Paint with Purees
This game is a little messy, but it's guaranteed to be a hit! Settle your 8- to 12-month-old into his high chair, or set him on the floor with a cookie sheet in front of him. Present him with a variety of colorful foods -- try colored yogurts and baby food -- and let him finger paint a masterpiece that would make Jackson Pollock proud. As he dips his hands into his edible "paint," describe the food with words like "red," "cold," "squishy," or whatever fits. If your pediatrician has given the green light, you can also supply some Cheerios or similar finger foods to add more texture to your child's artwork.

Get a Feel for It
Give your 10- to 12-month-old a variety of textured items to explore, suggest Sandy Jones and Marcie Jones, authors of Great Expectations: Baby's First Year (Sterling Publishing). Gather items from around the house or the outdoors -- a silky scarf, a piece of cardboard, tickly blades of grass, or a handful of sand, for example -- and let her touch each one. (Just be sure she doesn't put things she shouldn't into her mouth.) The two of you will discover which textures are most pleasing to her. Will she like the softness of fleece or prefer the bumpiness of corduroy? There's only one way to find out!

Collect Colors
Another winning activity in my house involves exploring colors by creating collections of similarly shaded items. Start by scavenging the toy box for baby-friendly objects in solid colors such as red, blue, yellow, and green. While sitting with your baby on the floor, group the items into sets based on their color. For example, you might gather a red ball, a red plastic stacking ring, and a red rattle. Let baby handle the items as you say the color and name of each one, such as "red apple, red rattle, blue ball, blue block."

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