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Brain Builders

Stimulating Activities for Your 6-month-old Baby

By Tammy Morey

jects in her world. As you go through your day, take a minute and name familiar objects. For example, when she is playing with her blanket, you could say, "You love your yellow blanket so much!"

As you continue to name familiar objects, she will begin to reach for them as you name them. She also will be able to look for the object if you say the name. For example, if you say to her, "Where is your blanket?" She may be playing with her toys and then look around to try to locate her blanket. Once you notice this processing, you will know she has mastered the significance of object permanence. She understands that her blanket is not with her, but that it is not gone forever; it is just not within her sight.

Once she realizes that her blanket is not in her sight, however, she may now become upset because she does not know where it is. This correlates to people in her life, too. She may understand that you are not in the room with her but she does not know when you will return and where you are. Through working with her by playing object permanence games, you can continue to help her understand that you are not gone forever, therefore guiding her through the worries caused by separation anxiety.

You can also take advantage of opportunities to learn while you are outdoors, which is a wonderful way to engage your baby in experiencing all her senses. Smell the flowers, tickle her with the leaves and crumple the dried leaves so she can hear the noise they make. Describe everything by saying, for example, "Do you like the way the warm sunshine feels on your face?" Try to also describe the sensory experience for her by saying, for example, "Can you smell the bread coming from the bakery?" By describing your daily routines, you can nurture your baby's interest in the world around her.

Want to see more?

• The Mind of the Baby
• Brain Builders: Stimulating Activities for Your 5-month-old Baby
• Brain Builders: Stimulating Activities for Your 7-month-old Baby
• Talk about it!

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