Joint Attention Activities for Infants

Rattle Interaction

• Place the infant in a bounce chair or other stable seating area. Give the infant a rattling toy she enjoys playing with. When the baby shakes the toy to make a rattling sound, comment on the activity by telling the infant, "Good job! You made the sound! Shake your rattle again!" As the infant responds by shaking the rattle, continue to comment on the activity when the baby looks to you for a response.

Ball Play

• Place the (older) infant in a seated position on the floor. Roll a ball to the infant, allowing the infant to catch the ball. This focuses the baby's attention on the ball. Then tell the infant to roll the ball back to you. The baby's attention will be focused on you while you speak, then on the ball again when she rolls the ball back. Continue this type of play until the baby grows tired of playing. This creates a continuous shift in the baby's focus of attention, strengthening joint attention.

Bucket Play

• Place several toys into a plastic bucket or container. Give the bucket to the infant and have him or her remove a toy. The infant's attention shifts to the toy. Ask the infant to remove one more toy from the bucket. The infant's attention shifts to you, then back to the toys when he reaches for a toy. Praise the child and ask him to pull out another toy after each try. Once he has removed all the toys, ask him to put a toy back into the container until he has replaced all toys.

Toy Time

• Point at a toy your infant likes and say, "Look." When the infant looks at the toy, pick up the toy and play with it. Tell the infant to look at you. Then give the infant the toy to play with.

Balloons and Bubbles

• Inflate a balloon but do not let it go. Or, inflate a bubble but leave it on the wand. Tell the infant to look. When the infant looks at the balloon or bubble, release it from your hand or the wand.

Taking Turns

• Push the button on a pop-up toy or noise-making toy that creates an action or sound, while saying, "My turn." Then pass the toy to your infant and say, "Your turn," allowing the infant to push the button on the toy. Take the toy back, saying, "My turn," while pushing the button. Continue passing the toy back and forth between the two of you until the baby tires of playing.

Ask for It

• Place one of your baby's favorite toys or objects out of his reach. Allow the baby to ask for the object (in whatever way your infant asks for things: this could be verbal or physical). As soon as the infant asks for the object, give the object to the infant.