Ok, I've had a look at that Brain Games book I told you about and decided to tell you about some of my faves.
Look What I See:
Take several colorful toys and, one at a time, slowly move them back and forth in front of your baby to sitmulate their vision.
Take your baby's hands and gently clap them in front of her face. As you do this, say the following poem:
'Clap, clap, clap your hands'
Clap your hands together.
Put your hands on mommy's face.
(Substitute the name of the person doing the rhyme with the baby)
Clap your hands together.'
Nuggle nose
Hold your baby in the air and say, "nose, nose nuggle n ose.
On the word 'nuggle' bring him down and touch your nose to his
Keep repeating the game, touching noses on the word nuggle
After you have played this a few times, say the word 'nuggle' more than once, always touching noses.
For example say, 'nuggle,nuggle,nuggle nose' while touching noses three times
Going up the Escalator
Hold on to your baby's fingers and gently lift her arms as you say the following rhyme:
'Going up the escalator,
up,up,up
Going down the escalator,
down,down,down'
Lift your baby's legs and say the rhyme.
Continue lifting different parts of her body, saying the rhyme each time
Try ending with lifting her up in the air and down.
Always give a kiss on the down part.
Dance a Baby
Hold your baby firmly under her arms and dance her on a soft surface
Say the rhyme and do the actions:
'Dance a baby diddy
What can I do widdy?
Sit on a lap
(put baby on your lap)
And give her a pat
(gently pat her cheek)
Dance a baby diddy, dance a baby diddy
(go back to dancing)
Wiggles and Shuffles
Place your baby on his tummy and lie on the floor facing him
Put an interesting toy in front of him but just out of his reach
Move the toy (balls with jingles are good) back and forth.
As he attempts to get the ball, he will probably shuffle forward a little
Give him a chance to retrieve the ball and praise him generously