Games to Play with Babies
May 19th 2008 04:23
0-3 Months
When we first brought Samantha home, we had no idea what to do with her. She just cried ate slept and cried again. We would wave things in front of her face, and were rewarded with a blank stare. You do not get a lot of interaction in these first few months but that does not mean you cannot play with them. Repetition is important for babies it is how they learn.
At this age, babies can usually only manage about half an hour of playtime after a feed. Often they cannot lift their heads or grab at objects but that doesn’t mean you can’t play with them. They are very curious about their environment. Play games that involve anything visual.
Hold your baby in front of your face and wait until they look at you, then slowly poke out your tongue. Wait a while and do it again, very soon your baby will start to copy you. Try other facial expressions, your baby will soon start to imitate you.
Babies like to look at different things take them for a walk outside in the garden and watch them go cross eyed as the try and focus on brightly coloured objects like flowers. Show them different objects from around the house.
Babies are fascinated with seeing themselves in a mirror. You know when they have worked out that it is actually a reflection of themselves when they start smiling or touching their faces while looking in the mirror.
3-6 months
Babies can hold their head up now and they are now trying to learn how to roll. If you can get them to do tummy time great put them on their tummies and give them something to look at such as a toy or mirror. If like Samantha, they hate tummy time and protest loudly, roll them backwards and forwards.
Babies are fascinated by different surfaces. Give them different textures to touch. Read those touchy books to them.
Dangle an object in front of your baby and see if they follow the movement with their eyes.
Your baby will love you singing action songs to them such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, after a few days of hearing it your baby will start smiling as soon as you start singing it. Also, try This Little Piggy. Do the actions with the tickle at the end. Sometime soon, you may hear your baby laugh.
6-9 months
Babies are now starting to learn about cause and effect, and they love noise toys so give them a rattle to shake, or plastic cups to bang together. They have learnt that out of sight does not mean out of existence so now is a good time to play peek a boo
They will probably start crawling soon and they love climbing over things such as pillows phone books and you!
Roll a ball towards your baby and encourage them to roll it back to you. It will take a while but they will get it.
Talk to your baby, when they start babbling at you. Babble back at them they love it and it encourages them to try to pronounce words.
Read to your baby they like to climb onto your knee and be close. Point out objects in the book and name them.
10-12 Months
Your baby is now developing into a toddler and will enjoy activities that will help her develop gross and fine motor skills. They are learning about objects, get a box and show her how to take objects out and put them back in. Alternatively, you can get stackable cups and show her how to transfer sand or liquids from one cup to the other.
Bath time is great fun. Babies no longer want to sit in a bath they want to stand up and pick up cloths and toys. It is a great learning experience too. Get a plastic container punch holes in it then fill it with water and let the water trickle out show your baby how they can stop the flow of water by putting their finger over the hole.
Babies love to imitate you so slap your thigh or put your hands on your head and blowing out your cheeks and watch them imitate you. Put words to these actions so she will learn new words at the same time.
When we first brought Samantha home, we had no idea what to do with her. She just cried ate slept and cried again. We would wave things in front of her face, and were rewarded with a blank stare. You do not get a lot of interaction in these first few months but that does not mean you cannot play with them. Repetition is important for babies it is how they learn.
At this age, babies can usually only manage about half an hour of playtime after a feed. Often they cannot lift their heads or grab at objects but that doesn’t mean you can’t play with them. They are very curious about their environment. Play games that involve anything visual.
Hold your baby in front of your face and wait until they look at you, then slowly poke out your tongue. Wait a while and do it again, very soon your baby will start to copy you. Try other facial expressions, your baby will soon start to imitate you.
Babies like to look at different things take them for a walk outside in the garden and watch them go cross eyed as the try and focus on brightly coloured objects like flowers. Show them different objects from around the house.
Babies are fascinated with seeing themselves in a mirror. You know when they have worked out that it is actually a reflection of themselves when they start smiling or touching their faces while looking in the mirror.
3-6 months
Babies can hold their head up now and they are now trying to learn how to roll. If you can get them to do tummy time great put them on their tummies and give them something to look at such as a toy or mirror. If like Samantha, they hate tummy time and protest loudly, roll them backwards and forwards.
Babies are fascinated by different surfaces. Give them different textures to touch. Read those touchy books to them.
Dangle an object in front of your baby and see if they follow the movement with their eyes.
Your baby will love you singing action songs to them such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, after a few days of hearing it your baby will start smiling as soon as you start singing it. Also, try This Little Piggy. Do the actions with the tickle at the end. Sometime soon, you may hear your baby laugh.
6-9 months
Babies are now starting to learn about cause and effect, and they love noise toys so give them a rattle to shake, or plastic cups to bang together. They have learnt that out of sight does not mean out of existence so now is a good time to play peek a boo
They will probably start crawling soon and they love climbing over things such as pillows phone books and you!
Roll a ball towards your baby and encourage them to roll it back to you. It will take a while but they will get it.
Talk to your baby, when they start babbling at you. Babble back at them they love it and it encourages them to try to pronounce words.
Read to your baby they like to climb onto your knee and be close. Point out objects in the book and name them.
10-12 Months
Your baby is now developing into a toddler and will enjoy activities that will help her develop gross and fine motor skills. They are learning about objects, get a box and show her how to take objects out and put them back in. Alternatively, you can get stackable cups and show her how to transfer sand or liquids from one cup to the other.
Bath time is great fun. Babies no longer want to sit in a bath they want to stand up and pick up cloths and toys. It is a great learning experience too. Get a plastic container punch holes in it then fill it with water and let the water trickle out show your baby how they can stop the flow of water by putting their finger over the hole.
Babies love to imitate you so slap your thigh or put your hands on your head and blowing out your cheeks and watch them imitate you. Put words to these actions so she will learn new words at the same time.
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