| ACTIVITIES FOR BABIES (BIRTH TO 1 YEAR
) |
| Most of these activities are intended for older babies. You don't really need to get very creative in the choice of activities during the first few months of the baby's life (not that the lack of sleep will inspire you to be creative anyway) - the world provides plenty of stimulation to the little one, and as long as all the basic needs are met, they'll benefit from simply being with you, seeing your smile, hearing your voice and cooing back. |
| TOUCH AND SEE! |
Whenever they are awake, babies are hard at work, trying to learn all about the world. To help them learn, they need many different things to play with and inspect. Objects you have around your home offer many possibilities. |
| What You Need |
| A wooden spoon
Different textured fabrics, such as velvet, cotton, corduroy, terry cloth, satin, burlap and fake fur
An empty toilet-paper or paper-towel roll
Pots, pans and lids
An old purse or basket with things to put in and take out
Measuring cups and spoons
Boxes and plastic containers
Noisemakers (rattles, a bottle filled with beans) |
| What to Do |
| Let your baby look at, touch and listen to a variety of objects. Objects that are brightly colored, have interesting textures and make noises are particularly good.
Put one or two of the objects in a play area where your baby can reach them-more than two may confuse him. (Many of the objects will interest toddlers and older preschoolers. For example, babies love to inspect a paper towel roll. But a 4-year-old might use it as a megaphone for talking or singing, a telescope or a tunnel for a toy car.)
Always make sure that the objects are not too small or that there are no small parts that can pose a chocking hazard. |
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| WATER MATH |
| What You Need |
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Various size containers and funnels |
| What to Do |
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This is a great bathtime activity for older babies (able to sit without support)! Let your baby discover the basic math concepts, such as empty/full, shallow/deep, small/big as he or she pours water in and out various containers. |
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| TREE MOBILE |
| What You Need |
|
A blanket |
| What to Do |
|
On a warm spring/summer day, take your baby to a park
Put a blanket under a big tree, and put your baby on their back on the blanket. The leaves moving in the wind will be just as
fascinating to him or her as a commercial mobile. |
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| OBSTACLE COURSE |
| When your baby starts crawling, you can set up a mini-obstacle course that will add even more excitement to their new mobility, while helping to strengthen the muscles. |
| What You Need |
|
A large cardboard box
Packing tape
A pillow (you can even use several pillows of various sizes) |
| What to Do |
|
Make a tunnel out of a large cardboard box by opening both ends of the box, then taping them together to form a tunnel. For even more fun, cut a few small "windows" along the tunnel
Place a large (but not too thick) pillow near one of the openings of the tunnel. Let your baby crawl over the pillow and into the tunnel (or the other way around!) |
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| MEMORY GAME |
| Although this seems like an activity suitable for older babies (that can point), you can play it with kids as little as 5-6 months old. Just make sure to pay attention to the non-verbal cues your baby is using instead of pointing! |
| What You Need |
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A favorite toy
Three cardboard boxes (preferably of the same size)
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| What to Do |
|
Put three cardboard boxes upside down in front of your baby
Show him or her their favorite toy; slowly put it under one of the boxes
Ask, "Where is... (the toy)? Where did it go?", and wait for the baby to respond by cooing, pointing, or other means
Lift the box your baby points at, and say, "You found it! Here it is!" (or, "It's not here, where else can it be?")
Continue looking until the toy is found
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| SPLASH! |
| This activity is good for babies who have started eating solid foods and are comfortable in a high chair. Your little one will be having so much fun, you might even have enough time to clean up the dishes! Just make sure to wipe all the wet surfaces with a dry rag afterwards. |
| What You Need |
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A high chair with a tray
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| What to Do |
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After your baby finishes eating, rinse off the high chair tray, attach it back to the chair, and fill it with about 1/3 inch of water
Leave the rest up to the baby!
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