Free & Easy Games to Help You Teach & Bond with Your Little Ones
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laying is the most important thing for little ones before they go to school. It helps them develop physical, social, and learning skills. More importantly, playing with your child is a great way to bond, helps you enjoy the parenting experience, and allows you to be positively active in their journey exploring the world. Experts recommend parents spend even just five to ten minutes playing with their child each day. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and they have unlimited curiosity. It benefits them, you, and your relationship. Peek-a-Boo is, of course, a classic for babies. Who doesn’t love Peek-a-Boo? It teaches language and motor skills, and cause-and-effect. Not only that, but it also teaches what’s known as “object permanence.” They learn that, even when they can’t see you, you’re still there. It’s a reassurance to your little one that they are never truly alone. Another fun way to bond with your infant is dancing. If they are old enough to sit up, you can put on music (it doesn’t have to be lullabies) and guide their hands to make dancing motions while sitting on the floor or helping them stand. This encourages
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muscle development, coordination, and all areas of brain development. Games like Roll the Ball or blowing bubbles are fun for a one-year-old. Rolling a ball back and forth between you helps them develop teamwork skills, hand-eye coordination, and gross motor skills. If you praise them enthusiastically when they catch it, this builds confidence and shows you are proud of their achievements. Also, blow some bubbles for them and demonstrate poking the bubbles to pop them. Say
May 2022
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