Tickling game
Tickling can be a fun and gentle way to strengthen relationships and form neural pathways as baby learns to anticipate, to communicate and participate in a game. Baby is empowered when they signal ‘more’ or ‘stop’ and their whānau listen to them.
Why do it?
- Gentle tickling can be a fun game with someone baby knows and trusts, and is great for strengthening their relationship and baby’s confidence.
- It won’t take many repetitions before baby knows what’s coming and starts giggling or wriggling before the tickle happens. This tells you they’ve made a pathway of connections in their brain for this game.
- If baby can anticipate, baby can participate.
How to do it
- Ask baby if they’d like a game. If baby has just eaten, wait for a little while so it can settle.
- Sit with baby comfy on your lap, and with one of their hands palm-up in your hand.
- Gently make circles in their palm as you say, ‘Round and round the garden, like a teddy bear. One step…two steps…’ (‘step’ your fingers towards baby’s underarm or chin, ‘And tickle you under there!’ (Tickling baby in one of the spots your fingers ‘stepped’ to.)
- Repeat until one of you has had enough.
- Be prepared to change the game or stop if baby shows they don’t like it or is over it.
- Remember to keep the tickling gentle.
Using more te reo Māori
| Te reo Māori | English |
|---|---|
| Whakangaokohia | To tickle, amuse |
| Pārekareka | Enjoyable, fun |
| Tauparapara | To play together |
| Kia ngāwari | Be gentle |
| Homai ōu ringaringa | Give me your hands |
| Huakina tō ringa | Open your hand |
| Huri huri haere | Around and around |
| Teti pea | Teddy bear |
| Kotahi te hīkoi | One step |
| E rua ngā hīkoi | Two steps |
| Whakangaoko ki raro nei! | Tickle under here! |
| Kia āta haere | Go slow |
| He aha hei tākaro māu, e te tau? |
What would you like to play with, my darling?
|
| He kēmu anō māu? | Do you want another game? |
| Ka nui tēnā, e te tau | That's enough, my darling |
| He pai ki ā koe tēnei kēmu? | Do you like this game? |
| Kei te hiamoe koe? | Are you tired? |
