“Eye See You!”
Increasing eye contact will help your child become more aware of the activities of others. This is important because learning is largely social, involving first attending to others, then imitating others, and then independently completing tasks and solving problems.
- Verbalize and smile immediately when your child makes eye contact with you.
- Hold a desired object just next to your eyes and wait for eye contact prior to giving the object to your child (Hold out for longer and longer durations of eye contact as he improves).
- Touch/guide your child’s face to prompt eye contact.
- Initiate and sustain frequent eye contact.
- Frequently say “Look at me” to initiate eye contact.
- Playfully look at your child through a paper towel, cardboard rolls, or through the opening of a slinky.
- Try to establish and maintain eye contact in mirrors (e.g., when you are in the car).
