Water Temperature Exploration

What you'll need

Baby on tummy on towel on floor. Two bowls placed just out of reach — one with warm water, one with cold water. Small waterproof toys in each bowl. Room should be warm enough for water play. Ensure water temperatures are safe (warm, not hot).

How it works

1. 1~30s

   Start by showing your child the toys in the bowls. Gently splash the water so they can see and hear it. Now, take one toy from the warm water bowl and place it near your child's hand. Watch their face closely — what expression does they make when touching the warm, wet toy? Does they seem curious, surprised, or pleased? Tell me what you notice in their reaction.

   Watch for: Baby shows differentiated facial or behavioral responses to warm versus cold stimuli.

2. 2~45s

   Now place both toys back in their bowls — warm toy in warm water, cold toy in cold water. Encourage your child to move toward the bowls. You might pat the towel in front of them or gently shift their hips to help them start moving. Watch how your child tries to get closer — does they roll, scoot, crawl, or reach persistently? Even small movements toward the desired object count!

   Watch for: Baby uses intentional movement (rolling, scooting, crawling) to move toward a desired object.

3. 3~40s

   Now that your child is near the bowls, encourage them to explore both. You might say 'Ooh, warm!' when they touches the warm water and 'Brr, cold!' for the cold. Watch closely — does your child show different reactions to each bowl? Does they reach for one more than the other? Also notice their hand-eye coordination as they tries to grab the toys from the water.

   Watch for: Baby shows preference or different interaction patterns with warm versus cold water/toys.

What this develops

• ◆Milestone
  Crawling Position

  Movementprimary

Visual example