Activities for children from 8 to 18 months

These activities are designed to help the development of your child aged 8-18months, and align with stage 2 of the Developmental Journal Babies Visual Impairment (DJVI).

Safety first

Understanding my body parts

What you'll need

Music, toys, props, bag or pillowcase

Tips

Try to sing each song slowly, repeat and give your child lots of time to process. You may want to focus on one or two songs in each session to build your child’s familiarity.

Activity

Use a variety of songs, music and movement games to help reinforce the understanding of different body parts and positions. For example, Simon Says; Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes; If you are happy and you know it; The wheels on the bus.

Try making a Song Bag using a coloured bag, or brightly coloured pillowcase filled with objects to represent songs. Song Bags can encourage choice, body awareness and movement. Your child can reach into their bag and choose the object and song to sing. Here are some examples of songs and objects to try:

• ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ with a doll, or teddy. Help guide your child to place their hands onto the various body parts. You can gently tap the desired body-part or use a hand-over-hand approach.
• ‘The wheels on the bus’ with a bus toy. This song encourages hand movements. You can guide your child by completing the activity yourself as they place their hands over yours to feel the different actions and movements.
• ‘It’s time to wiggle’ with a snake toy. Encourages stretching, wiggling and touching body parts. You can guide your child by completing the activity yourself as they place their hands over yours to feel the different actions and movements. 
• ‘Scrub a - dub – dub’ with a clean, unused sponge.Try pretending to wash in the bath. You can help guide your child to place their hands onto the various body parts. You can gently tap the desired body-part or use a hand-over-hand approach. They can imitate the action on their own body or yours.

Learning to use my toys

What you'll need

Wooden blocks, spoons, pots, pans, light or musical toys

Tips

The concept of cause and effect is key to motivating and developing your child's interaction with objects, people and the world around them. Many early years toys help teach this using a button to make the toy light up, play music, or move. Toys do not have to be fancy or expensive; the action only needs to have a positive outcome. Here are a few examples you may find helpful:

• Clapping hands
• Hitting a balloon
• Banging a saucepan with a spoon
• Banging wooden blocks together
• Pressing a button on a light-up or musical toy
• Turning over a rainmaker stick
• Toddlers xylophone
• Jack-in-a-box
• Water wheel in the bath
• Musical keyboard

Activity

Spend time with your child, showing them what they need to do for the toy to work. They may need to put their hand on yours so they can feel the action you are applying.

Try to start with large objects, with simple actions like pushing a button or banging two things together. As your child's skills develop, you can begin to introduce more complex movements, such as pulling, pushing, twisting, turning or hammering.

If using light-up toys, it might be a good idea to darken the room or use a 'dark den' (indoor tent made from blackout material). Try to concentrate on one toy at a time; too many may distract your child and make it difficult for them to focus.

Exploring through touch – messy play and me

What you'll need

Tray or bowl, water, a range of toys

Tips

Try placing your hands on your child’s upper arms, elbows, lower arms, or wrists to guide them to any item you would like them to touch. Once you’ve located the item together, maintain gentle contact to show them that you’re there. For support, try placing your hands under your child’s hand while you touch the texture together. Talk about your shared experience; making this a calm but fun activity! By exploring new textures in this way, your child can stop and pull their hand away if they’re not comfortable. Re-introduce the texture again next time you play. Remember, it takes many opportunities to become familiar and comfortable with new textures, tastes and situations.

Activity

• Sing a variety of nursery rhymes and songs which engage hands and feet. Tickle, rub and blow your child’s hands and feet as you sing to bring attention to fingers and toes. This will help them to begin to identify their body parts, support their language development and increase your child’s tolerance of different texture and tactile sensations.
• Try to frequently set time for fun, messy play. It’s a good idea to have a set workspace to play in, such as a tray or washing-up bowl. Be prepared before you start with everything that you need.

• Repeat this activity using different ideas such as warm or cold water. Talk to your child and use simple phrases relating directly to the play.
• Every so often, you might want to add food colouring or glitter to the water, if this is appropriate to your child’s vision. 

• Try adding different objects to the water which contrast to the container you’re using. Encourage your child to explore floating and sinking.Use a variety of jugs, cups and bowls to fill. Talk about and feel the differences between full and empty. Pour between containers exploring each one first and before introducing new resources.
• Use a sponge to squeeze. Let your child explore this when dry, feel the weight and squeeze. Soak the sponge in the water and again encourage your child to feel its weight; squeeze and enjoy the water.
• Play with toy fish, whales, ducks – what are their distinguishing features, do they swim on top, or underneath the water? Add in boat toys too if this is appropriate.
• Splash and play for fun!

My early throwing and catching skills

What you'll need

Objects which are easier to catch, such as a softball, small pillow, balloon, a ball with a bell inside or soft sponge bag. 

You may want to consider using: 

• Lightweight objects – these travel slower and have reduced impact
• Objects which create sound, for example bell balls
• Increasing the visibility of objects and considering colour contrast

Tips

Remember to consider the environment. Depending on your child’s specific needs, they may find it a little more difficult outdoors rather than indoors where light levels can be controlled. Be mindful of this when throwing and catching.

Activity

• Sit with your child in a supported position. You may want to have two adults for this; one to sit with your child and the other to roll the ball.
• Count to three or say ‘Ready, steady, roll,’ before rolling the ball or item. This will give your child time to notice the direction the ball is coming from and learn to anticipate the item coming towards them.
• You can support your child by guiding their hands towards the ball and helping them to catch it. Talk to your child and support them to roll the ball back to the other person. Try to keep your language consistent, using the same phrasing "Ready, steady, roll".

My first hide and seek

What you'll need

Blankets, boxes, containers, teddies, balls, musical toys

Tips

It’s important that your child understands that when an item is not visible, or can’t be felt or heard, it hasn’t simply disappeared. Your child may think the item is no longer part of their world, that’s only natural. The concept of object permanence will motivate your child to explore and search their world as they develop.Remember if vision is reduced, smaller objects further away may not be visible to your child. Start with activities close and use bright coloured objects that are easily visible when uncovered.  

Activity

There are many games you can play with your child:

• Peek-a-booPutting a blanket over a toy
• Hiding a toy or ball under a cup, container or box
• Hiding a toy or object in a saucepan by using a lid
• Posting objects into a cardboard post box and letting your child discover they are inside.
• Playing simple hide and seek in one room

At first, start by partially hiding something, such as part of a teddy under a blanket. Encourage your child to remove the blanket or do this together. Reinforce the behaviour with positive surprise and fun sounds when toys are found or uncovered. Use phrases like, 'Where's teddy gone?', 'Can you feel where teddy is?', or 'Can you see where teddy is?', to gain your child’s attention and develop the idea of them searching for something.

To support your child’s needs, you may want to attach toys to their highchair with a short length of string will help them develop this concept. If the toy falls over the side, they can use the string to bring the toy back up. You could also hide toys that make a noise under a blanket or in a box.