Read.Giggle.Hug.
Kids don’t need fancy toys to learn and grow, all they need is you! Read.Giggle.Hug. makes it simple to have quality interactions and spend engaged time with your kids, even if it’s just a few minutes at a time.
Books are fantastic, but so are street signs, receipts, cereal boxes, or anything you have in your pocket! Singing is great, too. So is making up stories. The point is to communicate by sharing ideas and feelings, making connections with your kids and the world you are living in!
Giggling is good for you! Did you know that laughing activates the brain? It causes extra endorphins to release from the brain, and it also stimulates the heart!
Need to add to your kid jokes repertoire? Check out our curated Pinterest board and get giggling.
ON-THE-GO Fun
Try these brain-boosting activities!
Frog Hop
How many times can you hop like a frog! Can you ribbit and hop at the same time?
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Heart-Felt Prompt #4
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I can help others by…”
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Alphabet Hunt
Pick a letter and hunt through a book to find words that start with it. Try a new letter each day!
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Grocery Shopping
Let your child feel and describe the items that you buy — a cold carton of milk, or the skin of an orange.
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Counting Swings
At the park, count together how many times you push your child on the swings.
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Grand Tour
Ask your child to give you a tour of your house and show you their favorite spot to play.
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Kid Joke #11
What is the tallest building in the world? The library! It has the most stories!
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Kid Joke #14
What music are balloons scared of? Pop music
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What’s That Smell?
Go outside together with your eyes closed and name everything you can hear and smell.
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I Spy
I spy, with my little eye, something … fun! Play “I Spy” with your kids!
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Kid Joke #12
What bow can’t be tied? A rainbow!
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Day Dreamer
What shapes can you see together in the clouds?
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Nature Walk
Go for a walk together, taking time to feel tree bark, hold a leaf, pinecones or rock, and make scratches in the dirt.
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Pocket Prose
Read something aloud from your pocket.
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Favorite Quotes
Make a list of the most interesting things your child says this week, and read it to them over the weekend.
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Rhyme Detective
Pick a favorite book or poem and challenge your kids to find all the rhyming words. Make it into a race!
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Make Music
Clap your hands, stomp your feet, play drums on objects around you, make up words to go along!
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Heart-Felt Prompt #4
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I can help others by…”
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Kid Joke #14
What music are balloons scared of? Pop music
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Code Word
Pick a book, and then pick a code word. Every time you read the code word have your child do a jumping jack.
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Read with Sound Effects
Choose a funny story to read together and add your own sound effects!
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Finish the Story
Start a story and then ask your child to create their own ending!
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Share a Memory
Sit together and tell your favorite nice story about each other
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Heart-Felt Prompt #2
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “My favorite animal is…”
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Body Language
Touch parts of baby’s body like their nose, toes, and belly button, and name them as you go!
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Heart-Felt Prompt
Ask your kid to finish the sentence: “A friend is someone who…”
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Just Joking
What do you call a pig that knows karate? A pork chop!
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E is for…
Exit. Running errands together? Help your child find the EXIT sign.
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What a World!
Take turns pointing out interesting things you see, hear and feel in the world around you.
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What’s in a name?
Together practice writing your child’s name and your name. Ask your child to circle any letters you have in common.
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Kid Joke #2
What has a head and tail but no legs? A penny!
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Kid Joke #31
Why don’t eggs tell jokes? They’d crack each other up.
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A is for…
How many animals can you think of that start with the letter A?
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Kid Joke #12
What bow can’t be tied? A rainbow!
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Kid Joke #6
What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta!
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Kid Joke #7
Why do fish live in saltwater? Because pepper makes them sneeze!
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Kid Joke #13
What dog keeps the best time? A watch dog.
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Kid Joke #29
Where do cows go on Friday nights? To the moo-vies!
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New Tastes
Taste a new food. Talk to your child about what it is and what it tastes like.
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B is for…
How many objects can you think of that start with the letter B?
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Riddle Me This
What has 2 hands but no arms? A clock!
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Once Upon A Time
Make up a fairytale with your kid in the starring role. Tell the story or try acting it out!
