Simple Games to Play with Infants

If you are a parent of a relative newborn (0-3 months), it can be difficult to think or even know of baby games that are worthwhile to try.  Hopefully, this article will give you a few new ideas to try!

Your baby can hear, see, taste, smell and feel from birth but his senses will not develop fully until around 6 months of age. However, there are still plenty of baby games and activities you can enjoy with your baby. While many of these activities may seem simple or only for fun, they all have a purpose and help your baby develop.

Disappearing Toy - Find a small object or toy that your baby can easily spot.  Have your spouse hold your baby or secure your baby in a seat. Show your baby the toy, then hide it behind your back asking “Where is it?”. Pop it back out (not too fast so the baby is startled) with a “It’s Here!” Initially, it is better to be predictable so your baby can anticipate the toy’s reappearance.  This activity will start building your baby’s memory and cognitive skills.

Pat a Cake - Lie your baby down on a soft flat surface such as the bed or blanket on the carpet. Start singing the Pat a Cake song and lightly tap your baby’s palms. When your baby gets to be older than 3 months, you can progress to light clapping!  This is a good game for language and coordination.

Imitation Game - Hold your baby closely or lie him down on a soft flat surface. Be sure to be close enough (8-12 inches) so that he can see you, especially for infants. Face-to-face, start with small movements, like sticking out your tongue or opening your mouth in a wide grin. You may get lucky and your baby will try copying you! Eventually, add larger body motions with your hands or arms. This imitation activity helps with motion coordination and also builds the emotional bond with your infant.

While we do not cover it specifically here, the tummy time baby activity is also a very important for infants.  There are many other baby games and activities you can share with your infant during the 0 to 3 month age period but we hope you give these three a try.  Some of the best and fun baby activites are the most simple.  Above all, have fun!