes! New places and people are good experiences for your baby, but these can be frightening. Let your baby watch and listen and move at his or her own speed. Go slowly. Your baby will tell you when he or she is ready for more.

The ASQ User's Guide, Second Edition, Squires, Potter, and Bricker. Copyright 1999 Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

Let your baby feed her- or himself. This gives your baby practice picking up small objects (cereal, cooked peas) and also gives him experience with textures in his hands and mouth. Soon your baby will be able to finger feed an entire meal.	Your baby will be interested in banging objects to make noise. Give your baby blocks to bang, rattles to shake, or wooden spoons to bang on containers. Show your baby how to bang objects together.	A good pastime is putting objects in and out of containers. Give your baby plastic containers with large beads or blocks. Your baby may enjoy putting socks in and out of the sock drawer or small cartons (Jell-O, tuna or soup cans) on and off shelves.	Mirrors are exciting at this age. Let your baby pat and poke at herself in the mirror. Smile and make faces together in the mirror.	Your baby will begin using her or his index fingers to poke. Let your baby poke at a play telephone or busy box. Your baby will want to poke at faces. Name the body parts as your baby touches your face.
Put toys on a sofa or sturdy table so your baby can practice standing while playing with the toys.	Find a big box that your baby can crawl in and out of. Stay close by and talk to your baby about what he or she is doing. "You went in! Now you are out!"	Read baby books or colorful magazines by pointing and telling your baby what is in the picture. Let your baby pat pictures in the book.	Play hide-and-seek games with objects. Let your baby see you hide an object under a blanket, diaper, or pillow. If your baby doesn't uncover the object, just cover part of it. Help your baby find the object.	Play ball games. Roll a ball to your baby. Help your baby, or have a partner help him roll the ball back to you. Your baby may even throw the ball, so beach balls or Nerf balls are great for this game.
Turn on a radio or stereo. Hold your baby in a standing position and let your baby bounce and dance. If your baby can stand with a little support, hold her hands and dance like partners.	Play imitation games like Peekaboo and So Big. Show pleasure at your baby's imitations of movements and sounds. Babies enjoy playing the same games over and over.	Let your baby play with plastic measuring cups, cups with handles, sieves and strainers, sponges, and balls that float in the bathtub. Bath time is a great learning time.	Play Pat-a-cake with your baby. Clap his or her hands together or take turns. Wait and see if your baby signals you to start the game again. Try the game using blocks or spoons to clap and bang with.	Your baby will play more with different sounds like "la-la" and "dada." Copy the sounds your baby makes. Add a new one and see if your baby tries it, too. Enjoy baby's early attempts at talking.
Make a simple puzzle for your baby by putting blocks or Ping- Pong balls inside a muffin pan or egg carton.	You can make another simple toy by cutting a round hole in the plastic lid of a coffee can. Give your baby wooden clothes pins or Ping-Pong balls to drop inside.	Say "Hi" and wave when entering a room with your baby. Encourage your baby to imitate. Help your baby wave to greet others. Waving "Hi" and "Bye" are early gestures.	Let your baby make choices. Offer two toys or foods and see which one your baby picks. Encourage your baby to reach or point to the chosen object. Babies have definite likes and dislikes!	New places and people are good experiences for your baby, but these can be frightening. Let your baby watch and listen and move at his or her own speed. Go slowly. Your baby will tell you when he or she is ready for more.