Comparing how your faces are the same and different helps your child learn to sort objects and experiences into categories. Sorting information into categories is important for reading, math, and science. And this game builds the connection between you!

Playing "Hot Potato" gives your child practice in following rules and taking turns. It also gives them practice at self-control, a skill that helps them to stick with something long enough to meet their goals.

Having conversations helps to build children’s brains—they're learning new words, and learning about cause-and-effect when they see the water go down the drain.

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When you’re "Window Watching," your child is practicing paying attention, focusing on an idea, and forming categories. These thinking skills are important for problem-solving.

"Waiting Games" is not about right or wrong answers. It's about learning strategies for waiting or self-control. Studies have found that patience and self-control help children thrive now and in the future.

This back and forth game of sharing a laugh is anything but silly. It is an important building block in your child’s ability to enjoy and communicate with other people. It also deepens your relationship with one another—and it’s fun!

This is real-life science. Guessing about what might happen promotes your child's curiosity. This helps them adopt a lifelong love of learning!

Your child is learning new words and sounds when you sing. The more meaningful and playful words they hear, the more they will appreciate language. This will help them learn more words to use when they begin to talk.

When your child hears new sounds and sees you respond to the sounds they make, they're focused and engaged. When they're focused and engaged, they learn new words and sounds that will help them talk and read in the future.

As your child focuses on relaxing, they're practicing skills like paying attention and self-control. You're also helping them learn strategies to relax in other situations.

Asking questions helps your child think before acting. This takes focus and self-control. Your child must stop what they might want to do so they can reach their goal. This is true for even something as simple as putting on shoes.

As they think of what to bring, they use what they already know to plan for the future. This is thinking critically to plan and thinking flexibly to come up with new and creative ideas. Taking turns also helps your child practice their self-control.

This guessing game helps your child with critical thinking skills. They use these while figuring out the important things about a person to use as clues.

When you respond to your child’s movements and sounds, you build a trusting relationship that supports future learning. You also teach them ways to deal with stress while building a love of language.

When you pay attention to what your child does and share their delight in doing and learning, you start them on the path to becoming a lifelong learner.

Having fun with stories is a great way for your child to learn and use many different words. When you make up the story together, your child is practicing working together creatively. They're also using their memory to remember what has already happened in the story.

This game is a fun way to help your child learn to focus and pay attention as they notice you and the mirror. They're also learning about how to communicate with others as you respond to their sounds and movements. This will help them learn to talk in the future.

Games like these help your child to think like a scientist. They're taking in the world around them and guessing how things compare or fit together. Repeat the game a few times with different objects for them to compare. Remember, repetition is how we learn!

This game is all about focus and self-control. Your child is concentrating to stay in the statue pose, and learning to tune out distractions so they can achieve a goal. This kind of playful learning helps them develop skills for life.