Working With Others

Eye Gazing

Suggested Age: 0-12 months

Take a few minutes and look into your child’s eyes. As they look back, smile and talk with them. Do what they do. If they blink, you blink. If they look left, you look left. Let them see your eyes too, and have fun keeping eye contact.

Mirror Dance Suggested Age:12 months  - 2 years

Put on a song both of you like and watch your child move. As they dance, copy what they’re doing. When they stop, you dance around and let them watch you. See if you can create a back and forth dance, taking turns copying each other.

Big Hug, Little Hug Suggested Age:12 months  - 2 years

When it’s time for a hug, ask your child if they want a big hug or a little hug and then do what they ask. Then you take a turn and say whether you want a big or little hug. You can add other words, like a wiggly hug or a quiet hug.

Dancing Feet Suggested Age:12 months  - 2 years

Sing, or turn on music, and dance with your child! See if they can copy what you do with your feet. Try stomping one foot three times. What do they do? Copy their moves and build on them by adding a jump or going on tiptoe. Do they do it too? Keep the dance going!

Funny Faces Suggested Age: 2-3 years

Make a silly face and ask your child to make it too. Then ask them to make a sillier one for you to copy. Then take turns back and forth and see who can be the silliest.

Category Convos Suggested Age: 2-3 years

Tell your child about a favorite food. Ask them to name a food they like that’s in the same category, like fruit, but different. Keep count of how many different things you both like in the same category. Play the same game with something else, like clothes!

Fast-Slow Race Suggested Age: 2-3 years

Invite your child to have a “Fast-Slow Race.” Find a starting line and count out loud together, “one, two, three!”, then go! As you get going, call out “slow!” Can they adjust their speed? Give them a turn calling out “fast” or “slow.” How fast can you go? How slow?

Snack Senses Suggested Age: 2-4 years

Take turns with your child coming up with words that describe what they’re eating. If they have a carrot ask, “What does it look like?” They might say, “orange,” and you might say, “pointy.” Keep the conversation going with questions like, “What does it feel, smell, and taste like?” or “What does it sound like when you eat it?”

Sound Pattern Play Suggested Age: 2-4 years

Take turns with your child making sound patterns. For example, say, “Coo, coo, ca, coo.” Ask them to repeat your sounds. Then ask them to come up with a new pattern, and you repeat it. See if you can make the patterns harder by going faster or adding more sounds.

1,2,3, Clean! Suggested Age: 2-4 years

Involve your child in cleanup by saying something like: “We’re going to do three things. Ready? One: Touch your head. Two: Spin around. Three: Jump up and down.” Do these actions together. Then ask them to come up with three different things to do. See how long you can keep taking turns.

Super Silly Handshake Suggested Age: 4-5 years

Invent a super silly handshake for you and your child. Take turns adding a step (like shaking twice). Repeat it until you both have it down. Now change one of the steps. How do they respond? Go back and forth between the new and old way.

Guess My Number Suggested Age: 4-5 years

Think of a number and see if your child can guess it based on your clues. Say something like, “My number is bigger than four and smaller than six.” Or “It is the number of fingers on my hand.” Make it harder by adding or taking away numbers. “My number is two more than the number three.”

 

For even more tips on Working with Others, check out Vroom’s Tip Sheet. It’s also available in Spanish!