Your baby’s grasping skills are developing at this age. Have her “help” with sorting the laundry to practice these emerging skills!
- laundry basket with clean clothes
- your child’s favorite books and toys
Step 1: Place several of your child’s favorite toys and books inside a basket of clean laundry and place the basket within your child’s reach.
Step 2: Pull out an item of clothing, describe the clothing, name and fold it. Explain to your baby that you are putting away her clean bibs, socks and clothes. Once she sees you pull out a piece of clothing, she may want to do the same. Encourage her to pick up something from the basket:
Can you take something out of the basket for me? Oh thank you! You picked up a bib! I can put it away for you. What else can you get from the basket? Oh, that’s your favorite book! You keep the book. What else will we find in here?
Your baby may want to place her toys or books back in the basket. That’s ok. Babies enjoy the repetition of putting things in and taking them out of containers.
Step 3: Continue to have your baby pull items out of the laundry basket for you until she is ready for something new.
