Pocketful of Tricks

If you’re lucky enough to go to Mommy & Me or Baby & Me classes, you hear dozens of new rhymes, songs, and games each week. Except what happens in class should not stay in class. Your child wants to be singing and dancing his way through every day with the people who love him full-time, all-the-time. And so, this is your reminder to pick a few of your favorite rhymes, songs, and games and add them to your baby-play repertoire on a regular basis.

Here are a few of my favorites for you to try this week:

This first one works great while waiting in lines and whenever you need your child to slow down and possibly pay attention to you.

Garden Snail Palm Rhyme
Hold your child’s hand palm up and draw circles with your finger…
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, creeps the garden snail.
Draw circles with your finger as you “walk” up your child’s arm…
Slowly, slowly, very slowly up the wooden rail.
Then repeat movements this time fast and crazy…
Quickly, quickly, very quickly, runs the little mouse.
Finish with a wild tickle…
Quickly, quickly, very quickly, all around the house!

This next one works wonders with a fussy baby because of those 72,000 nerve endings in your baby’s feet.

Shoe a Little Horse Foot Rhyme
Start by making small circles on the heel of your baby’s foot with your thumb…
Shoe a little horse.
Make long strokes from the heel to the ball of baby’s foot with your index finger…
Shoe a little mare.
Then, gently pull each of baby’s toes…
But let a little colt go bare, bare, bare!

Here’s one that turns you into the perfect magician for toddlers!

Magic Hat Game
You need a large hat that can hold a dozen plastic ping pong balls while on your head.
Show the children the balls in the hat. “Do you see the balls? Are they in my hat?”
Put the hat with balls on your head without spilling the balls. “Watch, its magic!
Be very dramatic wearing the hat, asking and pointing to the hat. “Where are the balls?
Feel free to prompt younger children. “Are they in my hat?”
Build to the grand finale! “Say, come out balls! 1, 2, 3, Abracadabra! Come out balls!”
Go for the explosion! Lift the hat off so the balls go flying around the room.
Tell the children to go get all the balls and repeat endlessly.

I highly recommend the following link for the article, Music and Movement for Infants and Toddlers: Naturally Wonder-full, by John M. Feierabend: http://www.giamusic.com/music_education/feierabend/articles/infants.cfm
I also recommend the following books:
· Baby Games, by Elaine Martin
· Tapping and Clapping, by John Feierabend
· Tickle My Nose and Other Action Rhymes, by Kaye Umansky
· Wonderplay, from the 92nd St. Y Parenting Center