50 Ways to Play with Your Baby - Wit & Wander

50 Ways to Play with Your Baby

50 Ways to Play with Your Baby - Wit & Wander

When you’re a new mom, you will probably feel overwhelmed and exhausted. Playing with your baby may be the very last thing on your mind, and I don’t blame you! But eventually, that feeling that you are trying to take a sip from a fire hydrant will go away and you’ll be left wondering what you’re supposed to do all day with a baby. If you’re coming from a full time job, with a busy schedule and a never-ending list of things to do, staying home all day with a baby will feel like a shock to the system. Suddenly all your urgent ‘To Do’ lists are gone and in their place is a child who can really only entertain themselves for a few minutes at a time.

I wanted to be intentional about interacting and playing with our daughter each day, but I had no idea where to start. So, I read a lot (because I’m a nerd), talked to a few more experienced moms, and came up with a pretty good list in my head of ways to play with a baby. Then when we had time set aside to play, I forgot every single thing on my mental list (Mommy Brain is real, you guys!).

It was helpful for me to create a list of 50 Ways to Play with Your Baby. I thought I’d share it with all of you, just in case any of you are stuck in the mommy brain haze.

Now, I don’t want you to think that I have this perfect, Stepford life where I spend my whole day catering to my daughter’s every whim. Obviously there are chores that need be done and my baby has fallen into the natural rhythm of our family, but there are times (that sweet spot of 15 minutes three times a day when she’s not eating, not sleeping, not crying – just happy) when I can glance through the list and pick a fun activity for us to complete that day.

  1. Read books
  2. Make shadow puppets
  3. Pay Peek-a-Boo
  4. Sing and dance to a Pandora radio station (I created one that I love based on “Under the Sea” and my husband’s favorite is “Monster’s, Inc.”)
  5. Make shadow puppets
  6. Go on a walk
  7. Tell a story with finger puppets
  8. Mommy and Me Low Impact Cardio YouTube Video
  9. Wave ribbons, scarves, or scraps of fabric through the air
  10. Find new books at the library
  11. Act out a book
  12. Go to a free trial class (places like The Little Gym or Gymboree usually offer a free class on your first visit)
  13. Roll a ball50 Ways to Play with Your Baby - Wit & Wander
  14. Play in the grass
  15. Songs with Gestures YouTube Video
  16. Put water on their high chair tray
  17. Turn off most of the lights and play with a flashlight
  18. Make up a story
  19. Blow bubbles outside while baby sits on a blanket
  20. Check out your local library or book store’s Story Time
  21. Put on your swimsuit and take a bath together
  22. Make faces in a mirror
  23. After bath, put a few towels on the floor and them roll around *ahem* uninhibited by clothes
  24. Play Tug-a-War with a washcloth
  25. Exercise with your baby – they will probably giggle if you kiss them in between each push up!
  26. Put messy food like yogurt or applesauce on their high chair tray and let them explore textures.
  27. Make an obstacle course with pillows, blankets, couch cushions, and laundry baskets
  28. Make a ball pit in their Pack n’ Play or an empty kiddie pool
  29. Sing songs with actions (This Old Man, Itsy Bitsy Spider)
  30. Find a baby friendly play space at a local mall, church, or library
  31. Make a simple DIY Flannelgraph by gluing felt to a piece of cardboard, then cut shapes in colorful felt and make up stories
  32. Walk around the house pointing out and talking about different items
  33. Put plastic containers or empty boxes in a low cabinet or drawer – older babies will love taking everything out of the drawer
  34. Practice eating bananas
  35. Get down on your stomach during tummy time – smile and talk with your baby
  36. Make up a song
  37. Swing at the park – either in the baby swing or on your lap
  38. Roll around on the bed
  39. Mom & Baby Yoga YouTube Video
  40. Stack soft blocks for them to knock down
  41. Fold laundry – you can brush something over their head, talk about what you’re folding, and let them ‘help’ by chewing on a bib!
  42. Give them a bath – sing songs and splash around
  43. Walk through a store or the mall talking about what you see
  44. Practice rolling over, crawling, or walking across the room
  45. Songs with Movement YouTube Video
  46. Play pat-a-cake
  47. Go into your closet and the your baby feel the different textures (soft, silky, embellished)
  48. Play drums with wooden spoons
  49. Look through a photo album and talk about family members
  50. Put paint in a plastic bag for mess-free finger painting

50 Ways to Play with Your Baby - Wit & Wander

Of course this list isn’t complete, these are 50 Ways to Play with Your Baby, but there are hundreds more ways to play with your infant – what are some of your favorites?

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