Our friends at Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child offer a series of 10 handouts for parents of infants and toddlers to “practice and strengthen important executive function skills . . . including learning to focus attention, strengthening working memory, and developing basic self-control.” Brain-Building Through Play: Activities for Infants, Toddlers, and Children incorporates fun and engaging activities for little ones from birth to three (and beyond) with songs, games, and fingerplays parents can incorporate into their daily routines with ease. Even better, all the handouts are available in both English and Spanish. They are all linked below:
- 6 Games to Play with Babies (6 months)
- Seis juegos parap jugar con bebés (6 meses)
- 5 Games to Play with Babies (9 months)
- Cinco juegos para jugar con bebés (9 meses)
- 5 Games to Play with Toddlers (12 months)
- Cinco juegos para jugar con niños pequeños (12 meses)
- 5 Games to Play with Toddlers (18 months)
- Cinco juegos para jugar con niños pequeños (18 meses)
- 6 Games to Play with Toddlers (2-3 years)
- Seis juegos para jugar con niños pequeños (2 a 3 años)
The ICC-Recommended Early Start Personnel Manual (ESPM) describes core knowledge and role-specific competencies needed for early intervention service provision, incorporating current research and evidence in the field of early intervention. To access the ESPM, click here.
This resource is related to the following ESPM knowledge-level competencies:
- Core Knowledge (CK):
- CK5: The importance of play as context, method and outcome of learning.
- Individualized Family Service Plan Development and Review (IFSP-DR):
- IFSP-DR5 (EIS): Understands the rationale for the identification and selection of intervention strategies used in everyday routines, relationships, activities, places and partnerships for early intervention activities (or justification of the extent to which some outcomes cannot be achieved in a natural environment).
- Individualized Family Service Plan Development and Review (IFSP-i):
- IFSP-i6 (EIS): Understands the need for developmentally appropriate strategies (for example, hands-on, experiential, child-centered, play-based activities within daily routines), adaptations, assistive technologies and other supports that maximize the child’s learning opportunities.