Creative Baby Play – Newborn to 6 months

New parents are bombarded with information about parenting. What diapers to use, whether to breastfeed, and how to make your babies smarter. Every year millions of dollars are spent on products designed to make your children smarter and more alert.

But nothing equals parental interaction in helping a child grow and learn. Talking, singing and cuddling play a vital role in your child’s development. So does game time.

From the moment your child is born, you are curious about the world around you. Every experience is new, from the feel of his blanket to the sounds around them. And each new thing helps them make the connections that will help you grow and learn.

When my children were babies, they loved to play and interact with me. Any game made them smile and laugh. They expected to play with me. I did too.

Because newborns are still getting used to their surroundings, be sure to watch your child for signs of overstimulation. If your child starts to squirm or cry, change the activity to something calmer, like snuggling or rocking.

So what kinds of games can you play with your newborn to help them make these connections? Be sure to choose activities that are age appropriate for your baby and it will be as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Birth to 3 months of age

At this age, most babies are not mobile. They totally depend on you to take care of everything from feeding to moving around. This is a great age to show your baby the world around him. Remember that your newborn may take a while to respond to her play. It is normal and does not mean that something is wrong.

What is this?
Newborns are fascinated by touch. Smooth, rough, hairy, everything interests them. Now is the time to put a wonderful new use to that wardrobe you spent a lifetime accumulating. Find the items in your closet that have the most diverse sensations and colors. Silk, suede, velvet, faux fur, and cashmere sweaters are great choices. Let the baby experience each one for as long as she wants. While you’re doing this, be sure to talk to your baby, tell him what you’re feeling and seeing.

baby dancing
The music has charms to calm the cranky baby. While not all babies love music, most are soothed by it. So why not take advantage of that and try dancing with your baby? Find music your baby likes, one that won’t put him to sleep. Put it low and hold her baby, making sure to give her neck the support she needs. Then swing, wiggle, dip, and just dance. It doesn’t have to be perfect, as long as you hold and interact with your baby. If your baby doesn’t like to dance, he might like to watch you dance. Exaggerated movements can hold her child’s attention and keep him entertained as long as she can dance.

Wow, look at that!
Babies love to experience new things. Their eyesight isn’t perfect right now, so they need to see things up close and personal. They find things interesting that we take for granted. You can use this interest to introduce your baby to the world around him. The kitchen is a wonderful place to find a diverse group of things for your baby to look at and touch. Spoons, whisks, spatulas, fruits and vegetables are different types of things that you can let your baby look at and touch to learn about her home.

4 to 6 months old

At this age, babies are more active. They are learning to roll over and hold their heads up. By the sixth month, most babies are also learning to sit up. Here are some games for your age group in addition to the ones above.

bubble burst
Now that your baby’s eyesight is improving, it’s time to take advantage of most children’s love of bubbles. A great game to play when you’re outside is popping bubbles. A small bottle of bubbles and a wand is all you need to keep your older baby entertained. There are even little bubble bottles, complete with a wand, that you can even keep in your diaper bag for those times when you’re outside for long periods of time and baby is cranky.

RocketBaby
Both of my children loved to fly. Walking around the house, with me supplying power, elicited loud giggles from them. Playing Rocket Baby is simple; you just need to decide what kind of flying machine they will be. The planes fly at full speed, going up and down, and circling around the room. The rockets start low and rumble toward the ceiling. Take your child’s tail off and you can’t go wrong.

belly skins
Babies love to be touched and tickled. One fun thing you can do with your child is the tummy tuck. The way to give one is to breathe in, place your lips against your child’s bare belly, and blow gently. You will make a very funny noise and tickle your child. My guys still think this is fun. Again, be sure to pay attention to your child as he plays. Stop if your child seems upset by this action.

Creative play is a wonderful way to bond with your newborn and older baby. And help him develop his social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills.