Here's what to do: Place a piece of colored tissue paper or a sheer scarf over the end of the flashlight. (Hold your "filter" in place with masking tape or a rubber band.) Then shine that beautiful beam around the room, letting the light dance across your baby's ceiling, walls, toys, and toes! Narrate the show as you experiment with concepts such as fast and slow, high and low, and back and forth. Change the color of your filters for new effects, or turn the lights in the room on and off to demonstrate the difference between light and dark. Your baby will be fascinated by what she sees, and what the light beam can do!
Another exciting game: Chase the beam! Shine the flashlight on the floor (or the wall or even the grass out in your yard), and encourage your baby to catch it. As her mobility and motor skills improve, so do the possibilities for fun with the flashlight. Eventually, she'll be able to hold it while you chase the beam — and what could be better than making Mom run around?!
Here's why it's good for babies: Watching the light move across surfaces exercises your child's ability to visually track objects, as well as boosts her sensory development. Chasing the beam promotes eye-hand coordination and gross motor skills. Plus, your narration builds your baby's vocabulary.