Babies:

• Provide your baby with a variety of rattles and toys to try out.  Offer toys that feel different and make sounds.
• Kiss your baby's fingertips. Baby will learn the feel of your lips and soon start pointing his hands and fingers toward you.
• Rub your baby's fingers and toes one at a time.  Try using baby lotion to make it even more fun.  Your baby may enjoy the sensation.  This can help build body awareness.
• If your baby is sitting alone, provide a plastic bowl, bucket or box and a ball. Encourage the baby to drop the ball into the container.  You may need to demonstrate first, but soon enough he will get the hang of it!
• During bath time offer your baby some cups, pitchers, sponges and scoops to practice pouring, scooping and squeezing.

Toddlers:

• When you make out your shopping list, have paper and a pen or crayon for your child to write along with you. "I'm writing a list of what we need from the store. We need carrots and yogurt. You can write one, too. What do you need?"   Take your lists to the store and ask your  child cross the items off of his list as you place them in the cart.
• Find time every few weeks to go to the library and pick out new books.  Snuggle up and read together each day.  Read the books, talk about the stories, turn the pages and point to the pictures.
• Show your toddler how to put beginner puzzles together.  You can make your own out of everyday objects like cereal boxes or old coloring books.  Cut them into strips or simple shapes that your child can easily figure out.
• String some beads, cereal or macaroni with your child.  Practice using two hands in order to hold the string and slide on the beads.  An old shoelace or a string with some tape on the end make it easier to successfully get the beads onto the string. 

Preschoolers:   

• Give your preschooler a pair of kitchen tongs.  See if he can move cotton balls from one bowl to another.  Then try something heavier like nuts, rocks or bouncy balls.
• Provide your child with clothes that have large buttons.  Practice fastening the buttons.  First demonstrate how the button is hidden then "peeks" through the hole and finally moves all the way through. 
• When you have junk mail at home, have your child open it!  He can exercise his fingers opening the mail and pulling out the letter inside.  Help him write and mail letters to family, friends or a favorite performer.