Concentration
An infant watches and touches a moving object with caregiver guidance.
[Hold the infant in your arms with his/her head well supported in the bend of your arm, ensuring the infant can clearly see you.]
[Hold the toy fish about 12 inches from the infant and begin moving it slightly from side to side.]
Do you see the fish?
[Pause and acknowledge the infant’s response. Describe any visual attention the infant gives to the toy. Example: “I see you are watching the fish, Antoine. The fish is moving back and forth.”]
[Move the toy fish a little farther to one side and back toward the infant’s middle. Describe the infant’s response. Example: “Our ‘fishy’ is over here. You are watching the fish move.”
If the infant maintains a visual focus on the item, move it up slightly and continue to move it slowly from side to side. Describe your actions. Example: “I am moving our fish up higher.”
Slowly move the fish toward the infant’s middle. Describe your actions. Example: “I am moving the fish so you can touch it.” Encourage the infant to touch or grasp the fish. If the infant is not able to grasp the item, hold it near the infant’s hands so he/she can touch and feel it.
Watch the infant’s responses throughout the activity. Use strategies, such as the following, to encourage the infant’s attention to the toy fish:
Transition out of the activity when the infant shows signs of disinterest (such as looking elsewhere). Example: “You are done looking at the fish. I will put the fish away. We can do something else now.”]
[Smile and make eye contact as you describe what happened. Example: “We watched our fish today. The fish went back and forth. Then you touched the fish! It felt smooth. You smiled while you touched our fish.”]
Concentration
An infant watches a moving object and manipulates the object with caregiver guidance.
Invite an infant who can grasp an object to sit on your lap to play with a toy. Turn the infant slightly so that he/she is secure in your arms but able to make some eye contact. Introduce the toy fish by holding it in the infant’s view and moving it slowly from side to side. Encourage the infant to watch the fish as it moves in front of him/her. Example: “The fish is moving back and forth. Let’s watch the fish move around!” Describe the infant’s visual attention to the toy. Example: “You are moving your eyes to see the fish. You are watching the fish move.”
Slowly move the toy fish toward the infant and invite him/her to touch or to hold it. If the infant initially appears reluctant to hold the toy, hold it near the infant’s hands so he/she can touch and feel it. Talk with the infant about his/her actions with the toy fish. Examples: “You are touching the fish. You are feeling the smooth scales.” “You are holding the fish, Camille. You are moving the fish back and forth like I did.”
Monitor closely the infant’s reactions to the activity. Acknowledge any responses to the toy. Example: “You are smiling and cooing at the fish. I think you like playing with our toy fish!”
Wrap up the activity and put the fish away when the infant shows signs of disinterest. Example: “I can see that you are watching Mia play. I think you are done playing with our fish today, Isaac. We will put it away.” Acknowledge the infant’s focus on the toy during the activity. Example: “We had fun playing with our toy fish, Christian! You watched the fish move back and forth. You held the fish. Then you moved it back and forth too! When you were done, we put the fish away.”
Concentration
An infant watches a moving object and independently manipulates the object with caregiver encouragement.
Invite an infant who can sit independently and grasp an object to sit with you on the floor to play with a toy. Sit facing the infant with a smile and introduce the toy fish. Hold the fish in front of the infant and pretend to make the fish “swim” slowly from side to side. Encourage the infant to watch the fish move for a few moments. Example: “You are watching our fish swim. You are moving your eyes to watch the fish.” Invite the infant to touch or hold the fish. Example: “Now it is your turn to play with our fish. Would you like to hold the fish?”
Encourage the infant to hold, look at, and move the toy fish. Talk with the infant about his/her actions with the toy. Examples: “You are holding the fish. You are touching the fish’s eyes. What are you going to do next?” Acknowledge the infant’s responses to the activity. Example: “You are smiling and waving the fish back and forth. I can hear you cooing. You are having fun playing with the fish.”
Transition out of the activity when the infant begins to show signs of disinterest with the toy. Acknowledge the infant’s focus on the toy during the activity. Example: “You watched the fish swimming up and then down, Alex. Then you held the fish. You felt the fish’s crinkly fins and tail. When you were done, we put the fish away.”
Each of these options supports young infants in learning to visually focus on a moving object. Adding the sense of touch further enhances the infant’s experience of focusing on an object. Watch the infant’s interest in the toy closely to determine how much to move the toy or how long to offer the activity. Some infants may enjoy watching you move the toy, whereas others may be eager to hold the toy themselves. Remember that infants often explore new objects with their mouths as well as hands. Infants may focus on the toy for several minutes, or begin to lose interest much sooner. Infants may show disinterest by looking away, fussing, squirming, or crawling/walking away. Acknowledge each infant’s focus on the toy during the activity.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: several toys with interesting features, such as the toy fish in the activity plan
During floor time, select a toy to engage one or several nearby infants. Follow the steps outlined in one of the activity options and encourage infants to focus on the toy as you move it around them. Describe your actions with the toy to encourage the infants to follow your movements. Give each infant a similar toy to touch and hold. Talk with infants about their actions and responses as they explore the toys.
Materials Needed: colorful book, such as The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Select a book that is interesting and colorful to support infants’ engagement and focus during the activity. Read the book enthusiastically with all the children in your care. Make frequent eye contact with each infant to encourage engagement in the activity. Invite infants and older children to touch pictures in the book that are of interest. Infants and toddlers may enjoy holding a toy related to the story.
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