0mo–11mo8 minMusicTummy timeFamily time
Sound Wiggles: Noticing Baby’s Moves
A gentle sound-and-pause routine where the adult notices how your child moves in response to different sounds (hands, legs, whole-body wiggles) and mirrors/narrates those responses to support sensory exploration and early imitation.
What you'll need
Essentials
- a safe, comfortable place for your child (mat, blanket, or your lap)
- your voice (humming, singing, or talking)
- one safe sound-maker (rattle, crinkly paper, or tapping a spoon on a plastic bowl)
Nice to have
- a phone playing quiet music
- a small scarf/cloth for peek-and-pause
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneLearns that own voice and actions have effects on others.Heart· 0mo–11mo· stretch· Step 4
- MilestoneBriefly opens handsBody· 0mo–3mo· stretch· Step 2
- MilestoneCopies simple gestures or actionsMind· 6mo–2.3y· stretch
- MilestonePlays simple back-and-forth gamesHeart· 6mo–14mo· stretch· Step 4
- MilestoneMoves to music or rhythmBody· 8mo–18mo· stretch
What it practices
- Move their whole bodies to sounds they enjoy, such as music or a regular beat.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Imitates and improvises actions they have observed, e.g. clapping or waving.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Explores and experiments with a range of media through sensory exploration, and using whole body.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Notice the different ways babies move in response to sounds, e.g. patting the floor when on their tummy, flexing and relaxing their legs, or opening and closing their palms.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)