The following is excerpted from READING FOR OUR LIVES by Maya Payne Smart, reprinted with permission of the publisher, AVERY, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright © 2022 by Maya Payne Smart.
Fun, social interactions (aka play!) start in infancy and have positive impacts for both parent and child. A study of naturally occurring baby games, like peek-a-book?where a parent and child share attention, gazes, facial expressions, touches, gestures, and vocalizations?showed that they were associated with a boost in the release of the feel-good hormone oxytocin.
In the early years, it?s great to have a few go-to games in your toolkit for times when you need a conversational pick-me-up. Boost your talk and playfulness anytime, anywhere by keeping the following language-rich games in your metaphorical back pocket. They age incredibly well?with variations for babies, toddles, and preschoolers?work in a variety of settings, and require no assembly. I spy
You can use this family road-trip favorite wherever you may be and it?s flexible enough to adapt for any age. The game uses the phrase ?I spy with my little eye something ___? to set up a hunt for an object of your choice. Start by choosing an object, say a blue dictionary on the kitchen counter, and then give hints: I spy with my little eye something blue. The child looks around and (hopefully!) responds by saying they see a blue book or perhaps simply pointing. Then your child ta...