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Heart-Felt Prompt #4
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I can help others by…”
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Hug Countdown
Set a timer and see how many hugs you can give each other in a minute!
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Time Capsule Together
Create a mini time capsule with notes, drawings, or small items. Plan to open it in a year for a fun walk down memory lane.
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Jumping Jacks
Do 10 Jumping Jacks together, and count them!
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Show and Tell
Give your kid a topic, like his favorite fruit, a favorite book, or a road trip with the family. Have them share an item related to that topic.
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Kid Joke #26
How do you make a tissue dance? You put a little boogie in it!
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F is for…
Fruit. Help you child spell their favorite fruits!
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Driving Alphabet
On a long drive, find all the letters of the alphabet on billboards and license plates, and point them out to each other.
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Alphabet Song
Sing the alphabet song together!
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Look Up!
What shapes can you see together in the clouds?
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Where’s That?
Sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and point to the right body parts.
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G is for…
G is for… the color green! Ask your to child point out items around the house that are green.
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Stop and Read
Talk about street signs while you’re in the car.
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Kid Joke #4
What do you call cheese that’s not your own? Nacho cheese!
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Red Light, Green Light
Play “Red Light, Green Light” with your child outside.
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Silly Story Voices
Read a story using different voices for each character—maybe a pirate, robot, or opera singer!
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Funny Ha-ha
Giggle together about something funny you saw today.
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Sing-A-Long
Look up the lyrics to your child’s newest favorite song and learn the words together.
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Feels
Make a feelings book together. Draw pictures that make you feel happy, sad, and silly, and talk about them.
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Kid Joke #15
What do cats eat for breakfast? Mice Crispies!
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Kid Joke #8
What do you call a cow on a trampoline? A milk shake!
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Secret Handshake
Create a silly handshake and practice it!
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Throwback
Connect with your kid on a deeper level by showing them your old baby pictures!
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Twinkle, Twinkle
Sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” with your child while stargazing.
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Kid Joke #27
What do you call a fake noodle? An im-pasta!
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Thanks!
Write a Thank You note together!
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D is for..
Dinner. At the dinner table, help your child spell out the foods that you’re eating!
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Giddy Up
Give your child a piggy-back ride around the house or the yard.
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Love Notes
Have your child write a letter to their favorite stuffed animal, and then read it aloud!
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Kid Joke #25
What does a cloud wear under their raincoat? Thuderwear!
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Moo moo!
Sing “Old MacDonald” while tickling your baby when you make an animal sound.
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Let’s Race!
Make up silly relays for teams of two and race against each other.
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Wonder
Start a conversation by asking, “What did you wonder about today?”
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Walk This Way
While you’re on a walk, read all the street signs you pass – out loud!
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Self Portraits
Draw two self portraits, one with a happy face and one with a sad face. Talk about feelings.
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Silly Songs
Make up a silly song for your baby, describing things you are doing.
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Read the Room
Point out and read words around the house, like food labels, signs, or packaging.
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Heart-Felt Prompt #3
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I feel good when…”
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Funny Face Freeze
Have a silly face competition where each person freezes their funniest face. The first one to laugh loses!
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Up in the Clouds
Ask your child, “Imagine you could fly. Where would you go?”
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Shoe Mix Up Parade
Let your kids wear mismatched shoes and stomp around like it’s a fashion show. Bonus points for a silly walk!
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Hmmm…
Play a guessing game: 20 Questions or I Spy.
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Muddy Footprints
Leave your tracks in the mud outside and talk about the differences between their footprints and yours!
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Favorite Thing
Have your kid tell you about the best part of their day. Then tell them yours!
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Rodeo
Hold your own rodeo with a big bouncy ball! Take turns “riding” the ball, and see who can stay on the longest.
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Kids Joke #10
Why are frogs so happy? They eat whatever bugs them.
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H is for…
Home. Practice writing your home address together!
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Pretend Dinner Date
Role-play a restaurant visit. What do the server and customer do and say?
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Bending and Twisting
Put on some music and try simple yoga moves together. Let your kid lead!
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Kid Joke #30
What do you call cheese that is not yours? Nacho cheese!
