Context: any time
Setting: any location
Materials: none
Action:
Ask your child to move (e.g., wiggle their body in place) when you give one hand signal (e.g., clapping hands) and to stop moving when you give a separate signal (e.g., palm up facing your child)
Practice this a few times and then invert the rule and ask your child to move when your palm is up and to stop moving when you start clapping
Context: after playtime
Setting: play area
Materials: two types of toys (e.g., cars/trucks and animal figures), two containers
Action:
Set out two containers of different shapes and sizes.
Ask your child to put one type of toy in one container and another type of toy in the other container. Say, "Put the balls in this one, and the cars in this one" (demonstrate where the items go)
Remove the toys from the containers and switch where they go
Context: after mealtime
Setting: kitchen
Materials: snack foods (e.g., fruit slices, crackers, bars, cereal)
Action:
Ask your child to put only one type of food in a bowl/ basket (e.g., say, "Put only apple slices in the blue bowl and cereal in the red bowl.")
Change the rule and ask your child to sort the other way before having snack.
Context: playtime
Setting: living room or bedroom
Materials: blanket, shoes
Action:
Find a few pairs of lightweight shoes (e.g., sneakers, slippers, sandals) that will not get scuffed from being tossed.
Put the shoes in the center of a blanket, and say, "Let's mix up the shoes!"
Grab the corners of the blanket and toss the shoes until they are mixed up.
Say, “Let's find the shoes that go together! Which shoes go together?"
Context: anytime
Setting: any location
Materials: toys or items with a distinct top and bottom (plastic cups, toy cars, etc.)
Action:
Place the items in front of your child and ask them to put them right-side up (demonstrate as needed) Say, "Let's stand them up!"
After your child has placed the objects upright 3 times, gather them up and ask your child to do it again - but this time upside-down (demonstrate as needed). Say, "Let's go upside down!"