Your baby is just beginning to figure out that certain words mean what they sound like. Here's a singing game that makes that point while catering to babies' love of surprises.
Appropriate for:
2 to 7 months
Skills developed:
Verbal, sense of cause and effect
What you'll need:
No equipment necessary
Sing the classic nursery song "Pop! Goes the Weasel," but highlight the element of surprise with sound effects and actions. Start out softly and slowly: "'Round and 'round the cobbler's bench, the monkey chased the weasel, the monkey thought 'twas all in fun..." (then raise your voice to finish) "Pop! goes the weasel."
Try it again, clapping your hands on the word "pop." Now go again, this time slapping your hand lightly on the floor or a nearby padded surface such as a bed or chair. Grab a stuffed animal and make it jump up into the air on the word "pop." This song can work wonders as a distraction during diaper changes and is also great for keeping your baby awake on short car rides when you don't want him or her to nap just yet. If your baby seems startled rather than pleased when you get to the ending, tone things down a bit.