When our first baby was born my husband said I can't wait until she's bigger so I can play with her, and I felt a little the same way. But being with her all the time I discovered that there are plenty of ways you can play with a little baby even before they're up and moving around. Here is a list of 43 ideas to try with your baby at different ages if you're feeling like you will just be feeding and changing diapers for the rest of your child's life and want to interact with them a little more.
0-3 Months
1) Sing to them
Worship songs, children's songs, educational songs, or just make them up. I sing to my girls about everything, bedtime, diaper changes, potty time, clean-up time and I just make things up. The more you do it the better you will get at making them make sense and rhyming.
2) Read them books
Even though they can't see very much at this age they still know and love your voice so reading to them or telling them a story will be something they enjoy.
3) Look at high-contrast things
The things babies can see at this age are high-contrast colors, think black and white, and bright primary colors. They make books and cards, but you can also find things around your home too. For example, we have a radiator cover in our home that is white with lots of little holes to let the heat out that appear black which makes a nice thing to look at for babies. Even I enjoy looking at it. I have a video of my older daughter rolling over to it just to look at it when she was younger.
4) Snuggle
Newborns sleep a lot; I'm talking around 20 hours a day so you probably will spend a lot of your time doing this and that is okay! It's your baby's favorite way to spend time with you too.
5) Do Skin-to-skin
There are so many benefits to this for both mom and baby and it's a great way to bond and play with them. Skin-to-skin helps regulate hormones, emotions, body temperature, heart rate, and breast milk supply so do it often it will be so sweet for each of you, also most of these benefits apply if dad does skin-to-skin with baby too so dads don't shy away here either.
6) Give them a bath
We thought our first hated baths, but it turned out she was just a little cold each time we bathed her. We started making the water a little warmer (stopped listening so closely to the bath thermometer we had and more went by how it felt on my wrist or the back of my hand) and started putting a washcloth on her belly while we bathed her. My husband has also used a hand towel and I've seen many people do swaddle baths too. The bath was the first place my second laughed (and as of 5 months old still the only place she has truly laughed) so it can be really fun for them just be careful with the soup because using soap in their bath every day can dry out their skin and cause rashes.
7) Staring contests
When babies are awake, they don't blink very much so they're pretty good at these.
8) Tummy time
Not only is tummy time healthy and good for your baby so they can build strong muscles, but it can also be a great time for you to interact and play together. If your baby seems to hate tummy time here are a few things to try.
~ Over a boppy pillow.
~ On an exercise ball.
~ Get on the floor with them.
~ On your chest while you're lying reclined or all the way back.
~ Give them a little back rub while they do it.
~ Place high-contrast toys, books, or objects in front of them.
9) Go for a walk
The outside is wonderful for kids.
~ If they're grumpy go outside.
~ Happy go outside.
~ Stressed or overwhelmed go outside.
~ Tired go outside (to help them take a nap or calm them if they can't).
~ Sad go outside.
You get the point here even just sitting outside with your kids is a great way to hang out and play with them but actually going on a walk is fun too. While you're out you can talk to them about all the things you see, the guy walking with his dog, the other mom pushing a stroller, the leaves on the trees, the kids playing nearby, the pinecone on the sidewalk, etc.
10) Stick out your tongue
Babies can imitate this pretty young plus they will just think it's kind of funny.
11) Talk to them
Just like with reading them a book they love to hear your voice so talking to them is exciting for them. Can't figure out what to say? You can tell them about all the people who love them, compliment them, talk about a toy or object, tell them about what you're going to do that day, etc.
12) Rock them
I think this one speaks for itself babies like being rocked, you can go back and forth, side to side, up and down how however your little one likes, go for it.
13) Do bicycle legs
My second girl has been super gassy, so she always loves when we do this with her just lay your baby on a safe surface on their back, grab their legs mid-calf, and while supporting their knees move their legs up and down as if they are peddling a bike. Not only do they get to play but you get all their farts out too.
3-6 Months
Everything in 0-3 months although may not be as interested in high-contrast colors.
1) Practice rolling
If your baby hasn't rolled over this can be a lot of fun and if they have but aren't rolling all over the house this is great practice too. While they're lying on their back you can pull one leg straight and then the other leg, bend the knee, and bring it up over the straight leg this usually will flip them, and it helps them to learn how to use the muscles necessary for rolling over.
2) Tickle them
Not much to say here tickling is something that makes most people laugh and babies are not exempt from that.
3) Show them toys
I usually do this with a toy that rattles or crinkles, I also pick ones that have lots of colors on them and I will just shake it or crinkle it above them while they are lying on the floor.
4) Dance with them
I love to hold my girls and dance around my living room or kitchen with them. There doesn't even have to be music but that can be fun too.
5) Give them a tour of your home
Walk around and show them all the things, pictures on the wall are my favorite and I will tell them about the person/people.in them or talk about where the painting came from and why it's special.
6) Look in a mirror
Babies love mirrors because they see mommy and another happy baby. Babies can't recognize themselves quite yet in a mirror, but they recognize you and they think you're really awesome.
7) Wiggle them
Both my girls think it's hilarious when I put my hand on their belly and shake it gently so their whole-body wiggles, I don't do it super long maybe just a few seconds at a time, but they love it.
Tip: This is great for making diaper changes more fun too
8) Use them as a weight
This you exercise and then a laugh. I will hold them by the underarms and lift them into the air a few times. Sometimes this is the only thing that will make my baby stop crying except for milk so it's a great stalling technique when my husband needs to push her off for another few minutes to reach bedtime.
