Involve your baby in finding a solution

What you need 

• A bit of time to spare during everyday routines 

What to do 

1. When you play with your baby, find a problem to solve. This could be simply how can I get the toy from the bottom of the box, or how could I reach the ball that has rolled into the bush? 
2. Use simple language to describe the problem, along with gestures. For example, say: “Oh no, the ball is in the bush. It’s right at the back, what can I do?” while pointing at the ball. 
3. Comment and think aloud as you decide how to solve the problem. “I’m going to look around and see what I can find. I need something long.”  
4. If your solution doesn’t work first time, this is great! Talk about this and narrate your ideas to try next, “Oh, I made a mistake. It’s still stuck. I need a stronger stick...”  

Good to know 

Your baby will watch and listen as you work out a solution, and this will help them to understand how you can think through a problem. By doing this in lots of different situations, over time your baby will start to see that this is how to problem solve.