In recent months your baby has developed the urge to categorize. But playing with plastic shape sorters has its limits if a baby hasn't mastered the spatial skill of fitting the shapes through the correct holes. This homemade alternative helps him sort things out on his own.
Appropriate for: 11 months to 2 years
Skills developed: Sorting, fine motor
What you'll need: A muffin tin and groups of rubber balls or other objects, all more than 2 inches in diameter
Collect a few large groups of related objects such as large seashells, rubber balls, or toys. Show your baby how to put an object into each cup of a muffin tin. Then, after you've helped him fill the tin and dump it out a few times, sort the same types of objects into their own cups.
This is a game you can continue to play for years, making it more sophisticated in terms of sorting and matching, grouping items, for example, by color and shape.
Safety note: Don't use any objects that are small enough for your baby to swallow or choke on. (A good rule of thumb is to avoid anything small enough to fit through a toilet-paper roll.)
Indoor Beach Baby
Can't get to the playground? Not to worry: Here's a way your baby can do all the sifting, measuring, and pouring that comes with sandbox play.
Appropriate for: 9 to 18 months
Skills developed: Fine motor, imagination
What you'll need: A dishpan or other large, relatively shallow container, cornmeal or sand, sand toys or cooking utensils, newspaper (optional)
Fill a dishpan or other shallow container with cornmeal (or sand from an actual sandbox, if you have one, or from a craft store) and place it on the floor. (You can put old newspapers down on the floor first to make cleanup easier, or do this activity outside.)
Offer some small sand toys or kitchen utensils to play with. Mini strainers, sifters, and flour scoops are great fun, as are measuring cups and spoons and, of course, good old buckets and shovels.
Remember: Each baby develops at a different pace, so if yours isn't quite ready for this week's activities, don't worry — just try them again in a few weeks.
Visit your 11-month-old, week 4 page