11 months old

• “What comes next?” Introduce sequencing by laying pieces out on the floor, with the biggest piece at one end and the smallest at the other. Talk about the sizes: “This is the biggest cup and this is the smallest.”
• New discoveries. Let your child be the discoverer and explorer, because that's the joy of play!

• Let’s chat. Promote your baby's language development and encourage early "conversations" by pretending to call her, or helping her call her dolls and stuffed animals.
• Again! Again! He’ll want to press the buttons and hear the sounds over and over again, so let him go. Besides being good for a laugh, these actions cement in his mind the idea that his actions cause something else to happen.

• The joy of motion and the chance to get a different view of the world are just some of the pleasure of outdoor toys like swings.
• Make connections. Here’s a chance for you to help your child make connections between words and meanings as well as understand directions.
• Talk about motion. “You're swinging back and forth” or “you're moving up and down.” Count out loud the number of times baby goes back and forth, and point out things in your yard for baby to see, labeling them with words.

You can do it! Let your child play with the toy independently. Be there to help him if he needs you, and offer your encouragement: "You can do it … go ahead."

Play a game with your child to make up a song—make a sound with the toy and ask your child to mimic you. Or just follow what your child does.

Attach words to your child's movement with the toy, and also to the toy's features. Say “back and forth” or “side to side” as your child moves the toy.

Clap or sing along to encourage your child; you may even want to accompany him on another instrument. These "I can" play activities get filed away in your child's memory bank and boost self-confidence.