See How I've Grown

Try these simple activities to help your child feel good about his growing abilities.

By Risa Young

Ages

Infant-2


What you need:

  • Watercolor or tempera paint 
  • Paper 
  • Plastic baby dolls 
  • Photos of your baby 
  • Cardboard squares 
  • Soft fabric 
  • Glue 
  • Objects with handles (pot covers, small watering cans) 
  • Mirror 

What to do:

  1. Wall of Fame  Paint the bottom of your child's feet with tempera or watercolor, or let him stand in a tray filled with a small amount of paint. Then stand him up or let him walk on a sheet of paper. Label, frame, and hang the prints around your home. You can do the same with his hands. Create new sets periodically to see changes in size.
  2. Bathing Babies  Place plastic baby dolls in the tub as you bathe your infant, and point out and compare body parts. Move the dolls' arms, legs, and head, and encourage your baby to imitate the movements.
  3. Look at Me!  To make a book about your baby's developing skills, gather photos that show him crawling, eating, walking, and so on. Then cover cardboard squares with soft material, staple or tie the squares together, and glue a separate photo on each page. Your baby can help by positioning the photos wherever he wants.
  4. Infant Independence  Sit your child comfortably on the floor, and place objects with easy-to-grasp handles around him. He'll delight in picking up and playing with items like pot covers and small watering cans. Also provide a large laundry basket for him to drop items into — all on his own.
  5. Monkey See, Monkey Do  Your baby will enjoy mimicking your facial expressions. So smile, frown, and make silly faces, and watch as he does the same. Place a mirror in front of his face so that he, too, can see his talents. 
Observation
Craft Activities
Arts & Crafts Printables
Motor Skills
Age 2
Age 1
Infant
Early Learning
Understanding Others
Shapes and Sizes
Body Parts
Physical Development
Arts and Crafts