The Interaction Coach

Once your child knows the bedtime routine, they want to follow it exactly. Sorry, you can’t skip that book.

Routines help your child feel more secure in knowing what to expect. They can become more i…

Your child will show affection with a hug, kiss, pat,   They do this with people, pets, and toys.

Today’s activity: Model affectionate actions and label them with a word: hug, kiss, pat. Use the acti…

Your child does not yet understand how their actions affect others. They need lots of models of how to be gentle.

Be alert that a strong reaction is a strong reinforcer. Give lots more attention to s…

Your child has a mind of their own. They get an idea and they want to do it, even if you say no. Help them learn that when you give a direction, you expect them to do what you ask. Consistency and su…

Your child is becoming an independent thinker. They get an idea and they want to have that or do that. When we say no, they have feelings about that. They need to learn how to manage these disappoint…

Your child will initiate a request—a major achievement! When they need help getting a toy to work, they hand it to you so you can make it go. This is one of the big payoffs for all that turn taking p…

Your child will enjoy a simple game with lots of action and a little competition.

Today’s activity: Roll a ball, point and say, “Get the ball!” Both of you chase it, but let child reach it first. Pic…

You can add variety to turn taking by using some new materials. Variety adds more interest for your child.

Remember, when taking turns you need to wait for your child to take a turn. Avoid saying, “D…

Your child will play together with you, sharing a toy. Don’t think of this as “work” because then you will start to think there’s a “right” way for your child to play. You can model things to do with…

6.185 SOCIAL INTERACTION: Turn Taking: Take this to someone nearby

At this level your child will learn to deliver an object to someone nearby that you name, do joint play with an object, and hand you…

You can extend your child’s attention to places far away by pointing to an object of interest. Your child is used to taking turns putting objects into a box near you. Now you can extend that familiar…

Joint attention is sharing the focus on some other location—a shared point of focus. An important part of sharing the focus is that we check in with the other person’s face to see what they are looki…

Download the quick checklist to find your child’s current level.

Download the list of all skills and activities for Level 6. It’s a summary of each episode content that you can use as a reminder or …

Your child’s mobility gives them lots more opportunities to learn about the world. You can share their excitement and enjoyment of trying out new things when you encourage mutual attention.

Today’s a…

Your child is showing their understanding of the world by using actions with objects. This builds later language skills, building associations between objects and characteristics like what you use th…

Your child’s concept of object permanence is really developing now. They will persist in searching because they know it has to be somewhere. Even though they can’t see it, they know it exists. This c…

Your child learns many thinking and language skills during play. This episode describes toys from the list in the Level 5 checklist.

Skills that develop during Level 5 include show more interest in n…

Your child’s earliest communication is motivated by how they are feeling. They make movements and sounds that you can recognize as what they do when they do or don’t want something, or like or don’t …

Your child will start to learn how to cope with their feelings when they have to participate in an activity that they don’t like. They might use an object or movement that helps them feel calm or hap…

At Level 5 your child will check your face to find out your reaction. They will also learn to tolerate a necessary activity that they don’t like but has to be done.

Your child’s mutual attention skil…