OLA Ole Bebe Bilingual Games for Babies

Bilingual Brain Games for Infants (Birth to 3 months)
Hugs and Kisses                                                                                                                                   
Sing the following song (to “London Bridge”) as you rock and kiss your baby:
Hugs and kisses, I love you                                                    Besos y abrazos, te amo                                                                                               I love you, I love you                                                               Te amo, te amo                                                                                                     Hugs and kisses, I love you                                                    Besos y abrazos, te amo                                                                                           You’re my dear baby.                                                             Eres mi bebecito
You can sing this song and kiss your baby’s nose, toes and fingers.    Brain research tells us that a child’s capacity to control emotions hinges on early experiences and attachments!
Blowing Game                                                                                                                                   
Blow gently on your baby’s palms. As you blow, say the following words in a singsong chant:
“Here are the baby’s palms.”                                      “Aquí hay las palmas de la mano de bebé”                                                                            Then kiss your baby’s palms. Blow on other parts of the body. Brain research tells us that positive sensory experiences and social interactions with adults advance babies’ cognitive abilities.

Follow the Action                                                                                                                               

Babies love to look at faces! Here are some ideas for making faces:

Sing a song and use big movements with your mouth.                                                                                          

Blink your eyes.                                                                                                                                                        
Stick out your tongue.                                                                                                                                              
Make contortions with your mouth.                                                                                                                          
Make lip sounds.                                                                                                                                             
Cough or yawn.                                                                                                                                               
This develops baby’s vision and hearing.    Brain research tells us that by 2 months babies can distinguish features on a face.
Bicycle                                                                                                                                                                                                                Put your baby on her back and move her legs like she is riding a bicycle. Note: Never force your baby’s legs. If she resists, try something else.     Sing bicycle songs like “A Bicycle Built for two” as you move her legs. Make up a simple song like the following (sung to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”):
Ride, ride, ride your bike                                                         Monta, monta, monta tu bici                                                                                      Up and down the street                                                           Por toda la calle                                                                                                   Happily, happily, happily, happily                                             Felices, felices, felices, felices,                                                                                This is such a treat!                                                                Esto sí que vale!
Roll, Roll                                                                                                                                                     
Large inflatable balls are wonderful props to use with infants. One way to use this kind of ball is to place your baby on the ball. With her tummy on the ball and your hands holding her securely, slowly roll the ball back and forth, and sing the following song to the tune of “Row your Boat”:
Roll, roll, roll the ball                                                               Rolla, rolla, rolla la pelota                                                                                       Back and forth we go.                                                             De ida y vuelta vamos.                                                                                        Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily                                               Felices, felices, felices, felices                                                                                  Back and forth we go.                                                             Por todas partes vamos.                                                                                          This rocking motion is very relaxing for an infant. Brain research tells us that simple activities like rocking a baby stimulate brain growth.                                      
The words in English on this page were all taken from 125 Brain Games for Babies by Jackie Silberg (Beltsville, Maryland: Gryphon House, 1999). The Spanish was translated by M. Hunsinger.
 
