Can I Get It?

1. 1

   Place several small blocks on the play mat in front of your seated baby, with some close and others farther away.

2. 2

   Your baby may study the choices before reaching.

3. 3

   A nearby block may invite an immediate, confident grasp.

4. 4

   When your baby gets it, respond to the action: “You reached it!”

5. 5

   For a more distant block, your baby may lean without moving. Encourage gently: “Do you want that one? Try moving forward.”

6. 6

   Watch how your baby chooses, attempts, and succeeds. Your attention helps make their own action visible to them.

What to notice

• Looks at the blocks for a moment before reaching Sense of Identity and Belonging
• Reaches independently for a nearby block Initiative and Curiosity

Tips

• A simple reach can involve an important early judgment: “Can I get it?” Choosing a target and trying an action gives your baby experience noticing what their own body can do.

Developmental benefits

• Social/Emotional: Pausing before reaching and choosing which object to try gives your baby early experience judging what they can do and acting on that choice.