A newborn baby is a blank slate, just waiting to be filled with new experiences and memories. Playtime is the perfect time to bond with your baby. Despite what you see on social media, not all babies are born geniuses who can grasp every concept in an instant but most of them do love to learn. Even if your little one isn’t crawling around and manipulating objects yet, there are still many ways for you to play with your baby.
While it can be tempting to cuddle and stare at your new little one all the time. But by these fun and educational activities, you can do together to help them grow and learn. In this blog, we have gathered some ways how to play with a newborn baby to embrace those special moments.
Best activities to play with newborn babies:
Though as we said, these are just some of the best and most obvious activities to play with a baby. No rule book lays down how to play and bond with your little one. The only thing we would say is to do what works best for you and your baby. Below are some famous activities that you can have with your newborn baby and they are:
1 Tummy-Time:
Tummy-time is very important for any newborn baby during their first year. This may seem like a chore at first, but it will greatly pay off in the future. Tummy time helps your baby maintain healthy muscles and bones. So they will grow up to be sleek and strong! It also encourages them to practice lifting their heads and holding up their chests. This is a crucial milestone in your little one’s first year as it works on their developmental skills and encourages movement.
2 Singing Lullabies:
Singing lullabies to your newborn baby is another great way for you to bond with your little one. Not only will it help them fall asleep faster but singing also increases the levels of oxytocin in your body. This hormone helps calm fussy babies when they are angry or excited. You can sing anything, from classic songs like Rock-a-bye Baby, to your favorite tune.
3 Pedal Pedal:
By doing Pedal Pedal you will not only improve your baby’s motor skills but you’ll also strengthen and bond with each other. It can be a little tricky to master at first, but once you get the hang of it, there is no stopping you. These activities help your newborn baby to develop their leg muscles while also encouraging their senses.
4 Monkey See & Do:
This activity will help your baby’s hand-eye coordination. All you have to do is place a few objects that are within reach of your newborn and allow them to play with them. Every time they touch an object, say the name of the object out loud. Once your baby understands what you mean by saying certain words, try placing other objects that are not within arm’s reach. This will teach them how to crawl towards the object, which is a very important skill they’ll need in their early days.
5 Show and Tell:
Show and tell is a great activity as it allows you to bond with your little one as well as helps them learn about the world around them. You can start by showing your baby an object, such as a toy or a book, and asking them what the item is called. Just because they do not have much vocabulary yet doesn’t mean that your baby can’t guess what the object is. Smart babies will try all kinds of methods to get their point across, including pointing at the item and looking at you for an answer. If your little one is still struggling with words, you can also use sounds or make funny faces to describe the objects around them.
6 Clappity Clap:
Making a joyful noise together is another fun way to bond with your newborn. You can start by clapping or making sounds with them and seeing if they copy you back. Once your baby gets a little older, you can use musical instruments for this activity as it will develop their auditory senses too. So try holding your newborn’s hands and see if they follow your rhythm. This is a surefire way to make them cry with laughter.
7 Tickle Me:
Tickling your baby can be very fun for both of you. It helps strengthen the bond between the two of you and it also stimulates their senses. Make sure that when you’re playing this game, you’re gentle and do not be rough. This is because your baby will still have very soft bones at this stage and can easily get injured if they are shaken or thrown around.
8 Bubble Blowing:
This is another very simple game to play with your baby. All you have to do is blow bubbles and see if they will try to reach for them or touch the bubble wand. If they get distracted by other things around the room, you can also get them interested in bubbles by placing them within their sight. Bubble blowing is a great way to introduce your little one to different colors too. You should also take note that bubbles are not only fun, but they are also very good for your baby’s eyes as it increases their focus and concentration too.
9 Sock Puppets:
Sock puppets are another creative way for you to bond with your little one. You can start by putting socks on your hands and doing different voices or talking in funny accents. Your baby will love seeing you stand up and move around the room while making funny faces. Whenever they are not looking, take off the sock puppets to give them a little surprise!
10 Cuddle:
Cuddling lowers the heart rate and reduces stress levels for both you and your baby. It also increases your newborn’s brain development by increasing the flow of oxygen-rich blood in their little bodies too. You can start by holding them upright or on their side and then gently rub or pat them to get them relaxed. If they are still struggling, you can press on the soles of their feet or even stroke their face to try and put them at ease.
Conclusion:
Therefore, it is important that as a new parent, you spend as much time as possible bonding with your baby. As we’ve already mentioned, this not only increases their mental and physical development but also strengthens the bond between the two of you. Just make sure to always be gentle and patient when playing with them and avoid roughhousing for now as they might get injured if you’re not careful. These are just a few activities that you can do with your baby. Just remember not to overdo any one activity as it will quickly become boring for both of you, respectively.