9) Bazurple their belly
Some people call it blowing a raspberry, but this was the term I grew up with and I'm not even sure it's a real word ha-ha. Pretty much it's where you put your lips on their belly or another squishy part of them and blow and it makes funny fart noises and vibrating feelings on them and it's really funny.
10) Make funny faces at them
Babies make lots of funny faces and it can be really fun to join them in making funny faces back at them. They will enjoy just looking at you no matter the face you make so make it a happy or silly one.
6-9 Months
Most things in 3-6 months although might be well established in rolling
1) Try new foods
Most babies by 6 months have been given the go-ahead to start solids, a lot of times people start with puree and soft foods that are not easy to choke on. It can be fun to try a new food. Adding a new one every few days to make sure they don't have an allergy is best and trying a large variety of things can help curb pickiness.
2) Play peek-a-boo
This is a classic game that helped babies understand what's called object permeance. Meaning an object doesn't disappear when you can see it, the thing still exists. Most babies will grasp this concept around 7-8 months, so this is a great time to start playing games that involve this concept. There are a few ways you can play but the point is to hide yourself or cover their eyes somehow and then reappear as you say Peek-a-boo. The most classic way to play is by putting your hands in front of your face but my toddler also loved playing with a blanket over her head or as she got older would hide her face by the couch and then pop up at me.
3) Encourage sitting up
I will do this by supporting them with a boppy pillow, sitting them between my legs with their back against my body, or holding their hips to support them as needed in this position.
4) Encourage crawling
You can do this by prepping them up on all fours and giving them lots of tummy time on the floor. This skill is really important not only because it builds muscles for walking but also because crawling connects neuropathways in the brain by using both sides of the brain at the same time and helps with learning things when they're older.
5) Brush their gums and any teeth with a baby toothbrush
We have the banana teether toothbrush by Nuby and my first loved it I've already used it on my 5-month-old for fun and she liked it too. My friends said it was her oldest favorite teether as well. This helps them learn to enjoy brushing their teeth which will come in handy when they're older and actually need to do this.
6) Hide toys under a cup for them to find
This also goes along with the object permanence concept it's essentially peek-a-boo with a little toy.
7) Hand them 1" size objects or something close
This age is also when babies start to develop the pincer grasp, meaning they start being able to grab things with their thumb, pointer, and middle fingers instead of their whole hand. This can help them develop the fine mother skills involved in that. To make it more fun you can have them pick up one object in each hand and then hand them a third little object, so they have to problem-solve to grab that one too.
8) Show them cause and effect
Have them play with a toy that does something when they push a button, move an object, or pull a lever, etc. This teaches them that when they do something it has an impact on the things around them.
9) Play tug of war
Before you do this one you will want to make sure they are well established in sitting up on their own. Have them hold the end of a small blanket, scarf, or other similar object and gently pull and encourage them to pull on it back.
10) Clap at/with them
Babies at this age will copy you, so a fun game is to sit them up across from you (if they haven't mastered this skill yet you can prop them safely against something like the corner of your couch) and clap at them eventually they will start clapping with you.
9-12 months
All of the things in 6-9 although they are probably sitting and crawling well at this point.
1) Walk holding their hands
Many babies will be strong enough to walk while you support them at this age so you can help them walk around and see their world from a whole new angle.
2) Transferring toys from one bowl to another
For this activity you just place 2 bowls in front of them and fill one with objects for them to move to the other empty bowl this helps improve their fine motor skills.
3) Playing drums with pots and spoons
Babies love banging on things why not make it a musical event? They will have so much fun making lots of noise doing this.
4) Roll things to them
Have them sit on the floor a little distance away from you and roll a ball or other round object like a plastic cup to them, eventually, they might just be able to catch it and roll it back to you.
5) Human roller coaster
To play this little game I lay on my back with my knees to my chest place my baby on my shins and move my legs up and down and side to side. They get a ride you get a leg and core workout, win win.
6) Twirling/spinning
Babies and toddlers love spinning it helps regulate their nervous system oddly enough (this is the same reason they like rocking and swinging). You can do this either by holding them and spinning with them or if they are good enough on their feet you can hold their hand and help them do it on their own.
7) Splash in water
I think most little humans love to splash and play in water so, set a towel on your floor fill a bowl or pot with some water, and throw in a few water-safe objects to float around this will be a blast for them and the towel helps it not be a huge mess for you.
8) Blow bubbles
Bubbles are really fun they may not be able to chase them yet, but they will enjoy watching them float around and if you blow them right at your baby, they might try popping the ones in their vicinity too.
9) Practice using silverware
This is an important eating skill and makes a fun activity to do with your little one too of course you can do this during normal mealtimes, but you can also practice this outside of mealtime by having a bowl with water and some floating things and a large spoon to transfer the objects to another empty bowl.
10) Tissue pull
This is an easy activity to set up, just take an empty tissue box or wipes container and stuff it full of square or rectangular pieces of scrap fabric. To make it so they pull out like tissues and have the next one pops up you will overlap them by folding the fabric below over the next one on top about halfway. Then just hand it to your baby and let them pull them out. You may need to demonstrate with the first couple, but they should catch on pretty quickly.
And there you have it 43 different activities to do with your baby at different ages from newborn up to toddling around. I'm curious to see how you play with your baby, leave a comment if you have tried any of these or anything you do that I didn't mention.
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