Imitation Game Making faces like sticking out your tongue, winking, or blinking. Also making silly noises.
Materials:
No Materials Needed
Beginning: Read “Baby Faces” by Kate Merritt
Middle: Encourage the child to make the faces, and celebrate them when they do. Children who imitate faces are more likely to imitate sounds and develop the ability to speak.
Earlier: Blow “Raspberries” Later: Make a pattern of faces and encourage the children to replicate.
End: This activity never actually comes to an end, imitation is something the children can continue to do over the course of time spent with you.
Follow-Up Ideas: Playing “Simon Says”, picking a different child to play Simon after every round.
KDI: Imitating and Pretending
Finger Paints Creating and Appreciating Art
Materials:
Non-Toxic Children’s Paint
(Solid Color) Butcher Paper
Tape
Large empty floor or table space
Beginning: Read “Beautiful Oops” by Barney Saltzberg
Middle: Taping butcher paper to the open space, allow the children to use their fingers to paint.
Earlier: Painting the children’s hands and observing what they do next. Later: Using sponges, toys, and other textured objects to create art.
End: The finger painting comes to an end when the children are satisfied with their art and/or no longer interested in painting.
Follow-Up Ideas: Drawing a theme or something specific using fine tip brushes, incorporating their fine-motor skills.
KDI: Exploring Art Materials
Sing Along Encouraging the Children to Sing Along
Materials:
Children’s Songs CD
Beginning: Sing “Five Little Monkeys”
Middle: Playing different children’s songs like "baby bumble bee" and "the wheels on the bus" to encourage the children to sing along or at least the sounds such as "beep beep" or "buzz" for those who cannot yet speak.
Earlier: Use “Baby Shark” encouraging the children to move along. Later: Encouraging the children to sing and do the motions along, without the caregiver motioning.
End: The activity comes to an end when the children are no longer interested.
Follow-Up Ideas: Give the children instruments, encouraging them to create sounds to sing along with.