Strategies for Promoting Nurturing,
Responsive Relationships with Infants
0-4 months
Focus on face to face play and parent
initiations
8-12 months
Focus on predictable interactions, infant
involvement
„„ Stay within the baby’s visual range (about 4 to
12 inches).
„„ Click your tongue, vary pitch and volume of
your voice, show excitement with your face and
voice to keep the baby’s attention.
„„ Imitate the baby’s smiles or vocalizations.
„„ Sing or talk to the baby during all routines, leaving pauses for the baby to respond.
„„ Offer objects (e.g., breast, diaper, wash cloth,
finger) and wait for response (e.g., eye contact,
hand or head movement).
„„ Respond to slight and subtle behaviors of the
baby, such as cooing, hand and head movement, changes in expression.
„„ Talk to the baby about what you are doing when it’s happening.
„„ When safe, during car rides point out objects or people visible
out the nearest window.
„„ Offer toys within the baby’s reach that the baby can grasp.
„„ Activate a toy (e.g., squeaking a squeak toy) and place within
the baby’s reach. If no response, repeat and verbally encourage
the baby to activate the toy.
„„ On stroller rides, position the baby facing forward, stop regularly and kneel next to the baby to point out interesting sights
(e.g., airplanes, trucks, other babies, animals).
„„ If the baby shows interest in another baby get down at her
level, and help her take a turn.
4-8 months
Focus on joint attention, infant initiation
Focus on more predictable
interactions, infant involvement
„„ Use your face to get the baby’s attention.
„„ Click your tongue, vary pitch and volume of
your voice, show excitement with your face to
keep the baby’s attention.
„„ Follow the baby’s attention, and return the
baby’s smile or vocalization.
„„ Sing, talk, laugh and pretend to cough to the
baby during routines, leaving pauses for the
baby to respond.
„„ When the baby begins to eat soft solid foods,
offer small bits of food within the baby’s reach
that the baby can grasp and bring to her mouth.
„„ Hold baby so she can help turn the pages of a
cardboard book and talk to the baby about the
pictures.
„„ Talk to the baby as he is playing, and take a
turn.
„„ Try to focus and comment on what is capturing
the baby’s attention.
12-18 months
„„ Follow the baby’s attention, and return the baby’s laughter,
smiles, babbling, and attempts at words.
„„ Sing familiar songs with the baby and pause at the parts of the
songs the baby can fill in. For example, sing the “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” pause at “DOWN came the rain” and encourage the baby
to sing “down…”
„„ Talk, laugh and pretend to cough to the baby during routines,
leaving pauses for the baby to respond
„„ Give her the names of toys or objects she looks at or touches.
„„ During diapering and bath time, name body parts on you and
the baby. Put bubbles on body parts you are naming.
„„ At mealtimes offer the baby a choice of two foods. For example, offer toast or fruit and wait for her to ask for one.
„„ Give small amounts of food and drink at a time to encourage
the baby to request more with hand movements or attempts at
words.
„„ Allow the baby to choose a book at bedtime.
„„ Place a cardboard book on the baby’s lap so she can turn the
pages and talk to the baby about the pictures rather than just
reading the book as printed.
„„ Put different sizes of containers in the bath or pool and show
the baby how to pour and dump water.
Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children
Department of Child and Family Studies • USF College of Behavioral and Community Sciences
http://www.challengingbehavior.org/
Strategies for Promoting Nurturing,
Responsive Relationships with Toddlers
19-24 months
Focus on verbal communication
and pretending
„„ Follow the toddler’s attention, and have conversations about the routines
„„ Sing familiar songs and pause at the parts of the songs the toddler can fill in.
„„ Have the toddler tell you what comes next (socks then shoes, diaper then pants,
cup then lid).
„„ Have the toddler tell you what items you need when diapering and bathing (e.g.,
wash cloth, soap, diaper, baby wipes).
„„ Give the wrong names for routine items (call a diaper a shoe; call a shirt a banana) and let the toddler correct you.
„„ If the toddler shows signs of distress, calmly ask what is wrong.
„„ Offer real choices.
„„ Play quick and simple games with the toddler (tag, red light green light, Simon
says, ring around the rosy, duck-duck goose, hide and seek, etc.). Expect shortlived games with lots of errors.
„„ Arrange items and toys so toddlers can explore and play with on their own:
„„ Put toys on lower shelves, hang clothes at the toddler’s level, put boots and shoes
where they can get them, keep blankets, cardboard boxes, dolls, blocks on low
shelves and model pretend play, etc.
24 - 36 months
Focus on conversations, independence
„„ Praise the toddler’s success at doing things independently (finding or cleaning up
toys, attempts at putting on shoes).
„„ Have clear rules or expectations for behaviors regarding playing with toys, animals, and remind and restate expectations often.
„„ On stroller rides, stop and let the toddler get out and walk or push stroller with
minimal help.
„„ At the park, a friend’s house, or a relative’s house encourage the toddler to play
near and with other children and ask the toddler about what they were doing.
»» Let the toddler do as much as they can independently and help only when
necessary to support learning.
Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children
Department of Child and Family Studies • USF College of Behavioral and Community Sciences
http://www.challengingbehavior.org/