Here's another idea of how to build cognitive and language skills at home. Let your child help you with simple chores around the house. Talk about grouping items (canned goods, fruits/vegetables, frozen food, meat, etc.) when putting away the groceries. Let your child help sort and match clothes that need to be put away after they come out of the dryer. You can talk about colors, stripes, patterns, and such on the clothing. Any helping activity can be turned into a learning activity when you talk about what you are doing, what things look like, what things taste like, what things smell like, and why things go together.