What is age-appropriate play for infants and toddlers?
Infants rapidly learn to play through their own actions and their contact with people around them. Babies often play by interacting with adults who talk, sing, and laugh with them, and help them explore the world around them. People are babies’ favorite playthings. Parents and caregivers can play peek-a-boo games, dance with babies in their arms, carry them from room to room, and crawl on the floor with them. The ability to take turns begins with such simple interactive play. Adults help foster a baby’s language learning when they smile and talk to the baby during playful interactions such as peek-a-boo or handing a toy back and forth. This kind of give-and-take is the foundation for oral language development because it shows that conversation involves responses to the words and actions of others. Infancy is a good time for adults to begin reading and enjoying picture books with children. Adults can also listen to different kinds of music with babies and sing to them. Babies benefit fr
