Short essay pre-writing

Writing with Emphasis

When you are trying to play with a child, it helps to begin by considering where the child is developmentally. You don't need a class in child development; just stop and observe the child. Does she crawl or walk? If not, does she sit up by herself? Can he hold a toy in his hand? Does he say anything that you can understand? A child is like a little puzzle for you to figure out. I think it's fun to find the clues that help you know how to respond to him or her.

Once you've made a few observations, you can come up with a few ideas.

Try to imagine life from the kid's perspective. For example, if the child is a baby who can only lay there and look around a bit, think about what that would be like. You can make the kid's life more interesting by doing something interesting visibly, like playing peekaboo. Or you could help them hold a toy in their hand if they can't do it themselves. If you've established that the baby doesn't seem to be able to move themselves, you could gently move their arms and legs for them while singing a song or talking with them.

One thing to remember is that children are usually very forgiving. If you toss the kid up in the air, and the kid starts crying, of course you're going to feel really bad. The real shame however is if you use that as an excuse to give up on interacting with the child. After saying you're sorry and giving the kid a few minutes to recover, simply try a different tactic. You will probably find that the child moves on and forgets about the momentary trauma.

When you are trying to play with a child, it helps to begin by considering where the child is developmentally.

Main clause: It helps to begin by considering where the child is developmentally
Subordinate clause: When you are trying to play with a child