Big Book Paper Pull

Step by step

1. 1Cut 8 to 10 long strips of brightly colored paper.
2. 2Tuck the strips between the pages of a big, heavy book on the floor, leaving about 10 cm sticking out.
3. 3Place the book in front of your seated baby, then pull one strip out slowly with a big dramatic 'oooh!'.
4. 4Let them grab and pull the strips one by one—resist the urge to step in when they're concentrating. If a strip heads straight for their mouth, swap it for reloading the book.
5. 5Reload the book right in front of them, as many times as they want.
6. 6Tuck the strips into an envelope slipped inside the book for next time.

What it builds

Tugging a strip that offers a little resistance teaches baby to adjust their grip and strength. Every freed strip is an instant, visible win that calls for the next: they learn that their actions make things happen.