Use yourself as a play tool during this activity.
Frequently model gestures, such as pointing and showing items, so that a child will first begin to understand these important nonverbal ways of communicating and eventually use them to initiate interaction with you.
Position yourself to make eye contact and sustained interaction easier for the child.
Joint attention means that a child can share or shift his attention between objects or events and people. In babies with typical developmental patterns, joint attention emerges around 9 months and is firmly established between 12 and 18 months. It is important to work on joint attention for later communication and social skills.
Model pointing frequently and (gently) help redirect your child’s attention to follow your point. Do what you can with your voice and body language to get him to look where you’ve pointed. Following someone else’s point generally comes before a child will begin to point himself. Name items that you have pointed to and observe how your child reacts.
Joint Attention and Engagement
