Find My Voice
Change where your voice comes from and give your baby time to look. Each search invites them to turn their head, shift their body, and find your familiar face.
- 4 months
- No prep needed
- At home
- About 5 minutes
Developmental benefits
- Movement：Turning toward your voice and shifting to search in different directions gives your baby practice moving their head and body toward a sound.
- Social/Emotional：Hearing your familiar voice and finding your responsive face makes the back-and-forth search feel warm and reassuring.
Preparation
What You’ll Need
Step 1
Your Voice Is Over Here
Lay your baby down comfortably and position yourself to one side. Talk in a warm, familiar voice. Your baby may turn their eyes and head toward the sound and begin searching for you.
What to notice
- Looks toward you when you speak
Attending and Understanding - Smiles while looking at your face
Relationships with Adults
Tips
- Let your voice invite the turn. Give your baby a chance to move instead of turning their head for them.
- Begin where your baby can hear and see you easily. This is a gentle warm-up for searching in a new direction.
- Your voice offers a directional cue that can prompt your baby to turn their head and adjust their body.
Step 2
Call from the Other Side
After a few turns, move to your baby’s other side and call again. Stay in one place while they work out where the sound is coming from. When they find you, smile and say, “You found me!”
What to notice
- Turns their head toward the sound of your voice
Gross Motor - Smiles after finding you Relationships with Adults
Tips
- Your baby may need a moment to locate the sound. Keep talking from the same spot while you wait.
- If your baby does not respond, stretch the words out slowly: “I’m over heeere.” This can make the direction easier to notice.
- A smile and an immediate response make finding you rewarding and may invite another round.
Step 3
Search in a New Direction
Once the game is familiar, call from a less expected direction, such as just beyond the top of your baby’s head or near their feet. Try different gentle sounds and tones. Your baby may kick, turn, roll, or shift their body while searching.
What to notice
- Stays engaged through several rounds of the game
Cognitive Self-Regulation (Executive Functioning) - Moves their body to search for you, such as by rolling Gross Motor
Tips
- Rolling is only one possible response. Kicking, pivoting, or arching can also show that your baby is moving to search for the sound.
- Vary your tone or make a playful sound to keep the search interesting across several rounds.
Better Parenting Content Team · Updated September 11, 2026