Bilingual Brain Games for Babies (3 to 6 months)
Who is that Baby?                                                                                                                               Brain research tells us that since the neurons for vision begin to form very early, babies need stimulating visual experiences.
Sit in front of a mirror with your baby in your lap. Say, “Who is that baby?” Wave your baby’s hand and say, “Hi, baby.” Say, “Where’s baby’s foot?” Wave your baby’s foot and say, “Hi, foot.” Continue asking questions and moving different parts of your baby’s body. Smile into the mirror, make faces with silly sounds, make animal sounds, rock back and forth with your baby. Looking into a mirror gives your baby another perspective on who he is.   
Baby Moves                                                                                                                                             
Hold your baby close to your body and move around the room as you sing your favorite songs. Any song will do as long as it’s a song that you like. Try a marching cadence and say the words “hup, hup, hup”. You can also sway, turn, tiptoe, and take large, sweeping steps. Brain research tells us that singing and dancing with your baby is one of the best things that you can do to help “wire” his brain.
Tape Recording Sounds                                                                                                                                                                                        
Tape record your baby’s babbling, and then play the sounds of the tape and see how he responds.    Play CDs or tapes of other languages so that your baby hears other languages and sounds. Tape the sounds of your dishwasher and play it for your baby. This sound is similar to the sounds of the womb.   Play instrumental music or lullabies for your baby.   This kind of stimulating environment assures good language skills for the future. Brain research tells us that babies just 4 days old can distinguish one language from another and soon pay attention to the sounds that matter. Make a variety of languages “matter”.
Talking with Baby                                                                                                                                       
At this age, babies make a lot of sounds. Respond to those sounds by repeating them, or making them into words. Say a short sentence to your baby like, “It is a beautiful day today.” When your baby responds with some babble or a coo, stop talking and look into his eyes. As he talks, respond with a nod of your head or a smile. This shows that you are listening to him. Continue with another sentence, then stop and listen to your baby’s response. Take the words your baby makes, such as “ba ba” and turn them into sentences. “Ba ba says the sheep”. Brain research tells us that the number of words a baby hears each day influences his or her future intelligence, social graces and scholastic achievements.
Choo Choo Train                                                                                                                                       
As you say the following rhyme, move your fingers up your baby’s arm and back down again:                                                                                  Choo choo train, choo choo train                                               Rom, rom ferrocarril                                                                                                     Going up the track.                                                                   Por los carriles de riel.                                                                                           Toot, toot, toot, toot                                                                  Tut, tut, tut, tut                                                                                                         Now it’s coming back.                                                              Ahora vuelve fiel.
Repeat for the other arm. Be dramatic with the word “toot” and soon your baby will be trying to make that sound. Brain research tells us that dramatic speech encourages emotional expression in babies, and this in turn activates the brain to release chemicals that help memory.
Push the Baby                                                                                                                                                                                            
Lay your baby on his stomach. Get behind your baby and put your hands on the soles of his feet. When he feels your hands, he will try to bring himself forward by pushing on your hands. This is a preparation for crawling. While lightly pushing on his feet, sing the following song (to “London Bridge”)
Take your feet and push, push, push…                                 Con los pies y empuja, empuja, empuja…                                                                   Take your feet and push, push, push, all day long!                 Con los pies y empuja, empuja…. todo el día.
 
The words in English on these pages were all taken from 125 Brain Games for Babies by Jackie Silberg (Beltsville, Maryland: Gryphon House, 1999). The Spanish was translated by M. Hunsinger.
 
