Concentration
An infant practices focusing on a toy manipulated by a caregiver.
[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 car about 12 inches from the infant and begin moving it slightly from side to side.]
Do you see the car?
[Pause and acknowledge the infant’s response. Describe any visual attention the infant gives to the toy. Example: “I see you are watching the car, Tiana. The car is moving back and forth.”
Move the car a little farther to one side and back toward the infant’s middle. Describe the infant’s response. Example: “You are moving your eyes. You are watching the car move.”
Slowly move the car toward the infant’s middle. Describe your actions. Example: “I am moving the car so you can touch it.” Encourage the infant to touch or grasp the car. 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.
Describe the infant’s actions with the car. Examples: “You are reaching out and touching the car.” “You are holding the car, Simran. You are touching the car’s wheels.”
Respond to any infant vocalizations. Example: “You are looking at the blue car and cooing. I think you want to play with the car!”
Transition out of the activity when the infant shows signs of disinterest, such as looking elsewhere.]
[Smile and make eye contact as you describe what happened. Example: “We played with a blue car today. You watched the car go back and forth. You touched the car and moved it back and forth too!”]
Concentration
An older infant practices focusing on a toy manipulated by the infant and a caregiver.
Invite a mobile infant to sit with you on the floor to play with a toy. Sit facing the infant with a smile and introduce the toy car. Hold the car in front of the infant and pretend to make the car drive back and forth. Encourage the infant to watch the car drive around for a few moments. Example: “I can see you are watching the car drive. You are smiling and moving your eyes to watch the car.”
Invite the infant to touch and hold the car. If the infant is unable to reach and grasp it, hold the car near his/her hands. Example: “Now it is your turn to play with our car. Would you like to hold it?” Encourage the infant to engage with the car and talk about his/her actions. Examples: “You are holding the car. You are driving it back and forth. What are you going to do next?” Acknowledge the infant’s responses to the activity. Example: “You are smiling and driving the car on your legs! You are having fun with the car.”
Transition out of the activity when the infant begins to show signs of disinterest with the toy car. Acknowledge the infant’s focus on the car during the activity. Example: “You watched the car drive back and forth. You touched the car’s wheels. You made the car drive on the ground! We put the car away when you were done.”
The activity options support a young infant in concentrating on an object visually and through touch or manipulation. Most infants will be familiar with toy cars and will enjoy watching you move the car. Follow the lead of the infant throughout the activity to determine how much to move the car or how long to sustain the activity. Some infants may enjoy watching you drive the car, whereas others may be eager to touch and hold the car. Infants may focus on the car for several minutes or begin to lose interest much sooner.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: several toy vehicles
Provide several toy vehicles for infants to play with during floor time. Select a vehicle to engage one or several nearby infants. Use some of the strategies suggested in the activity options to help infants to focus on the vehicle as you drive it around them. Some infants may enjoy you lightly driving the car or truck over their legs or arms. (Watch closely for each infant’s reaction to this. If any discomfort is expressed, return to driving the vehicle in the air or on the floor.) Describe your actions with the vehicle to encourage the infants to follow your movements. Give each infant a vehicle to touch and hold. Talk with the infants about their actions and responses as they explore the vehicles.
Materials Needed: several large toy cars, large ramp (may be made with a stiff piece of cardboard, large plastic tray, or other smooth surface propped at an angle)
Create a ramp for older toddlers and preschool-age children in your care to roll the cars down. Invite children to take turns placing a car at the top of the ramp to roll to the bottom. Encourage infants and younger toddlers to watch the cars as they roll down the ramp. Point to and describe the actions of the cars to encourage infants to follow the movements. Infants and young toddlers may enjoy holding a car during the activity.
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