English for Babies: Family

Read and Listen: New Words

1. mother (mom, mommy)
2. father (dad, daddy)
3. brother
4. sister
5. baby

On my lap

1. Put the baby on your lap.
2. Listen to the new words.
3. Repeat using your voice.
4. Point to the picture as you say the words.
5. Ask your baby to say your name:
   (Point to yourself) Say: "Who's this?"
6. Tell your baby the answer: "Mommy" or "Daddy"
7. Show excitement when he points at you.
8. Ask where the baby is.
   Say: "Where's the baby?"
   Point to your baby and say "Baby!"
   

Song, Rhyme or Story time

Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?: Traditional Rhyme

Mommy or Daddy: Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
Daddy: Mama stole the cookie from the cookie jar?
Mommy: Who me?
Daddy: Yes you.
Mama: Couldn't be.
Daddy: Then who?

Mommy: Daddy stole the cookie from the cookie jar.
Daddy: Who me?
Mommy: Yes you.
Daddy: Couldn't be.
Mommy: Then who?

Mommy or Daddy: Joey stole the cookie from the cookie jar.
(Point to the baby and say the words for him)
Who me?
Yes you.
Couldn't be.
Then who?

Continue using other family members. Encourage your baby to clap to the beat.

Five Baby Ducks

If you have rubber ducks it is fun to act this song out as your baby takes a bath. Drop one baby duck over the edge of the bath with each verse.

Five baby ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack Quack Quack Quack"
But only four baby ducks came back

Four baby ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack Quack Quack Quack"
But only three baby ducks came back

Three baby ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack Quack Quack Quack"
But only two baby ducks came back

Two baby ducks
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack Quack Quack Quack"
But only one baby duck came back

One baby duck
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack Quack Quack Quack"
But only one baby duck came back

Sad Mother duck
Went out one day
Over the hill and far away
Mother duck said
"Quack Quack Quack Quack"
And all of her five baby ducks came back

Playtime

Baby Album: Create a family photo album for your baby.

1. Choose five family members. If your baby doesn't have siblings, teach him "Grandma" and "Grandpa" or "Auntie" and "Uncle".
2. Place the five pictures into a small photo album.
3. Look at the album with your baby
4. Say: "Where's your sister?" or "Where's Grandma?"
5. Help your baby find the right picture.

Playing with Magazines: Babies love the sound and feel of magazines and catalogues.

1. Choose a magazine that you don't need or want to keep.
2. Sit your baby on your lap.
3. Look for pictures of families.
4. Say, "He is a daddy." or "There is a baby."
5. Say: "Let's find a sister." "She looks like a sister."

Family Tree: The outside of the fridge is a great space for teaching tools.

1. Draw a simple outline of a tree on a blank piece of paper. (Or ask baby's older sibling to draw it.)
2. Cut out faces of family members from photographs and glue them onto the tree.
3. When your baby is drinking from her cup or eating her snack, point out the people in the family tree.
4. Say: "Let's look at the family tree. Where's Mommy? Where's your sister? Where's Grandma?"