Own Hands Discovery

A soft rattle is fastened loosely around your baby's wrist or ankle so that, as they move, they slowly discover that their own kicking and waving makes the sound. A calm cause-and-effect discovery on their own timeline.

How to do it

1. Choose a soft fabric wrist or ankle rattle designed for babies, with no small or detachable parts.
2. With your baby calm and on their back, fasten it loosely around one wrist or ankle so it can move but not slip off or tighten.
3. Sit nearby and let them move. Do not shake their arm for them; wait for them to move and hear the sound themselves.
4. Watch for the moment they connect their movement to the sound: they may pause, then move again on purpose.
5. After a while you can move it to the other wrist or an ankle so they explore the sound from a new place.
6. Take it off when they lose interest or fuss, and never leave them alone while wearing it.

What you need

• Wrist rattle

Make it yours

Younger, 2-3 months: A very quiet, light rattle and short sessions; even noticing the sound is success. Older, 6 months and up: Let them pull, mouth, and inspect the rattle in their hands as well as wear it. No wrist rattle: A light rattle they can hold works, though the wrist version is what creates the accidental self-discovery. Never tie a loose object onto a baby yourself.