Skyping a baby/young child

That's a lovely idea, Ankers. Start just by talking to the baby and letting him/her get used to your voice. Eventually, they will also recognise your face.
I have a range of ages but I do read stories to mine . I have begun with nursery rhymes where we each have a copy of the book. I sourced more copies of the Ladybird ones I used to have with our children( and still keep at home) and sent the new copies to them. Now both my 2 + 4 year olds know all the nursery rhymes by heart. They also love singing so we have had imprompto karaoke-style concerts together. Hilarious and fun!
With our 11 month old ( different family), I have taught her clapping songs, how to send kisses through the air, beginning nursery rhymes ( Grand Old Duke with marching etc.). Yesterday, I taught her to raise her arms and do " Hurrah".

With the older ones, Our skypes take up enough time and concentration for their mummy to go and have a shower( with the bathroom door left open) while I occupy and "watch" them.

Enjoy making your own discoveries and getting to know your grandchild and they you. Our 11 month old crawls to the ipad, very excited, when she hears its ring and is full of smiles and claps when she sees me( or my DH). The older ones have learnt to send virtual cuddles by hugging themselves and " blowing " the hugs to us.

This is just the sort of thing I wanted! Thank you very much Rinouchka

I have started singing nursery rhymes but have forgotten them a lot more than I thought I would have done.

Now is the time for a refresher course. Such fun.

Early days yet for you Ankers, but over time I've found finger puppets and hand puppets a good way to engage the grandchildren. Peek-a-boo has been a firm favourite as well.
We went through a stage of playing 'silly hats' to music - still do occasionally!

Don't expect to talk to them for hours on end. We usually talk to the whole family in the US for an hour but GS (two and a half) loses interest after a while.

Whilst we had the DGS with us, we skyped the other family - DGD also two years old - but with both kids fiddling with buttons and knocking ipads over all the time, we didn't actually get to say anything to each other. We kept it up for 5 minutes, which was enough for the little ones to recognise each other and say hello, but all the talking we wanted to get done had to be done subsequently by phone!

DGS is beginning to get the hang of it and will take the phone or tablet round the flat and show us things.

At five weeks you will be able to follow the little one's development with a weekly chat, and maybe starting them that early might mean that, in a year's time you can talk to him/her without getting seasick.

I would think, at that age, singing would be the best way of communicating. You can record yourself singing and send it to them, so that they can play it when the little one is most receptive.

Clapping, peep-bo, and little hand gestures, like "thumbs-up", can be introduced at a few months.

Good luck and congratulations on the new(ish) baby!

Just get used to the fact that they may spend the five minutes you are trying to chat on Skype skidding to and fro on their trike /toy car whatever, calling 'look at me, look at me' as you catch an occasional glimpse.

PS - the "seasick" comment was because the little ones keep grabbing the tablet and you spend quite a lot of the conversation admiring the ceiling or the floor, or talking to the tops of their heads.

Of course, skype may be so much better here, it is quite hopeless where our family lives.

We ask that the gadget is "turned round" so we can see what DGD is doing so we can comment on that. It has worked well adopting all the previous suggestions as there is never a moment's hesitation when we do meet up because she already knows us and our voices.
Enjoy!

Before our grandson was up to stories we played peek-a-boo.

JackyB and Jalima

Thank you everyone for your ideas.
I wouldnt have thought of some of them/forgotten about others.

I started off with peek a boo also. Singing nursery rhymes. As dgc got a little older I used a Peppa Pig puppet, and he'd run to his room and get his Peppa Pig. Or a ball. etc.

Occasionally we'd be talking with dgc now age 3 as he would show us his various toys that are scattered about and my son would be off camera or even go off to do something quickly in another room. Dgc might then disappear to look for something and we'd be left with an empty room. Till DS realises we're calling, Hello.. is anybody there ?? That's how it goes.

We've also used a toy trumpet, ducks that quack. It's all about holding their attention and not expecting too much. Be willing to say bye bye when they get bored so that it isn't a chore for the child.

We've found it hard to have a conversation with ours (3 & 18 months) as they are just so hyper all the time and constantly running around it's bedlam - the eldest one will now talk for a few minutes and enjoys showing us his latest toys or drawings. I'm hopeful that as they do get older we might manage to have more interaction with them but as others said it's really just a case of your GC getting to know your voice and face to start with.

I think seeing the baby at this stage is what it is all about. But soon she will be focusing on her mum's iPad and on your face so that it and your voice become familiar.
I was thrilled yesterday when little DGS (10 months) tried to reach out to me and touch me when we face timed .

If you live on opposite sides of the globe it is invaluable for keeping yourselves in their minds and for them recognising you when you finally do see them!

Agreeing especially with the suggestions of peekaboo and hand puppets. Both very successful with DGD who is now 2.

Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes is a good song which often prompts giggles along with nursery rhymes.
Have fun!

I am smiling at these lovely posts. Thank you

Remember the professor who was being interviewed by the BBC the other day about South Korea? His children burst in and 'photobombed' the interview.
Apparently they talk to their grandparents on Skype on that computer and thought it was them!

They must enjoy their Skype chats with granny

If you missed it, Ankers:
www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/39235478/how-professordad-robert-kelly-realised-hed-gone-viral-very-very-viral

Lovely wasn't it! Bet the grandparents watch that over and over for years!

Granny advised locking the door!

I bet she does!

Daddy said afterwards that it was Marion's birthday that day and she was in a 'hippetty hoppetty mood'