At Baby Einstein, our mission is to inspire meaningful moments between you and your baby every day. In this Ask the Expert series, we offer a variety of topics to help you discover new ways to share these special moments. We encourage you to join the conversation below.
Talk! Talk! Talk!
From the moment we say that first hello to our new baby, we begin developing our little one’s language. So, when you’re watching a Baby Einstein DVD, you don’t have to be quiet. This is a chance to create little stories.
For example, if you see mechanical toys on the DVD, describe the action to your baby — “see the seals go UP the ladder. Now they’re sliding DOWN and around — very fast.” Once your baby starts “talking” back to your sounds, praise, cuddle and imitate to keep the conversation going. Even if you feel self-conscious about talking to a 6-month old, just stay the course. . Babies are listening and will show you with a smile, nod or squeal the many different ways they understand your language.
Link It to the Real World
Whenever there is an opportunity to link what you have seen on the DVD to other experiences in a baby’s life, make that connection. For example, if you watched a DVD about animals, you might say, “Oh, look. There’s a BIG fish on the screen. Do we have another fish in our house?” And off you go to look at your gold fish. This kind of activity shows baby that something we see in one place can be seen in other places too.
Try using puppets or baby's favorite stuffed animals to mimic the action in the DVD
Bring It to Life
If children or puppets on the DVD are jumping or dancing, you can hold your little one and dance along to show baby how it feels. You can also play infant-sized musical instruments to accompany the DVD Orchestra. Or, try using puppets or baby’s favorite stuffed animals to mimic the action in the DVD. This will always get giggles from the babies. They want to do what they see and you can make that happen.
Connect the Dots
Try making connections between what happens on screen with what happens in baby’s life. If you have a DVD that contains sign language, try some of the simpler signs with your baby. If you see how the puppets always do silly stuff, bring a puppet to mealtime to help you serve the food or provide additional encouragement to complete the meal.
Make it a Family Affair
Consider using DVD time as a way to interact with the whole family. If baby has an older sibling(s) around, you can invite them to watch the DVD with you. Encourage your older child to point out the names of the animals, say the colors or even make animal sounds. They will love playing with baby and will be excited about showing off how much they know!