From two or three months old, babies may be exploring their own vocal play, first by cooing, then by babbling. Then towards the end of the first year, they play with early word sounds.
Adults and children can use voice play to support babies' and toddlers'
pre-verbal expressions. Playing with voice sounds with children under two helps them to focus on individual language sounds, and to watch how they are formed in the mouth. Voice play also helps young children to be creative and playful with sounds.
Here are some ideas:
* Listen to babies' voice sounds and copy them. Stop and watch what happens. Does she wait and then do the same again, or is it different? See what happens when you change your sound: try making it longer, or shorter or louder or quieter.
* When you do a playsong, or bouncing rhyme, use different noises to go with the movements, eg 'Boing, boing' or 'Splosh, splosh'. Children will quickly get to know the songs especially when you repeat them; little changes in the song keep it fresh and exciting.
* When you are busy, let children, particularly if they are still settling, know that you are nearby by singing a song they know, or a kind of special signature tune. Some practitioners have little whistles or familiar calls that the children they care for come to know. These can be very reassuring to young children, particularly in a group situation.
Useful props for playing with animal sounds:
1 Old Macdonald - a Hand Puppet Book. Includes finger-puppet farm animals and board book. ISBN 0-439-69392-6, Cartwheel Books , price 6.99.
2 Farm Babies, by Rod Campbell. A board book, ISBN 0-141-38072-1, Puffin Books, price 3.99.