Should i be playing with my newborn

Medically Reviewed by Kyle Monk, M. Medical Review Policy All What to Expect content that addresses health or safety is medically reviewed by a team of vetted health professionals. Yes, you can play with even the youngest babies! Those cherished moments between naps and meals are the perfect time to make play part of your newborn's day.

Here are some easy and fun! Back to Top. In This Article. Continue Reading Below. Read This Next. Reading Books to Your Baby or Toddler. View Sources. Manasa Mantravadi, M. Elizabeth S. Norton, Ph. First Year. First Year Groups. Go to Your Baby's Age. Okay, onto the suggestions for how to play with your newborn — quick, before baby wakes up!

Some of the links below are affiliate links. See my full disclosure here. Face time: No, no, not the iPhone kind of Face Time. Face time is the simplest, most engaging, most pleasurable form of play for your newborn. Research has shown that newborn babies prefer to look at faces over any other kind of interaction or toy. Spending time face-to-face with your newborn not only makes him happy, it also helps develop that bond between the two of you that will likely lay the foundation for a healthy relationship in the months and years to come.

Talk to her: Talk to your baby during face time, but also talk to her during everyday tasks such as diaper changes, bath time, and feeding time. As she approaches three months of age, carry her in your arms and give her a tour of your house — she will be old enough to visually focus on the objects you include on your tour and can be introduced to the connection between language and objects. So go for it! Hold him. There are many benefits to holding your baby close to you during face time, talking time, and other times throughout the day.

It helps him learn to feel comfortable and safe in your arms. Experiment with holding your baby in a variety of ways or even wearing him in a baby carrier there are SO many benefits to wearing your baby! Imitate her. By engaging with your baby by imitating her sounds, facial expressions, and movements , you are teaching her about the basics of back-and-forth communication. She discovers that what she says and does matters to you, and she learns that you will be responsive to her attempts at communication.

So get lost in her sweet little world and follow her lead! So fun! We naturally sway back and forth while holding our babies anyways, so why not turn it into a fun way to play and bond with your baby?

Plus, dancing with your baby is a great way to sneak in some tummy time as she flies through the air learn more about dancing with your baby , it exposes her body to big-time movement, and it also helps prepare her body for learning to roll. So sing your heart out or turn on some music and dance with your baby!

During that time he will go from being unable to coordinate his eyes and only being able to see highly-contrasting colors e. He may even demonstrate the beginnings of eye-hand coordination as well. You can also play with your baby in a similar manner simply by dangling an age-appropriate toy such as this one approximately one foot away from his face as you talk, sing, or help him reach out and bat at it.

He may also enjoy visually attending to a tornado bottle , glitter jar , or lava lamp. Give her something to feel: A baby learns about her body and her environment primarily through the sense of touch. The more textures and materials her skin is exposed to, the more it will become familiar with them and learn to discriminate between all those feelings. Many baby toys are adorned with a variety of textures for this very purpose such as balls , blankets , links , rings , and rattles.

Lay her on the floor on surfaces with varying textures such as a receiving blanket, a sheepskin blanket, or a towel make sure she can breathe at all times, of course.

Or play a simple game touchy feely game with her hands and feet, which one therapist calls Rub Rub Rub Clap Clap Clap. Your baby will learn a lot about the world through tactile experiences and textures. Start out with books that have highly contrasting colors and simple pictures. You can find some good ones online HERE. Park his bassinet or bouncy seat near the hub of household activity, for instance, and encourage everyone to stop by for quick "chats.

Second, understand that being carried provides the perfect vantage point for your wakeful newborn. The rhythm of your movements is as good as a massage or a dance, and the panorama of life that he sees and hears as you stroll through your garden or up the street is as interesting as any movie. So find a sling or a strap-on baby carrier that's comfortable for you and that has good head support for your newborn.

In addition to providing your baby a good spot from which to see the world around him, this has the added benefit of freeing up your hands for simple jobs around the house, grocery shopping, and other errands.

Once he's able to hold his head up on his own usually around 3 or 4 months , try occasionally switching your baby around in the carrier so that his back is to you and he faces forward, where he can easily take in everything around him.

Finally, give your new baby lots of different things to look at. One simple way to do this is to move his crib or baby seat from one interesting spot to another. At first, he won't be able to see anything more than a foot away from him in great detail, but he'll nevertheless enjoy the delicate play of shadows your window blinds project onto a nearby wall, a bright curtain gently fluttering in the breeze, and the varied shapes and colors of a big houseplant or an outdoor tree or bush.

Interesting things to ponder from close up are the best "toys" for this age group. Don't limit yourself to conventional mobiles and cradle toys, though. Most newborns are absolutely riveted by black-and-white patterns, and flash cards, mobiles, and board books with these high-contrast designs are widely available now.

Try tucking a few cards between the mattress and the rail of your baby's crib, or tape them to the wall just outside his crib. In addition, look for mobiles that are designed to be viewed from underneath in other words, by him rather than by you! Supplement them with interesting everyday objects that you hang overhead, such as a hanger suspended from his ceiling with various objects tied to it, or a crib gym that's been "retrofitted" with different focal points.

If you rotate these objects frequently, your baby will always have something new to look at. What's more, his senses will be stimulated even when you're not there to coo, babble, or dance with him.

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