Whether you are babysitting, volunteering to watch a child or just want to play with a young person, you’ll need to know how to interact with them. Exactly how you interact with a child will depend largely upon how old that child is. Children are generally grouped into 3 categories: infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. Knowing how best to interact with each age group can help you make the most of your time spent interacting with children. Here we tell How to interact with Children.
Interacting with an Infant or Toddler
- Babies will learn through their sense of touch, what they see and what they hear. Use sensorial play, meaning you should invite them to touch objects with you, which helps them learn. A very young infant learns something the second they see or feel it. For example, once they see black on red, or feel the texture of paper, that seed has been planted. Encourage them and help them to understand new things.
- Always make sure to speak softly, use a positive tone of voice, and move gently when holding or interacting with an infant or toddler.
- Allow the baby or toddler to be the one to initiate contact with you. Invite the child to hold your hand, take a toy from you, or ask them for a hug. You can also greet them with a smile, and by saying, “Hello!” They can recognize their name, so be sure to use it!
- Infants and toddlers might not like when someone they don’t know well holds them. If the baby starts crying or gets uncomfortable, try handing them back to someone they are familiar with. A good recommendation is introducing the person to the baby through things like direct touch and letting the person talk to them.
- Your feelings may affect your body language and tone. Make sure you’re in a calm, collected and reassuring mood when holding or speaking to a toddler.
- Don’t shout or use sharp tones near a baby or toddler.
- Try playing games that repeat sounds or words. Reciting a simple nursery rhyme is also a good idea.
- You could both sit on the floor and roll a ball to one another.
- Build something together with blocks. If the child isn’t building and rather demolishing block towers, it’s okay! They are learning. There isn’t much point in saying “No, look how Mommy does it, James.” because they will continue with what they understand better how to do. By the age two, they will have learned to build, but who doesn’t love to demolish? They will still have that vibe.
Get imaginative by playing with dolls or stuffed animals. Use easy, simple words when saying dialogue . This is extremely helpful in getting them to understand. It is Really simple and easy to interact with Children