Here I Am

Materials You Need: A handkerchief, washcloth, or piece of cloth; A comfortable chair.  

What You Can Do Together: This game is a simple but perfect way for your baby to develop many fundamental skills and concepts in social interaction. 

To start, you should sit in a chair and sit your baby on your lap in front of you. Start by saying positive phrases to her/him. You can complement them with smiles and gestures to attract her/his attention. 

When he/she is looking at you, cover your head and face with the scarf or cloth so that he/she cannot see you. After a few seconds remove the handkerchief and say, "Here I am!" with a big smile. You can repeat it several times until you notice that he/she loses interest. 

You can change the activity by covering your baby's face instead of yours. After a few seconds, you can remove the handkerchief and say, "There you are!" Or you can let her/him take off the handkerchief her-/himself. 

Remember that your baby is delicate so you should use a thin and soft handkerchief. Do not leave her/him with her/his face covered for too long. 

What Your Child is Learning: With this fun game your baby will learn to anticipate situations and recognize cause and effect when expressing emotions. They will also begin to develop the cognitive ability to understand object permanence.