Sing and Play: Itsy Bitsy Spider
Parent sings the Itsy Bitsy Spider song while performing gentle tactile movements on baby's body — walking fingers up the belly, moving down to toes, and lifting arms. The agent coaches the parent to observe vocal responses, babbling variations, and joyful engagement during this multisensory play experience.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Baby lying on back on a soft surface, undressed or in just a diaper. Room should be warm. No materials needed. Best done when baby is alert and content.
How it works
- 1~30s
Start by singing the first line slowly: 'The Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the water spout.' As you sing, walk your fingers gently up your child's belly from their waist to chest. Watch their face closely — does your child make any sounds in response? You might hear a coo, a guttural 'ga,' or a happy squeal. Tell me what vocalisations you notice.
Watch for: Baby produces guttural sounds like 'ga' or 'gu' during playful interaction.
- 2~35s
Now sing the next part: 'Down came the rain and washed the spider out.' Move your fingers gently down from your child's chest all the way to their toes. Then for 'Out came the sun,' lift their arms up over their head. Listen closely — amidst any giggles or movements, do you hear consonant-like sounds? Maybe a 'ba,' 'ma,' or 'da' mixed in with their vocal play?
Watch for: Baby uses consonant sounds like 'm, n, p, b, d' during playful babbling.
- 3~40s
For the final verse, sing 'Then the Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the spout again' while walking your fingers back up to your child's belly. This time, listen not just for specific sounds but for variation in tone and pitch. Does your child squeal with excitement, chuckle, or vary their babbling with rising and falling tones? Also watch for joyful expressions — big smiles or belly laughs.
Watch for: Baby produces vowel sounds and varies tone/pitch in babbling during playful interaction.