Baby's Body Awareness

One great benefit to doing chants and rhymes with your baby is that they facilitate baby's discovery of his/her own body. Infants become aware of their own body little bits at a time. I still remember when all my babies discovered their hand or foot for the first time and what a delight it was to see the intrigued look in their eyes as they examined this new discovery....

To help your baby discover his/her own body more and more, consider doing baby chants on the left and right sides of their body. This will help them feel and discover more than just their bellies and those cute little cheeks that everyone pinches.

For example, start from the foot or the hip on the Right side and rhythmically move your fingers up to the pattern of the chant (ending with a big tickle).

 Then try the Left....

You can use any chants you like (you can always browse on this site), but here are a few that are shorter, so they work well for your short little bundle of joy and time-out well for a trip up or down the side of your baby). 

Jump A Little 

Jump a little, jump a little,  (jump with your fingers)

Jump, jump, crow. 

Have a little cake 

and away we'll go! 

Little Grasshopper

There was a little grasshopper, 

always on the 'jump'  (jump with your hand)

Because he never looked ahead, 

He always went "Bump!"   (tap baby's head or nose)

And, tried and true, your favorite and mine, 

To Market, To Market

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig, 

Home again, home again, jiggity jig. 

To market, to market to buy a fat hog. 

Home again, home again, jiggety jog. 

To market, to market to buy a plum bun, 

Home again, home again, market is done! 

This one has oodles of possibilities! We like to go up one side during line one, then down the other side on line two, repeating this pattern for each verse. 

So.... 

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig,  (travel up baby's left side)

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.  (travel down baby's right side, tickling foot at the bottom each time.) 

Incorporate as many little tickles as possible to get those babies laughing and more aware of all their amazing and adorable little bodies! 

Enjoy! 

And... little (well, not-so-little anymore!... sniff, sniff...) baby M added high five for a job well done! 

Climbing Up and Sliding Down

There are any number of times when I'm sitting waiting.... waiting..... with baby M.
At the pediatrician's.... at a family member's house..... while he's supposed to be sleeping..... etc, etc....

Any baby chants are good for having a fun little tete a tete while killing time... And, these below involve using your fingers to "climb" and "slide" on your little precious baby. These will be enjoyed by most toddlers out there too.... :-)

Rhymes with these tapping motions are fun games to involve your child in while also incorporating his or her ability to feel a beat or pulse. The happiness and giggles for all involved make these a win-win. :-)

The first, a very well known nursery rhyme and oh-so-fun:

1. Hickory, Dickory Dock
Hickory, Dickory Dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one
and down he run,
Hickory, Dickory, Dock.

Motions: 
1st 2 lines: "walk" or "run" two fingers up from baby's foot to head.
"The clock struck one" - tap baby's head or nose once.
"and down he run.." run fingers back down to toes.

 2. Climb Up the Ladder
Climb up the ladder,
hurry to the slide!
Sit at the top
and down you slide!

Motions: 
Walk 2 fingers up baby's legs and tummy, fingers start to run on "hurry to the slide."
"Sit at the top" - Land on baby's shoulder.
On last line, "slide" fingers down baby's arm.

3. Johnny, Johnny, Whoops!

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Whoops!
Johnny, Johnny, Whoops!
Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, Whoops!
etc..

Motions:
Get baby's little hand in your hand, and starting with baby's pinky, use your pointer finger to tap on the top of each finger, until you get to the Whoops! where "Johnny" (your finger) slides down and then is back up and tapping again until the next Whoops! - which can happen wherever, of course. There's no need to follow the above text to a "t" or anything.
When you do the Whoops! do it in a higher pitched voice.... usually makes for more giggles. :-)
I still remember seeing elementary-aged kids doing this to each other, so there must be something exciting about it that extends past baby-hood. :-)

Have fun getting those babies giggling! Here's a giggling baby M for your entertainment: