Airplane Adventure Play
Parent engages baby in pretend airplane travel play, using gestures, sounds, and simple actions to simulate flight preparation. The agent coaches the parent to observe social referencing, imitation of actions, and joint attention during this early pretend play scenario.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Baby seated securely facing parent — on floor, in high chair, or on parent's lap. No materials needed. Baby should be alert and in a playful mood. Quiet environment helps with focus.
How it works
- 1~30s
Let's start by pretending to board the plane. Make a sweeping gesture with your arm like you're showing your child the way: 'This way to our seats!' Then pat the floor or chair next to you: 'Here's your seat!' Use an excited, storytelling voice. Watch your child's eyes — does they follow your gesture? Does they look at the spot you patted? Tell me what you notice.
Watch for: Baby follows parent's gesture or gaze to share attention on an object or location.
- 2~35s
Now let's do some airplane actions. Put your arms out like wings and say 'Whoosh! We're flying!' Then make a 'ding' sound and pretend to fasten a seatbelt across your lap. Do each action slowly and clearly. Watch to see if your child tries to copy any of the movements — arm wings, the seatbelt motion, or even the sounds. Does they attempt to imitate?
Watch for: Baby attempts to imitate parent's pretend actions or gestures.
- 3~30s
For our final scene, let's pretend we're landing. Make a gentle descending motion with your hand and say 'Wheee, we're going down!' Then act surprised and happy: 'We landed!' Watch your child's face closely. Does they look at your expression to gauge how to react? Does they smile when you smile or show concern if you act surprised? This is called social referencing.
Watch for: Baby looks at parent's facial expression to interpret a situation and guide own reaction.