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Heart-Felt Prompt #3
Ask your child to finish the sentence: “I feel good when…”
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What Are You Up To?
Describe to your baby everything you’re doing as you do a chore.
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Picture Book
Have your kid “read” a story to you by describing what’s in the pictures.
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Colorful Nature
Make a nature color palette! Go for a walk and collect something of each basic color.
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Which Lid is Which
Collect 4 empty storage containers with matching lids. Show and explain how to take the lid off and put it back on.
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Handshake
Make up a special handshake that is unique to you and your kid!
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Kid Joke #28
What do you give a sick lemon? Lemon-aide!
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Name Game
Spell your kid’s name with them!
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Tongue Twister Challenge
How fast can your kid say: “She sells seashells by the seashore?” Try more tongue twisters and see who can master them.
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Outfit of the Day
Have your child get dressed on their own today, then tell them everything you like about what they picked out.
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Kid Joke #3
What do you call a pig that knows karate? A pork chop!
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Rawr!
Teach your kid what a “bear hug” is!
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Imitation Game
Watch the faces your baby is making, and imitate them.
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Head Shoulder Knees and Toes
Teach your child “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and indicate the parts of the body as you sing.
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Dig in the Dirt
Let your child dig in the dirt while you explain what they’re seeing and feeling.
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Kid Joke #9
How do you make a tissue dance? Put a little boogey in it!
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Sing me a Song
Pick a favorite, appropriate song and teach your child to sing along to the melody.
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Taste & Texture
Let your baby touch and taste different food textures! Talk about each one.
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Would You Rather?
Give your kid two statements and have them choose which one they like best: “Would you rather have your own personal magic carpet or your own personal robot?”
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Balancing Act
Tape a line on the floor in different ways (zig zag, curvy or straight). Ask your child to walk and balance on the line!
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Guess that tune
Take turns humming a song and guess that tune!
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Story Time Surprise
Make up a new ending for your kid’s favorite book!
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Just Dance
Have your child make up a silly dance and teach it to you.
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Kid Joke #1
What do you call a duck that steals? A robber duck!
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Put it on the Map
Take a walk around the block and when you get home, draw a map of what you saw.
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Hand Hug Art
Trace each other’s hands on paper and decorate them. Write something kind in the palm before trading.
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Kid Joke #11
What is the tallest building in the world? The library! It has the most stories!
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Love Language
Tell your kid you love them more than their favorite thing: “I love you more than chocolate cupcakes!”
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Alternate Beginnings
Before starting to tell or read a story, have your child make up something new to replace “Once upon a time.”
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Snuggle Time
Pick a favorite movie and snuggle up together!
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Thoughtful Thinking
Encourage your child to think of a thoughtful thing they can do for someone else today.
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Guess How Many
Guess how many windows and doors are in your house, then count them.
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Kid Joke #14
What music are balloons afraid of? Pop music!
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Kid Joke #5
Why was 6 afraid of 7? Because 7, 8, 9!
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Rhyme Time!
Help your child think of words that rhyme with their favorite animals!
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Let Me Count The Ways
Hug and tell your child what you love about them!
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What’s that Feeling?
Have your kid make a face, then guess what feeling they’re expressing. Then it’s your turn to make a feelings face!
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Story Swap
Read the first part of a book and then let your kids make up what they think happens next before finishing the story.
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“I Love You Because…” Chain
Start a paper chain where each link has a reason you love each other. Add a new link every day and watch it grow.
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Spelling Bee
Challenge your child to spell words they know out loud!
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Kid Joke #32
Why was the cell phone scared to go to the dentist?It didn’t want him to remove its blue tooth.
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Book Picnic
Spread out a blanket and read books outside (or indoors!). Let your kids pick a snack and a favorite book.
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C is for…
Can you spell your favorite color?
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Song Mix Up
Give your kid a famous nursery rhyme and have them sing it like a famous singer: Sing “Row Row Row Your Boat” like Elvis
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Talk This Way
Ask your child to make an animal noise, then imitate them!
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Find More Activities
Need more ideas for engaging activities? We have even more activities that make it simple to Read, Giggle, and Hug.