Babies love mild surprises, and being surprised (and then learning to predict what might happen) is one way your baby learns that actions have consequences.

Appropriate for: 5 months to 1 year
Skills developed: Sense of cause and effect
What you'll need: No equipment necessary

Sit on a chair or sofa with your knees together and legs bent at a right angle. Seat your baby on your knees facing you with his or her legs to either side. Place your hands on your baby's waist to steady him or her and bounce gently with your knees, saying, "This is the way the lady rides, tri-tree-tree-tree, tri-tree-tree-tree, this is the way the lady rides, tri-tree tri-tree tri-TREE."

On the final "tree," part your legs so your baby dips way down between them, taking care, of course, that he or she doesn't fall all the way to the floor.



The second and third verses have increasingly dramatic bouncing rhythms and falls: "This is the way the gentleman rides, gallop-a-trot, gallop-a-trot, this is the way the gentleman rides, gallop-a-gallop-a-TROT" – accompanied by a firmer bounce and a more pronounced dip – and then (the final verse), "This is the way the farmer rides, hobbledy-hoy, hobbledy-hoy, this is the way the farmer rides, hobbledy-hobbledy-HOY."

Here, sway your knees from side to side, rocking your baby as if he or she were a farmer being carried on a swaybacked nag, and on the final "hoy," tip your baby sideways off your knees, catching him or her in your arms for the dips.