Rocks!

At a friends' house a few weeks ago Q had a blast playing with a candle arrangement that had rocks all around it. Taking her lead, I decided to put out some rocks for her to explore. These were from a science kit I had when teaching 1st grade, but could be purchased at a craft store, or even good ole rocks found outside would work well, too! She loves to grab a handful and feel them pouring out of her hand, put them in things (tea cups, bowls, etc.), shake them, set them up in rows, and just expore them! In the meantime she is learning properties of matter, properties of rocks, fine motor skills, counting skills....

Infants can be given rocks large enough so they don't choke. If they're clean rocks it won't even hurt them to mouth them (once again, as long as they are big enough not to fit in their mouth!)