Early Math Counts

• Infant’s socks
• Infant’s hat
• Infant’s cold-weather clothing items, if appropriate

Note: Small parts pose a choking hazard and are not appropriate for children age five or under. Be sure to choose lesson materials that meet safety requirements.

Dressing for outdoors and indoors: Place the infant ON a blanket ON the floor. Sit down with the infant and talk about getting dressed to go outside. Show the infant his/her socks. Say: “Socks go ON (child’s name) feet.” Show the infant his/her hat. Say: “Hat goes ON (child’s name) head.” Repeat with other outdoor clothing items, if appropriate for the weather. Jackets go ON bodies and mittens go ON hands.

When coming inside after playing outside, talk about getting undressed now that the infant is inside. As you take OFF the infant’s socks, say: “Socks are OFF (child’s name) feet.” As you take OFF the infant’s hat, say: “Hat is OFF (child’s name) head.” Repeat with other outdoor clothing items, if appropriate for the weather. Jackets come OFF bodies and mittens come OFF hands.

Play: At the beginning of this stage, play is mostly shaking, banging and mouthing toys. By the end of this stage, infants begin to combine objects that go together in play. They reach for and hold two objects and may begin to reach for a third. Many infants will look for dropped toys and find partially and completely hidden toys. Many infants enjoy taking objects out of containers and putting them back in.

Communication: At this age, infants respond when their names are called. They may turn their heads, make eye contact and sometimes smile and vocalize. They may look for family members and pets when called by name. They may respond to simple requests made with gestures, such as: “Come here.” They may understand “No” or “Stop.” They may lift their arms to be picked up, clap hands and wave bye-bye. They love to shout and squeal and may be babbling with many different sounds. They may be participating in and sometimes initiating peek-a-boo.

Motor: During this stage, many infants begin to sit by themselves and play. They begin to move by rolling, crawling and cruising. They pick up toys by using a raking motion with their whole hand and, by the end of this stage, they are using their fingers and thumbs to pick up small objects. They may feed themselves small bits of food.

Infant’s socks
Infant’s hat
Infant’s cold weather-clothing items, if appropriate

Note: Small parts pose a choking hazard and are not appropriate for children age five or under. Be sure to choose lesson materials that meet safety requirements.

Dressing for outdoors and indoors: Place the infant ON a blanket ON the floor. Sit down with the infant and about getting dressed to go outside. Show the infant his/her socks. Say: “Socks go ON (child’s name) feet.” Show the infant his/her hat.  Say: “Hat goes ON (child’s name) head.” Encourage the infant to place the hat ON his/her head by showing the infant how you put your hat ON your head. Repeat with other outdoor clothing items, if appropriate for the weather. Jackets go ON bodies and mittens go ON hands.When coming inside after playing outside, talk about getting undressed now that the infant is inside. As you take OFF the infant’s socks, say: “Socks are OFF (child’s name) feet.” Encourage the infant to take the hat OFF. Say, “Hat is OFF (child’s name) head.” Repeat with other outdoor clothing items, if appropriate for the weather. “Jackets come OFF bodies and mittens come OFF hands.”

Infant’s socks and shoes (if the infant wears them)
Infant’s hat
Infant’s cold-weather clothing items, if appropriate

Note: Small parts pose a choking hazard and are not appropriate for children age five or under. Be sure to choose lesson materials that meet safety requirements.

Dressing for outdoors and indoors: Place the infant ON a blanket ON the floor. Sit down with the infant and about getting dressed to go outside. Show the infant his/her socks. Say: “Socks go ON (child’s name) feet.” Help the infant put ON the socks. Repeat with shoes, if the infant wears them. Show the infant the hat. Say: “Hat goes ON (child’s name) head.” Encourage the infant to put ON the hat by showing how you put your hat ON your head. Repeat with other outdoor clothing items, if appropriate for the weather. “Jackets go ON bodies and mittens go ON hands.” Encourage cooperation and assistance from the infant while putting ON clothing items.

When coming inside after playing outside, talk about getting undressed now that the infant is inside. Encourage the infant to take OFF his/her shoes and socks. Say: “Shoes and socks are OFF (child’s name) feet.” Encourage the infant to take OFF his/her hat. Say: “Hat is OFF (child’s name) head.” Repeat with other outdoor clothing items, if appropriate for the weather. “Jackets come OFF bodies and mittens come OFF hands.” Encourage cooperation and assistance from the infant while taking OFF clothing items.