Phonological Awareness

Gather some toy farm animals and a blanket or towel. Sit on the floor with your child and cover the animals with the blanket or towel. Say a little rhyme, such as "Peek-a-boo, where are you?" and have your child find the animals hidden under the blanket or towel.

Beginning Writing

As you read the story, help your baby lift the flaps of the book. This will help your child develop fine motor skills, such as mastering the pincer grasp (thumb to pointer finger), which are very important to beginning writing skills. 

Oral Language

Read the book with enthusiasm as you say the sounds that the animals make. Encourage your child to imitate the sounds you make as you moo, tweet, quack and oink.

Oral Language

Like the animals hiding under the flaps of the book, play a game of peek-a-boo with your baby. Playing peek-a-boo helps your child build the skills she needs to learn conversational skills, like:

• Give-and-take communication (your turn to communicate, then my turn to communicate)
• Shared power and control of communication (I get my needs met, you get your needs met)
• Repetition and mastery

Try these additional At-Home Activities related to the development of early communication skills in your baby:

• “Talk” Shop
• Zoom, Zoom Goes the Car
• Gazing and Pointing

Learn more about the importance of pre-reading skills as your baby grows, and find even more easy activities to help strengthen these skills in your 6- to 11-month-old.