Together We Grow
Is our home-to-school connection initiative that is focused on building a strong partnership between families and teachers. Each unit, we’ll share simple ideas that help you not only stay connected to your child’s learning but continue to foster their growth and development with fun, hands-on activities and engaging conversation starters. When we work together, we help your child grow with confidence—at school, at home, and beyond!
Where Are We Now?
Where Are We Now supports language and speech development, identification, memory, listening, and bonding.
While moving from place to place with your infant, talk about what you see, hear, smell, and feel. Describe what happens in that place. If you are moving into the kitchen, talk about the room being a place to prepare and eat food. You may hear the opening and closing of the refrigerator, the clanging of dishes, and the running of water. What foods do you smell, or maybe you smell the soap from dishwashing.
When you go to the grocery store, describe riding in the cart, the sound of other people, the smells of different aisles, and the beeping of the check-out.
- “Where are we going now?”
- “Are we inside or outside?”
- “What can we hear?”
- “What can we feel, see, or smell?”
- Remember to tell your child where you are going and why you are carrying them or getting them into the car or stroller.
- Use directional words like (going inside, or going outside, etc.)
- Talk about the changes in the environment. If you are going from a warm and cozy environment to a cold one, prepare your child for that feeling.
- The more you talk about what will happen with your child, the more they will trust and depend on you as you help them understand the world around them.
Sound Surprises!
This playful activity supports body part recognition, movement, listening, cause-and-effect, imitation, and early language skills—all while creating giggles and connection. It can be done anywhere and is perfect for short bursts of fun. Try it when your baby is alert and happy but maybe avoid right before nap or bedtime.
How to Play:
Sit close to your baby. Gently touch your nose and make a silly sound, like “Honk!” Look at your baby and do it again. Say, “Did you hear my nose?” Then ask, “Where is your nose?” Gently touch your baby’s nose while smiling.
Repeat with other body parts:
- Touch your knee and make a whistle sound.
- Tap your belly and make a “Vroom!” like a car.
- Encourage your baby to notice, listen, and maybe even try to imitate the sounds.
- “Did you hear my nose?”
- “Did it honk like a car or a truck?”
- “Where is your nose?”
- “I wonder what my foot sounds like?”
- “What does your foot sound like?”
- Repeat the sounds several times—babies love predictability.
- Say the body part name clearly while pointing to it.
- Gently touch the same body part on your baby.
- Smile, be silly, and have fun! When babies see that learning can be playful, it builds excitement and curiosity.
More Activities:
Materials: a clean, sanitized recycled wipes container (or another container with a hole in the top), and many (5-10) baby food container tops (metal lids from glass jars or larger plastic lids from other twist-off foods).
Important! Be sure the lids are a safe size for infants and are not a choking hazard.
This activity helps your child practice picking up objects and dropping them into a target spot, building hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and early problem-solving.
Gather the clean materials and place them on the floor in an open area where your child can explore with you.
Invite your child to pick up a lid and drop it in the container. Model this action if necessary.
Once it is filled, open it up, dump it out, and play again!
For Younger Infants: Place materials in containers and shake them gently for them. Talk about the different sounds they make.
Prompting Questions:
- Which lid will you choose next?
- Where did the lid go? Are there many inside? How do you know?
- What do these lids sound like?
This activity will help your child…
- Practice self‑soothing and safe sleep habits
- Explore cause‑and‑effect during play
- Recognize familiar voices
Materials:
Your voice, a soft rattle or household item that makes a gentle sound (optional), calming music or sounds
How to try it at home:
Choose a calm moment, such as before a nap or bedtime, and hold your infant close or sit together on the floor.
Speak or sing softly, using a familiar lullaby or simple hum. You can choose to play soft, calm music or sounds as you sit together. If you use a rattle, gently shake it once, then pause and wait to see how your baby responds.
Repeat this pattern: sound → pause → response.
As you are listening to the sounds around you, talk about what you hear and how they make your body feel. Try some of these discussion prompts:
- “Do you hear my voice? My voice is soft and calm.”
- “I hear a sound. Does it feel loud or quiet to your body?”
- “That sound made your body feel relaxed. Let’s take a slow breath together.”
- “When we hear gentle sounds, our bodies can feel safe and calm.”
