13 Connecting Games to Play with Infants & Toddlers

Relationships between adults and children are incredibly important for children's development, especially in early childhood.  Close relationships help to build children's brains, setting the foundation for their lifelong learning, behavior and health.

Relationships are built over time, through "serve and return" interactions between adult and child.  Every minute we spend building our relationships with children is time well-spent, whether it is in families or at school.

One way to build these important relationships is by playing "connecting games." ​

 To play a connecting game, just include these 3 things:

• Emotional warmth - your nurturing, compassionate presence
• Close contact - eye contact and gentle touch
• Playfulness - expressing joy and fun in being together

(adapted from Bailey, B.A.  2000.  I love you rituals.  New York:  HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.)

Here are 13 of my favorite connecting games to play with infants and toddlers.
​I hope you enjoy some of them!

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Bounces
(www.piercecountylibrary.org/files/library/wigglesticklesall.pdf)

Bumpy Road
Smooth Road, Smooth Road.                                           (move child in circular motion)
Bumpy Road, Bumpy Road.                                              (bounce your child on your lap)
Rough Road, Rough Road.                                                (bounce higher and faster)
Hole.                                                                                     (dip child between your legs)
  
Did You Ever See a Baby
Did you ever see a baby,                                                   (have your child sitting on your lap)
A baby, a baby?
Did you ever see a baby,
Go this way and that?                                                       (rock from side to side)
Go this way and that way,                                                (forward and back)
And that way and this way.                                              (side to side)
Did you ever see a baby,
Go this way and that?                                                       (forward and back)
 
Giddy Up Horsey
Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up horsey.                          (bounce child on knees)
Giddy-up, giddy-up, go, go, go
Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up horsey.
Giddy-up, giddy-up, Whoa!                                             (let child slip through knees)

I Bounce You Here
I bounce you here, I bounce you there,                         (bounce child on knees)
I bounce you, bounce you, everywhere.
I tickle you here, I tickle you there,                                (gently tickle child)
I tickle you, tickle you, everywhere.
I hug you here, I hug you there,                                      (hug child)
I hug you, hug you, everywhere!
 
Let’s Go Riding in an Elevator
Let’s go riding in an elevator.                                          (hold child in front of you on lap)
Let’s go riding in an elevator.
First floor,                                                                           (at “first floor” start to lift child up
Second floor,                                                                      rising up a little at each floor)
Third floor,
Fourth floor,
Fifth floor,                                                                           (by “fifth floor” child should be high)
Doooowwwwwnn!                                                           (bring child quickly back to lap)

Shoe the Little Horse
Shoe the little horse,                                                         (pat child’s left foot)
Shoe the little mare,                                                         (pat child’s right foot)
But let the little colt                                                          (bicycle child’s feet around and around)
Run free everywhere.

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Fingerplays & Lovies
​(www.piercecountylibrary.org/files/library/wigglesticklesall.pdf)

Elephant Song
One elephant went out to play,                                        (hold up one finger)
Over the hills and far away.                                              (wave finger like it is going over the hills)
She had such enormous fun,                                           (on “enormous” circle arms out and around)
That she called for another elephant to come.            (cup hands over mouth)
“Oh Elephant!”…                                                                  (call out and then pound the floor for the running                                                                                                      elephant sound)
 (Repeat with as many elephants (fingers) as you want)

Little Flea
Creeping, creeping, little flea,                                          (creep fingers up child’s body and down again)
Up my leg and past my knee.
To my tummy, on he goes,
Past my chin and to my nose.
Now he’s creeping down my chin,
To my tummy once again.
Down my leg and past my knee,
To my toe that little flea.
​GOTCHA!                                                                             (gently tickle baby’s tummy and switch to other foot)

One, Two, Three
One, two, three,                                                                   (tap on baby’s knee)
Tickle your knee.                                                                (gently tickle baby’s knee)
Four, five, six,                                                                      (tap on baby’s tummy)
Pick up sticks.                                                                     (gently tickle baby’s tummy)
Seven, eight, nine,                                                              (tap on baby’s chin)
You’re all mine!                                                                   (hug baby)

Round and Round the Garden 
Round and round the garden,                                          (make a circle in child’s palm)
Goes the teddy bear.
One step, two steps,                                                           (fingers walk up child’s arm)
Tickle you under there.                                                     (gently tickle child under arm)
Round and round the haystack,                                       (make a circle in child’s other hand)
Goes the little mouse.
One step, two steps,                                                           (fingers walk up child’s arm)
Into his little house.                                                           (gently tickle child under arm)\

Two Little Eyes
Two little eyes to look around.                                         (point to child’s features as mentioned)
Two little ears to hear each sound.
One little nose to smell what’s sweet.
One little mouth that likes to eat.

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Movement Games ​
(adapted from: www.babycentre.co.uk/a554804/games-to-play-with-your-baby-under-12-months)

 Young children love to move!  Older infants roll, scoot and crawl; toddlers walk, run, jump and climb. Make up some connecting games to play with them while they are on the go.  Here are a couple of examples:

Catch Me if You Can!
Toddlers love to be chased.
The object: catch the child with a big bear hug and tickles
You can pretend to be different types of animals.

​Come and Get me!
If your infant can crawl, spread some cushions and pillows on the floor. Stay at ground level and peep out from behind them, encouraging her to crawl over them. 

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Try some of these connecting games, or use your own favorite connecting activities with your infants and toddlers.  You will be helping your children - and yourself - thrive!  Have fun!