SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL

Birth-12 months:

• Talk, sing, and play with your baby while feeding him or changing diapers. The routine of sharing and repeating favorite songs is reassuring to babies.
• Read books or tell stories to your baby using a quiet voice. Point to the words and pictures in a book as you read.
• Play hiding games by hiding a stuffed animal or toy under a blanket or cloth. Look for the toy together. Show surprise and delight when you find the toy.
• Look at photos together. Look at pictures of other babies. Talk about what you see in the pictures. Mimic the expressions or emotions expressed by the subjects in the pictures when appropriate.
• Older babies will enjoy rolling a ball back and forth. Talk about what you are doing as you are playing a sharing activity together.
• Play games like “my turn, your turn” with a ball or toy. This even works when you are putting on your baby’s socks or shoes. Having fun together builds a positive relationship.
• Talk to your baby by asking questions and waiting for a response as though you are in a conversation. Mimic their response, which may be a gurgle, legs kicking or a laugh. Repeat this several times if your baby is interested in maintaining the responses.
• Narrate your actions as you do daily tasks, using a variety of words and voice tones. Show and label your emotions. Let them mimic you.

 

12-36 months:

Social skills, like learning how to play with others and taking turns, begin to develop at a young age. Coaching and interaction from caring adults are important ways that children learn these skills.  You can help teach actions and words to use with others so your child can communicate their needs, wants and emotions. Routines help children feel safe and secure as they try new things.

• Play games or sing songs that your child can sing with you, copying your sounds and body movements. Sing favorite songs over and over again. Toddlers enjoy repetition.
• Read books or tell stories to your child using a quiet voice. Point to the words and pictures in a book as you read. You might say, “Remember when we did ____? That was kind of like what they are doing in this story.”
• Have your child pick a toy or stuffed animal and then hide it somewhere for them to find. Help your child find it. Add a flashlight for more fun.
• Look at photos. Name the people and talk about what was taking place at the time. Young children enjoy looking at photos of themselves and pictures of other children.
• Take turns rolling a toy car or ball back and forth. Talk about what you are doing as you play a sharing activity together.
• Play games with your child, such as taking turns jumping off the bottom step, kicking a ball or blowing bubbles. Taking turns is essential to good social skills.
• Play make-believe with stuffed animals and toys. Take turns telling a simple story with the animals or toys. Even a young toddler can share by telling a story, even if you don’t understand the words he is trying to say. It is fun and builds early communication and language skills.
• Take turns handing toys back and forth to each other. Name the toys as you pass them. Add the words “please” and “thank you” as you pass the toys.
• Be consistent with what you let your child do. Let your child know when you appreciate what he is learning to do and when he is helping, such as picking up toys or bringing his plate to the sink.