As you engage in this activity, your infant is learning that sounds make things happen (cause and effect) and that familiar voices bring comfort and security. These predictable, soothing interactions support early self‑soothing skills and help your child relax their body, creating a strong foundation for healthy sleep routines.
This activity will help your child…
- Uses sounds or gestures to express needs
- Recognizes familiar voices and faces
- Shows early memory and recognition skills
Materials:
A small blanket or soft cloth, a mirror (optional)
How to try it at home:
Sit comfortably facing your infant to play a traditional game of peek-a-boo using a light blanket. Each time you pull back the blanket to uncover your face (or your babies) happily say, “Peek‑a‑boo!”
Give your child time to respond. This might look like a smile, coo, movement, or gesture. Engage in simple serve-return conversations as you respond to their reaction to your game.
Repeat the game several times, watching for anticipation or recognition.
Alternatively, you can also play in front of a mirror so your baby can see both of your faces together.
As you engage in this playful interaction, your child begins to recognize familiar faces and voices while encouraging early communication through sounds and gestures. Over time, your infant may start to vocalize, gesture, or move their body in anticipation. This shows early memory and understanding of predictable routines.
Materials: Outdoor space, natural items that are safe to touch, tray (optional)
Examples of natural items:
- sticks
- leaves
- flowers
- soft grass
- pinecones
Nature Exploration supports infants through sensory exploration of touch and differences in textures. With your support, your child will begin to explore with independence, growing their autonomy and self-confidence. Talking about the items, where they are in nature, and other details gives children pre-literacy skills from a trusted voice through connections in vocabulary, inflection, and cadence as you tell the story of each object to your child.
Take your child outside and talk about the natural elements you see. Collect some together if you can. Otherwise, allow your child to touch and feel the natural items outdoors while you explain their colors, where they came from, how they grow, and what they smell and feel like.
After you collect them, place them on a tray for supervised exploration again.
Prompting Questions:
- This leaf feels soft, and this leaf feels dry and brittle. Which one do you like?
- What happens when the grass keeps growing?
- These tiny buds are turning into leaves. They are getting bigger, and bigger. How big will they get?
Tips for Success!
- Be sure to select outdoor items you know are safe for your child to touch.
- Be prepared as you journey outdoors. Be sure you and your little one have sun protection, water, and a snack so all needs are met before exploring.
- Children need repeated experiences of discovery for development and growth. Doing this activity just once or twice will be great, but doing this often will create pathways within the brain for memory and more!
Materials: Interesting and well-loved toy. One that makes sounds is helpful for this activity but not necessary.
Support your infant so they are facing you, or sit with your child on your lap, facing you.
Show your child the toy you picked out.
Move the toy slowly and high over the infant’s head. Then to the left and right and watch as
Your child visually tracks it.
Stop and allow your child to rest their eyes before focusing on the toy again. Can they visually track it again?
For older infants: Slowly shake the toy as you move it and encourage them to try to reach for the toy as they are following it with their head and eyes. Engage in the toy landing on their toes and having them try to reach their feet for the toy.
Offer the child the toy to explore on their own.
Prompting Questions:
- Where will your special toy go?
- Where is it going?
Tips for Success:
- Be sure your infant is alert and ready to play with a content tummy, and rested body.
- Play peek-a-boo to let your child know you are ready to talk and play with them.
- Listen to your infant, and if at any time they show distress, be sure to stop.
Materials: A muffin tin, a variety of items, toys, or safe household items that fit inside each “muffin” cup, you, and your child.
Muffin Tin Grab supports hand-eye coordination, grasp control, recognition of familiar items, curiosity, memory, and language.
On the floor, have space to set the muffin tin, filled with different items in each compartment. Describe each item to your child and let them grasp it to take it out of the muffin tin. You can use hand-over-hand guidance to show how to do this if you feel your child needs assistance.
For very young infants, show each item and let them hold and feel it, while supporting them by holding them or keeping them in a position where they can see your face.
Some questions you can ask as they explore:
- “What is this for? We could take this and use it for ____.”
- “What is that doing here? That should be in the _____.”
- “We use this for ____. It is my favorite color, ____.”
Tips for Success!
- Have the muffin tin filled with items before introducing it and inviting your child to explore with you.
