Feeding · Talking & UnderstandingYou saw the bottle: milk time
Your hungry baby spots the bottle or breast and opens their mouth before you're ready.
Try
Name the milk, pause, then answer their kick or coo.
“You saw the milk!”
“You're ready!”
“Milk time.”
How to do it
- Settle into your feeding hold, facing them.
- Name what they've spotted, then stop for a moment.
- When they kick or coo, answer it and start feeding.
Conversation guide
- Child
- [sees bottle or breast, opens mouth, kicks]
- Parent
- 'You saw the milk!' [pauses]
- Child
- [kicks harder, coos]
- Parent
- 'You're ready! Milk time.' [starts feeding]
Why this matters
Your baby starts linking words with everyday moments. Answering their kick before you feed makes it a turn.
Getting changed · Speaking ClearlyRaspberry back
Your baby is blowing raspberries on the changing pad.
Try
Blow a raspberry back, then wait.
“Pbbbt!”
“What a noise!”
“Again?”
How to do it
- Make your face surprised and pleased as you blow back.
- Stop and look at them, waiting.
- When they blow again, answer again.
Conversation guide
- Child
- [blows] 'Pbbbt!'
- Parent
- [blows back] 'Pbbbt! What a noise!'
- Child
- [grins, blows again]
- Parent
- 'Pbbbt! Again?' [waits]
Why this matters
Your baby practices taking turns with sounds. Blowing back, then waiting, gives them the next turn.
What not to do
- Avoid talking over their raspberries; wait for a gap, then answer.
Floor play · Logic & NumbersHands over eyes, then boo
Your baby is sitting with support or lying on the floor, watching your face.
Try
Hide behind your hands, then pop out from a new side each time.
“Where am I?”
“Boo!”
“Up here!”
How to do it
- Cover your face and stay quiet for a second or two.
- Pop out from a new side each time: left, right, then above.
- Pause before each boo so their eyes can hunt for you.
Conversation guide
- Parent
- [covers face with hands] 'Where am I?'
- Child
- [stares at your hands]
- Parent
- [peeks out from the left side] 'Boo!'
- Child
- [laughs]
- Parent
- [covers again, waits a second] 'Where am I?'
- Child
- [watches your hands, still]
- Parent
- [pops up above your hands] 'Boo! Up here!'
- Child
- [eyes find your face, laughs]
Why this matters
Your baby starts learning that you come back after you hide. Popping out somewhere new keeps them looking for you.
What not to do
- Avoid long hides; pop back after a second or two.
Waking up · Talking & UnderstandingLet them chat first
You go in after a nap and your baby is lying in the crib babbling to themselves.
Try
Stop at the crib and listen first.
“Hello, you're awake.”
“Oh, you're chatting!”
“Tell me.”
How to do it
- Stand where they can see you.
- Answer their babble with a few words.
- Wait for their reply before you lift them.
Conversation guide
- Child
- [cooing] 'Ah-ooh-ah.'
- Parent
- [leans over crib] 'Hello, you're awake. Oh, you're chatting!'
- Child
- [kicks] 'Ooh!'
- Parent
- 'Tell me.'
- Child
- [coos more]
Why this matters
Your baby learns their sounds get an answer from you. Answering before you lift them turns babble into a chat.
What not to do
- Avoid scooping them up mid-babble; answer first.
Bedtime · Limits & CooperationLast song, bye-bye light
The routine is almost done and your baby is drowsy in your arms.
Try
After the last song, say bye-bye to the light and pause before you switch it off.
“Last song.”
“Bye-bye, light...”
“Lights out.”
How to do it
- Sing the same last song every night.
- Turn so they can see the lamp, and say 'Bye-bye, light' slowly.
- Pause until their eyes find it, then switch it off and whisper 'Lights out.'
Conversation guide
- Parent
- 'Last song.' [sings softly]
- Child
- [eyes heavy, looks at your face]
- Parent
- [turns toward the lamp] 'Bye-bye, light...' [pauses]
- Child
- [looks at the light]
- Parent
- [switches it off, whispers] 'Lights out.'
- Child
- [snuggles in]
Why this matters
Your baby starts learning what comes next at bedtime. Saying bye-bye to the light makes lights-out something they see coming.
What not to do
- Avoid adding one more song after the last one.
Going out · Talking & UnderstandingHear it, then see it
You're out with your baby and a bus rumbles past nearby.
Try
Stop and point toward the sound.
“Hear that?”
“A big bus.”
“Rumble, rumble.”
How to do it
- Stop when a sound catches their attention.
- Name what made it, and make its noise.
- Wait for them to look or make a sound, then answer.
Conversation guide
- Child
- [turns head toward a noise]
- Parent
- [points] 'Hear that? A big bus.'
- Child
- [watches the bus]
- Parent
- 'Rumble, rumble.'
- Child
- 'Ah!'
Why this matters
Your baby starts linking sounds with what makes them. Pointing at the rumbling bus shows where the noise comes from.
What not to do
- Avoid pointing out every sound; follow the ones they notice.
