Dressing your baby
Duration/age
Next time you are dressing your baby talk about what you are doing.
Let’s get you dressed and ready for the day. It’s cold outside so we need warm clothes.
As you move your baby around to put on their clothes, name the different parts of their body. After a while you might notice that your baby begins to help you by turning with you.
First we put on your top. Over your head it goes. One arm, now the other arm. There you go.
You could talk about what is going to happen next.
Let’s put on your pyjamas as it will soon be time for a sleep.
Try to use lots of interesting words when you are talking to your baby. They will get to listen to your voice and watch your face, even if they don’t understand all of the words.
You need warm and cosy clothes today. Here’s a woolly hat to keep you toasty.
Materials you will need
- Clothing
- Your baby
Skills this activity improves
Why does this matter?
As you talk with your baby they will begin to hear some words more frequently. They will begin to link those words with objects or experiences and learn that words have meaning. When you say ‘arm’ and touch their arm they will eventually learn to connect the two.
Babies learn lots of words well before they can speak, so the more often you talk with your baby the greater their word knowledge will be.
What does this lead to?
Having a large vocabulary helps children when they are learning to read. It also helps them to be able to express themselves and to understand what others are saying.
Language to use
- Arms, legs, feet, toes, tummy, head
- Top, bottom, pyjamas, clothes
- Woolly, soft, smooth
- Socks, booties
Questions to use
- Should we get you dressed now?
- Where’s your head? There it is!
Useful tips
- Remember to talk to your child in your home language.
- You might also like to take a look at the activities Baby talk and Singing with your baby.
Variation by age
Birth to two year olds
- Play games with your baby as you get them dressed. Try using rhymes like This Little Piggy Went to Market that include actions like playing with their toes.
- You can also play games like peekaboo as you dress your baby.
Questions to ask
- Peekaboo!
- This little piggy went to market
This little piggy stayed home