- If your child isn’t interested at this time, that’s ok. Bring it out again when you can be sure their needs have been met, and they can be attentive to something new.
- If having the muffin tin on the floor doesn’t work for your child, because they are working on a new skill, adapt and bring the muffin tin to where they are. If they move away from it, be patient, as they will come back for more!
Materials: You and your infant
Shake, Wiggle, & Giggle supports attachment, flexibility, awareness of body parts, focused attention, and joining in social play.
Model what to do with your infant nearby so that they can see you. Ask out loud, “Can you shake your hands?”
Then shake yours. Using gentle hand-over-hand guidance, lightly move your infant’s hands like they are dancing.
Try a new movement. Start by asking “Should we wiggle our hips?” as you wiggle your hips. Now show your infant how to wiggle theirs.
Keep the fun going with a variety of other movements. Here are some you can try:
- Wave hands up high and down low
- Roll your arms in circular motions
- Wiggle and shake your legs
- Stomp your feet
- Clap your hands
Add some music, clapping, or instruments (even an oatmeal box can serve as one).
Listen to the giggles as you play together and strengthen children’s bodies, build focused attention, and foster positive relationships!
Prompting Questions:
- Please show me how you shake. Now, can you show me how to wiggle?
- What other body parts can you shake or wiggle?
- Why are you giggling?
Tips for Success!
- Be thoughtful about when you try this activity. For example, you may want to wait if your infant has just eaten.
- Think about what items could be used as instruments.
- What song might your infant really react positively toward while doing this activity?
Materials: Just you and your child and a few items that have different textures. (books, puppets, rattles, fabrics, wood, soft and warm, etc.).
Why This Activity Helps:
This playful activity supports your child’s developing nervous system through sensory play by creating neural pathways through stimulating the sense of touch through different textures, active play and physical development, attachment, memory, and language development.
How to Play:
Get on the floor with your infant and set them up to explore. If your child rolls, crawls, or is taking a few steps, arrange items around your space to encourage more movement.
For infants working on other skills, arrange items to meet their developmental needs, such as tummy time or supported sitting, with differently textured items around them.
Talk with them about what they feel as they explore and touch items.
“I wonder if you like soft items or hard items (offering one of each texture)?”
“This blanket is so soft. It feels like a kitten. “
“The block is smooth and glossy.”
“This pillow feels bumpy, but it is soft and velvety.”
Try getting into the same position as your child to be on their level and make eye contact to discover textures together.
Prompting Questions:
- What else feels smooth?
- Where is your_(toy)___? What does this feel like? (Encourage movement!)
- Is there a toy that is rubbery and soft? A teether sometimes feels like that. What else feels that way?
Tips for Success!
- Respond to your child’s needs immediately to support attachment bonding.
- If your child needs to change positions (showing signs of discomfort or distress), accommodate their needs.
- Perhaps your child prefers you to hold them; remember, you can do this and continue to explore textures together.
Materials: You, your child, rounded, oversized, child-safe utensils, bowls, cups, pots, pans, containers with lids, etc., and an empty drawer or cabinet accessible to your child, or a container that fits the items.
Why This Activity Helps:
The Kitchen Tools Discovery Drawer supports attachment, exploration, and language around everyday items, problem-solving, and the development of gross and fine motor skills.
How to Play:
Gather a few child-safe items for your infant. Items like smooth wooden spoons, plastic bowls of different sizes, plastic cups and plates, and even pots and pans will hold your child’s attention.
As you sit on the floor, next to or holding your infant, show and talk about each item and what it is used for.
Practice using them as they were designed! For example, use a wooden spoon and bowl to mix. You can also turn items into “instruments”, tapping with different tools to hear the unique sound each one makes.
As you engage together, follow your child’s lead and provide rich language as you narrate what you see them doing.
Prompting Questions:
- Where can this spoon go?
- What should I add to my bowl?
- Can you show me how to use a plate and a cup?
- How can I stir my food inside this bowl?
Tips for Success!
- Safety first! Be sure all items are safe for your child to explore with you and on their own, and that the space is free of danger zones like the oven or refrigerator.
- Creating a space in your kitchen or near it will help your child know where to come to play with the items you collected. Be sure to plan ahead about where this could be and allow access to it like any other toy.
