Playing with Your Child

When I was a teenager, I was told by my mother that if I imitated all things that my toddler brothers did and behaved exactly like them, I would be so tired by evening that I would drop dead. I dared not attempt doing the things they did. But today, a father, I know better.

What actually makes toddlers laugh and keep happy?

Provided your child is well fed, healthy and not tired, there are many kinds of pretense and real games you can play. Here are a dozen great ways you should use, refine and modify to keep your toddler giggling and smiling all through.

i) Faces. Make funny faces and grimaces. Fold your face, pull up eyebrows, roll up and down your lips, stretch them sideways and even bite them.

ii) The blind. Close your eyes and let your child move away from you as you try to catch him/her with your hands. He/she in turn closes his/hers and searches for you. Ensure that you are playing on safe ground and that nothing is exposed to risk by your "blind" movements.

iii) Be a Chameleon or lizard. Go looking for insects and butterflies and pretending to be catching them and swallowing them. Your child will marvel over this.

iv) "Dropping." Hold the child securely and safely in the air and pretend that you are going to drop him/her. Let him/her slide slowly through your arms while still threatening that you are going to let go. Finally, drop the child onto a bed or sofa or slowly on the ground. Try throwing the child up in the air and catching him/her. Don't throw him/her too high. He/she can get scared.

v) "Which hand has it?" Hide something interesting in one hand. Let him/her guess which hand has it. How funny and interesting this game becomes depends on your toddler's level of frustration. So once in a while let him/her guess correctly.

vi) Play upon words, especially relating to animals. Tell him/her that you can see a dog when in fact it is a cat. Let him/her correct you but still insist that it is a dog. When you see a goat, tell the toddler that you can see a dog. The child will correct you but still insist. Ensure that you eventually agree to be corrected so that the child does not come to believe you.

vii) Tickling. Get the toddler to close his/her eyes even blindfold him/her. Agree that he /she should not open eyes till you finish what you are doing. Then tickle spots like underneath the foot and chin. He/she will find opening the eyes irresistible amid lots of laughter.

viii) Hiding faces/eyes. Turn the other way. When your eyes meet, pretend to turn the other way. Then turn to his/her side when he/she turns the other way. Turn your other way when he/she turns your way. Keep doing that till your eyes come into perfect contact or excitement dwindles.

ix) "Monster." Chase him/her around. Follow him/her, roaring like a lion but do not overdo it. Your kid might be frightened.

x) "Hide-and seek." When the family is out on a walk, you and your toddler can run ahead and hide behind a tree or a small thicket and leap out at the opportune moment with shouts to surprise the others.

xi) "Cry." This is especially when you know a kiss or hug from the toddler acts to change the mood and makes you start smiling and laughing. Once you commence, the game can go on and on till your child is instead cuddled to sleep.

xii) Sleeping game. Lie back on the sofa or elsewhere and "sleep". When he/she comes to investigate, spring up and roar but not too loudly lest you scare the kid. You can go on with this for as long as it amuses your toddler.