Who's Knocking?
What you need
- a few soft toys
How to do it
- Stand behind an inside door with a soft toy, with your toddler on the other side.
- Knock three times and say, in a funny voice, "Knock, knock!" so they ask, "Who's there?"
- Give a clue in the toy's voice, like "I say moo!", and let them guess before the toy peeps round the door to say hello.
- Swap: let your toddler take a toy behind the door, knock and give a clue for you to guess.
Why it matters
Listening for clues and guessing who it is gets them thinking and talking, and being the one who knocks is great fun.
What they're learning
- Listening for clues
- Hearing "moo" and thinking "cow" is a little puzzle for the ears.
- Taking turns
- Knocking and guessing in turn is a game with simple rules.
- Talking
- "Who's there?" and "It's Cow!" are fun lines to say again and again.
What to look for
Watch for them shouting a guess before the toy appears, and grinning when they are right.
A tip
Keep it friendly and silly: the toy always says hello and gives a cuddle. Play with an inside door only. Keep fingers clear of the hinge side of the door.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: peep the toy's ear round the door as an extra clue
Harder: use voices only, no animal sounds, so they guess from the voice
