Bows and Toes
Prep: / Activity Time:
If your child loves to repeat the same sound over and over, this is demonstrating his budding skills in phonological awareness. Take advantage of his love for repetition to introduce the concept of rhyming.
At-Home Activities for 12 to 17 Months
Cozy Reading Nook
Prep: 30 Minutes / Activity Time: 5-10 Minutes
Create a comfortable and cozy reading nook at home to show your child how much you value books and reading.
Water Painting Fun
Prep: 15 Minutes / Activity Time: 5-7 Minutes
This outdoor activity will allow your child to experience a new way of drawing on a unique surface with a paint brush, just like a grownup! Be sure to plan this activity on an “ok to get wet” day.
Crash, Bang Letters!
Prep: 5 Minutes / Activity Time: 3-5 Minutes
Here is a fun knock-down activity that will expose your child to alphabet letters. Choose a room that has open space and hard flooring like tile or hardwood.
Paper Towel Beading
Prep: 5 Minutes / Activity Time: 5-7 Minutes
Here is an opportunity to engage your child in a two-part activity that will strengthen those fine motor muscles of the hand and fingers.
Play Song Rhyme Time
Prep: None / Activity Time: 5-7 Minutes
This Sound Play activity incorporates lively play songs that use rhyme, alliteration and repetition, which allow your baby to hear the important sound patterns of speech.
What's in the Closet?
Prep: None / Activity Time: 5-7 Minutes
Children in this age are most famous for being little explorers! Fulfill their need for exploration by showing them a part of your home that they normally do not see on an everyday basis.
Peek-a-Boo Letters
Prep: 2-3 Minutes / Activity Time: 5-7 Minutes
This fun game will help your child look and find the letters that have a peek-a-boo hole to look through or put her little fingers in.
Where Did It Go?
Prep: 5 Minutes / Activity Time: 3-5 Minutes
This activity will entertain your curious little one’s senses as they grab and touch, look and listen and even taste and smell! There will be many opportunities for both of you to describe what you see, hear, and touch to build a rich vocabulary.
ERRRRRR Goes The Fire Engine!
Prep: 2 Minutes / Activity Time: 5 Minutes
Experts agree that sound play may help pave the foundation for later developing phonological skills, which are important for learning how to read. Your baby will be excited to share this activity of imitating environmental sounds!
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