Neighborhood Walk and Talk
Here's What To Do
1
Take your baby on a walk around your neighborhood or a shopping center.
2
Talk about everything you see: people, buildings, animals, vehicles, and objects.
3
Ask and answer your own questions about what you see.
4
Say hello to familiar neighbors or community workers. Introduce them to your baby.
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Before you leave on your walk, make sure your baby is positioned so they can easily see things around them.
E
Engage:
- "That's the post office! That's where our mail comes from."
- "Do you see that big truck over there? The sanitation workers are collecting trash from the sidewalk and putting it into the garbage truck."
E
Encourage:
- Talk about things your baby is looking at. This helps your child connect words to things they see.
- Wonder aloud what is making sounds you hear. Like: "You turned your head toward that loud sound. What do you think made that sound? I think it's a construction worker using loud equipment to build something."
R
Reflect:
- Tell your baby what you found most interesting on your walk and why.
Not quite ready?
It might not seem like a young baby understands what you're explaining, but you're helping them learn words and to recognize familiar landmarks.
Ready for more?
Notice if your baby seems to recognize familiar places like home, school, or another place you go often.
As your child masters this skill...
They will watch people and objects in their community in order to learn more about them.