Bilingual Brain Games for Babies (6 months – 9 months)
One, Two                                                                                                                                               
Make up rhymes as you hold your baby’s hand and let him touch different parts of your body. Here are some ideas:                                                                                                                                                                      
One, two, touch my shoe.                                                      Uno, dos, toca los dedos.                                                                                               Yellow, red, touch my head.                                                   Azul, rojo, toca el codo.                                                                                               Dippity dips, touch my lips.                                                     Fi-fi-fabios, toca los labios.                                                                                  Apples, pear, touch my hair.                                                   Manzana, pera, toca la pierna.                                 
Each time you say the body part, put your child’s hand on that part. Reverse the game and touch your baby as you say the rhyme. Brain research tells us that babies need touching experiences to “grow” the brain.
This is the way                                                                                                                                     
Sit on a chair with a straight back. Cross your legs and sit your baby on your ankles. Hold her hands as you move your legs up and down. Sing the following song to the tune of “Mulberry Bush”:
This is the way we bounce, bounce, bounce                         Asi es como rebota, rebota                                                                                            Up and down, up and down.                                                   Arriba y abajo, arriba y abajo………                                                                            This is the way we bounce, bounce, bounce                         Asi es como rebota, rebota                                                                                         Every single morning.                                                             Cada mañanita.                                                                                                   Wheeeeee. (hold your legs up for two seconds and then lower them.                                          
Peekaboo Music                                                                                                                                       
Use this song as a peekaboo song as you cover your eyes as you sing the first lines, and pull your baby gently upward when you sing “Now it’s time to wake up”. Move her hands up and down as if she is ringing a bell when you sing “Ding, ding, dong”. Sing this to the tune of “Frere Jacques” (“Fray Felipe”): 
Are you sleeping, are you sleeping                                         ¿Querido (nombre del bebé), Querido (nombre)                                                          Little (child’s name), little (child’s name)?                               Duermes tú, duermes tú?                                                                                           Now it’s time to wake up,now it’s time to wake up,                Ya a despertarte, ya a despertarte,                                                                                   Ding, ding dong, Ding, ding, dong.                                          Ding, dang, dong, ding, dang, dong.                                                     
Brain research tells us that brain cells make new connections and strengthen existing ones with peekaboo games.
Peas and Carrots                                                                                                                                        
Babies enjoy eating with their fingers. In fact, it’s an important step in developing small motor skills. Put some cooked peas and carrots on the table in front of your baby and help him eat them as you sing the following song to the tune of “Frere Jacques” (“Fray Felipe”):
Peas and carrots, peas and carrots                                        Las legumbres, las legumbres                                                                                  Here they are, here they are.                                                 Aquí están, aquí están.                                                                                              Put them in your mouth now, put them in your mouth now          Ponlas en la boca, ponlas en la boca.                                                                            Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum.                                         Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum.                                                                           
Brain research tells us that practice in eye-hand coordination will develop “wiring” in the brain.
Waving                                                                                                                                                                 
Wave your baby’s feet and hands to people or pets your baby knows.. It’s best to play the game when the actual people are in the room. Sing the song to the tune of “Frere Jacques” (“Fray Felipe”):                                                            
Wave to daddy, wave to daddy                                              Saluda a papá, saluda a papá                                                                                 Wave, wave, wave, wave wave, wave                                      con la mano, con la mano                                         
Say hello to daddy, say hello to daddy                              Díle hola a papa, hola a papa                                                                                       Wave, wave, wave, wave, wave, wave                               con la mano, con la mano.                                      
Brain research tells us that creating an attachment with your baby is the most critical factor in her development.
The words in English on these pages were all taken from 125 Brain Games for Babies by Jackie Silberg (Beltsville, Maryland: Gryphon House, 1999). The Spanish was translated by M. Hunsinger.
Bilingual Brain Games for Babies (9 months – 1 year)
In and Out                                                                                                                                                 
Take a large paper sack and put a favorite toy inside. Help your baby find the toy and take it out. Put it back in again and keep playing the game over and over. Make up a silly song, such as the one below, and say it each time you put the toy back into the sack.
Sacky, wacky, toysie, woysie                                                            Bolsa, rolsa, juguete, paquete                                                                    Boom, boom,BOOM (say the last boom in a bigger voice)                    Bum, bum, BUM. (la última bum en voz más fuerte)       
Brain research tells us that early experiences shape the way circuits are made in the brain.             
Where is…?                                                                                                                                                    
Sit down with your baby and look at pictures together. Find a picture of someone in your family. Talk about the picture by naming the person in it. Say the name again and ask your baby to point to the person in the picture. Now, cover up the picture with your hand and ask your baby to find the person. Continue playing this game with another picture.   Brain research tells us that a warm, loving relationship with a baby strengthens the biological systems that help him handle emotions.
Father, mother and Uncle John                                                                                                                     
Put your baby on your lap facing you and recite the following rhyme as you bounce your knees.   On the words “father fell off”, hold your baby tightly and pretend to fall to one side. On the words “mother fell off,” again holding your baby tightly, pretend to fall to the other side.
Father, mother and Uncle John                                              Papá, mamá y tío Arturo                                                                                          Rode to the doctor one by one.                                              Cabalgaron al médico uno por uno.                                                                                Father fell off, Mother fell off                                                  Papá se cayó, Mamá se cayó                                                                                          But Uncle John rode on and on and on.                                 Pero el tío Arturo cabalgaba, andaba, viajaba.
Falling Ice                                                                                                                                                            
This is a great bathtub game. Fill a cup with ice cubes. Give your child another cup. Drop an ice cube in the tub and see if your baby can retrieve it with his cup. This is a lot of fun because he will have to chase it around the water with his cup!  
One, Two, Three, Kick                                                                                                                                      
Show your little one how you hold on to the side of a chair and kick your leg in the air. Encourage him to copy you. Say, “One, two, three, kick” and kick your leg in the air on the word “kick”. Listening for the word “kick” is a lot of fun for babies and kicking a leg into the air develops muscle strength. Kick in front, kick to the side, and kick in back. Brain research tells us that using muscles repeatedly gives them the power and pliability known as “muscle tone”, which is important in developing the nervous system.
Let’s Pull                                                                                                                                                                    
This game develops upper arm strength. Sit on the floor facing your baby. Take one end of a long scarf and give the other end to your baby. Start gently pulling the scarf and show your baby how to pull back. When he begins to pull hard, fall over! Brain research tells us that with muscles and coordination working together, babies can begin to develop more demanding skills, like walking.
Mouth Songs                                                                                                                                                   
As your baby is developing his language skills, he will enjoy discovering all the many things that he can do with his mouth. Pick a song that your little one enjoys hearing. Some popular ones are “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “This Old Man.” Sing the song in different ways. Sing it in a high voice, a whispering voice, a humming voice, etc.  The more ways your baby hears this song, the more he will try to copy you and develop his language skills. Brain research tells us that songs, movement, and musical games of childhood are neurological exercises that help children learn speech patterns and motor skills.
 
The words in English on these pages were all taken from 125 Brain Games for Babies by Jackie Silberg (Beltsville, Maryland: Gryphon House, 1999). The Spanish was translated by M. Hunsinger.