Early Math Counts

Play: Infants begin by using their eyes to explore toys and then begin to use their hands and mouths to explore. Their play is primarily shaking, banging and mouthing. At the end of this stage, they begin to look for dropped toys and may find a partially hidden object.

Communication: Young infants recognize their parents and familiar caregivers. They smile and laugh during playful interactions such as peek-a-boo. They make early cooing and babbling sounds.

Motor: When placed on their tummies, infants learn to hold up their heads and reach for toys. They begin to reach and grasp for objects, beginning with the caregivers’ clothes and hair and then moving on to toys and objects. At the end of this stage, many infants may help hold their own bottles and help bring the bottles to their mouths. They may also begin to take pureed food from a spoon.

• Shirt
• Pants

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.

Changing clothes is a great opportunity to reinforce the concepts of UNDER and OVER and, at the same time, begin to teach infants the names for body parts. When removing the infant’s shirt, say: “Your shirt is OVER your head.” When putting on the infant’s shirt, say: “Your tummy is UNDER your shirt.” Be sure to touch the body parts as you name them so that the infant can learn the name and position of the body part in relation to the article of clothing. Repeat the UNDER and OVER discussion when putting on or taking off pants, being sure to name the body parts in relation to the position of the pants.

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.

• Shirt
• Pants

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.

Many infants need one or two changes of clothes during the day. Changing clothes is a great opportunity to reinforce the concepts of UNDER and OVER and, at the same time, begin to teach an infant the names for body parts. When removing the infant’s shirt, say: “Your shirt is OVER your head. Encourage the infant to participate by helping the infant pull the shirt off of his/her head. After putting on the infant’s shirt, say: “Your tummy is UNDER your shirt.”  Encourage the infant to participate by helping him/her pull the shirt down OVER the tummy. Be sure to touch the body parts as you name them so the infant can learn the name and position of the body part in relation to the article of clothing. Repeat the UNDER and OVER discussion when putting on or taking off pants, being sure to name the body parts in relation to the position UNDER or OVER of the pants.

• Shirt
• Pants

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.

Many infants need one or two changes of clothes during the day. Changing clothes is a great opportunity to reinforce the concepts of UNDER and OVER and, at the same time, begin to teach infants the names for body parts. When removing the infant’s shirt, say: “Your shirt is OVER your head. Encourage the infant to participate by encouraging him/her shirt to pull the shirt off of his/her head. After putting on the shirt, say: “Your tummy is UNDER your shirt.” Encourage the infant to participate by pulling his/her shirt down OVER the tummy. Be sure to touch the body parts as you name them so that the infant can learn the name and position of the body part in relation to the article of clothing. Repeat the UNDER and OVER discussion when putting on or taking off pants, being sure to name the body parts in relation to the position UNDER or OVER of the pants.