Object inquiry skills
A young infant watches and listens to a soundmaking toy, with opportunities to touch and manipulate the toy.
Be Prepared: Secure a rattle or other small toy that makes a sound when moved. A toy in a bold color(s) will enhance its appeal.
[Hold the infant in your arms so he/she is looking up at you. Say the infant’s name and talk quietly about what is happening. Example: “Hi, Shivani. You are awake now and looking around.”
Hold the rattle about 12 inches from the infant.]
[Hold the toy steady for the infant to see. Then move the toy to create a gentle sound. Use simple, clear words to describe the toy. Examples: “Our rattle is pretty.” “We hear a little sound when the rattle moves.”
Move the rattle slowly to one side of the infant and then to the other. Encourage the infant to follow the rattle by making a light noise with it periodically and by saying the infant’s name. Describe the infant’s actions. Example: “You are watching our rattle. Our rattle is moving.”
Hold the rattle close to the infant’s hand. If the infant grasps the rattle, describe the movements, such as shaking it or bringing it to his/her mouth. Example: “You moved the rattle and made a little sound.”
If the infant continues to look at the rattle, talk about what he/she sees. Acknowledge the infant’s gaze, movements, and/or sounds.]
[Briefly describe the infant’s reactions to the toy. Example: “You looked at our rattle. You listened when the little rattle made a sound. You touched the rattle with your finger.”]
Looking at an object and visually following its movements are important ways to explore something. In the current activity, it is helpful to point out through your actions and words that a simple movement with the toy, such as shaking a rattle, can produce a sound. Early awareness of a cause-effect connection is more powerful if the infant provides the movement, but infant manipulation of a toy should not be rushed. Provide an opportunity for the infant to grasp and move the toy, but refrain from physically putting the infant’s hand(s) on the toy.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object Inquiry skills
An older infant pushes on part of a toy and sees or hears an effect.
Be Prepared: This activity is for an infant who can sit independently or with support. Select a toy that quickly responds to something an infant does with it. Example: a toy telephone that makes a sound or lights up when its buttons are pushed.
Sit on the floor next to the infant and place the toy on the floor in front of the infant. Provide time for the infant to react to the toy. Encourage the infant to push buttons (or whatever is the appropriate part) on the toy, if necessary. As soon as the infant acts on the toy with a result, describe in simple words how the infant pushed part of the toy and then something happened. Example: “You pushed this button and the phone made a sound!” Emphasize the connection between the infant’s push and what happened with the toy. Some toys require an additional action, such as putting a phone receiver to an ear so the sounds can be easily heard.
Repeat the process if the infant remains interested. A more complex toy, such as different sounds associated with different buttons, provides additional things for the infant to explore. Provide guidance, if necessary.
The intent of the activity is to promote the infant’s beginning understanding of cause and effect. If you use a toy phone and the infant shows interest in using the phone for its intended purpose (talking), pretend you are talking to the infant on a pretend phone. Use the infant’s name and smile to encourage vocalizations. Say a few words and then wait for the infant to respond.
An infant may have experience with the toy you select. Your role in the activity is to help the infant strengthen his/her awareness of the cause-and-effect connections with the toy. A simple comment from you, as suggested in the activity plan, can be a valuable experience for an infant. There also may be an opportunity to strengthen motor development through play with the toy. Example: An infant may use his/her whole hand to push a button that responds better to a finger or two fingers. Demonstration may be helpful here.
Extra support
Enrichment
Object inquiry skills
An older infant helps build a block tower and push it over.
Sit on the floor facing a mobile infant and invite him/her to play with soft blocks. Explain that we can stack our blocks and knock them down. Demonstrate and describe how to place one block on top of another. Encourage the infant to stack two blocks. If the infant’s block falls, encourage him/her to try again. Provide a little bit of help so the infant can be successful.
If the infant has difficulty placing a block on top of one other block, create a platform with four blocks and invite the infant to put blocks on the top. Describe the infant’s actions and offer encouragement.
Encourage the infant to push over the stack of blocks. Give a little clap and say “You made the blocks fall down.” Repeat the stacking process if the infant remains interested.
The action of pushing over the blocks is enjoyable and provides visible evidence of cause and effect. Look for opportunities to emphasize that the infant’s push caused the blocks to fall down. The key words are push and fall down. This activity generally holds an infant’s attention. Some infants may help you stack the blocks, and some infants may simply watch you create a tower. There are important benefits to both cognitive and motor development from helping build the tower, but readiness for this aspect of the activity will vary considerably. As suggested in an Enrichment tip, it is easy to add challenge to the tower-building part of the activity, whether the infant watches or contributes to the creation of a tower.
An infant may be eager to push over blocks before a tower is fully built. Causing blocks to tumble supports the cognitive focus of this activity. After several rounds of blocks being pushed over before a tower is complete, you may wish to help the infant with the self-regulation task of waiting until a tower is built. The waiting may be easier for an infant to manage if he/she contributes to the tower building and if you offer little progress reports, such as “One more block goes on” and “Now another block.” You also may want to consider building a shorter tower.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: sound-producing toys (such as rattles and bells), soft and rigid containers, push toys (such as large, lightweight vehicles), tote bag, different small items for tote bag and containers.
Arrange different kinds of rattles and bells within easy reach of infants. Extend the exploration of cause (actions) and effects by providing toys that infants can use to fill, and then dump, from soft and rigid containers. Also provide toys for crawling that infants may push, such as large, lightweight vehicles. Place several different items into a tote and encourage older infants to take out the objects. Use a play mat to create a small incline. Encourage mobile infants to roll balls or cars down the incline.
Materials Needed: soft blocks
Engage an older toddler or preschool-age child in helping an infant build a tower (Option 3). Urge the older helper to tell how he/she is building the tower, and to let the infant push over the tower.
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