Follow the Song
Parent plays an action song and gently moves baby's hands or legs along with the music. The agent coaches the parent to observe baby's attention, awareness of surroundings, and sustained focus on the singing and movements.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Baby lying on back or propped in a supported seat, facing parent. Have a children's action song ready to sing or play. Baby should be awake and alert.
How it works
- 1~30s
Start singing or playing the song. As you sing, do the hand motions where your child can see them. Watch their eyes — does your child choose to look at you? Does they seem to focus on your hands or your face as you sing? Even a brief lock of attention counts. Tell me what you notice.
Watch for: Baby chooses to pay attention to the parent or the song, directing gaze and focus toward the source of stimulation.
- 2~60s
Keep singing and now gently take your child's hands and do the motions together — wave their arms, clap their hands gently, or wiggle their fingers along with the words. Sing for about a minute without stopping. Does your child stay focused on you for the whole verse? Or does their attention drift away after a few seconds? Tell me how long they stays with you.
Watch for: Baby stays focused on the parent and song activity for a sustained period (approaching one minute).
- 3~30s
For our last observation, sing the song one more time, but this time, add something new — maybe clap loudly at one point, or have someone else in the room make a noise. Does your child notice the change or the new sound? Does they look around the room, aware that something different happened? We're looking for signs that your child is aware of their surroundings beyond just you. What do you see?
Watch for: Baby shows awareness of their broader surroundings — noticing changes, new sounds, or shifts in the environment.