- Get down to your child’s level, on the floor, or by holding them. When children can see your face, it helps them understand the meaning of your words through your expressions and, in turn, your expectations for them.
Materials: You and your child, a small blanket (optional)
I Am Hiding supports language development with back-and-forth vocal play, attachment, focused attention, and awareness of object permanence.
Stand in various parts of the room where it might be hard for your child to see you, but you can still see them.
Start talking to them and calling their name to see if they can follow your voice to the different hiding spots.
“Where is (name)?” “I can’t see you.” “Where could you be?”
As you move about the room, make different sounds, and see if they still recognize your voice.
As infants begin to explore the room (the other side of a shelf, behind a chair, etc.), call out their name and start talking to them as you “look” for where they are “hiding”.
Celebrate when you “find” each other!
“You found me!”
Tips for Success:
- Play at your child’s level.
- Have fun with your voice. Instead of having words, try using animal sounds for your child to track or sing a favorite song or nursery rhyme.
- Add another feature, such as covering a part of yourself with a small blanket for a simple game of Peek-a-Boo.
Materials: A soft spot on the floor, a blanket, toys or books to engage them, you and your child.
This activity large motor muscle development, visual tracking, language, and attachment.
Get on the floor with infants and set them up to explore.
Set infants up in a floor position that is safe for them and meets their developmental needs (tummy time, supported or unsupported sitting, etc.)
Place toys around your child and talk to them as they explore and strengthen muscles.
Follow the lead of your infant and engage in several ways:
- Conversations,
- Songs,
- Stories,
- Puppets,
- Favorite toys,
- Etc.
Tips for Success!
- Try getting into the same position as the infant to be on their level and make eye contact.
- Respond to their needs instantly, changing positions if they are showing distress.
- Follow your child’s lead by talking about what their eyes are fixed on or by what they are reaching toward.
Materials: You and your child
Babble Baffle supports attachment, self-confidence, speech, language, hearing, facial recognition, conversation, and taking turns.
Have you ever been baffled by your baby’s babble? As your baby begins to babble, vocalize, or make any sound, show them that you will respond to the sound. In an interesting and positive interaction, make the same noise your child just made. They will begin to listen to what you “say.” Then your child will want to make more sounds. Every time you repeat the sound back to your child, they understand that speech and language are a powerful tool for communicating!
They will experiment with making sounds with their mouths, strengthening the muscles and coordination that will eventually begin to form words of your language. They will also strengthen their bond with you! This type of “serve and return” communication is very important to your relationship and your child’s sense of self.
Prompting Questions:
- Do you have a story to tell?
- What happened next?
- That is amazing! How did you do that?
- How does that make you feel? Happy? Sad?
Tips for Success!
- Be sure you turn to face your child and are not interrupted by outside “pings.”
- Facing your child with them on your lap, sitting up on the floor in front of you, or in tummy time (propped up if needed) with you lying on your tummy is best.
Materials: Contact paper or painter’s tape and a variety of child-friendly items that will stick and unstick to the tape.
Reach & Stick supports attachment, fine motor skills, muscle strength, hand-eye coordination, and cause-and-effect.
Set out a long strip of painter’s tape or a large piece of contact paper (sticky side up) in an area just out of reach of your child. Lay some of their favorite toys or simple loose parts (paper, nature items, etc.) in a space where they can explore!
- If your child is younger and working on tummy time, place the sticky paper just out of their reach on the floor.
- If your child is older and able to sit, get to knees, or stand, challenge them a bit by placing the sticky paper in a wall just above where they can reach.
Once set up, help your child move their bodies to where they can reach the sticky material above them. As they grab the different items or touch the paper, talk about what they are doing and how it feels:
- “You grabbed a leaf, that leaf feels crunchy and cold! Can you stick the leaf on the paper?”
- “ Reach up and stick that to the sticky paper here!”
- “ That paper is sticky; my hand is sticking to it. Can you touch it?”
Tips for Success!
- Talk with children through the experience. Use descriptive words and an encouraging tone of voice.
- Follow the lead of your child by supporting what they decide to do with the items on the tape. Whether they pull items off or stick items on, the skills and positive connections are still being practiced.