After I gave birth to our first child, my husband gave birth to a new laugh. I’d never heard it before Emerson came along. But, when she arrived, my husband used it all the time—just for her. Many months later, I discovered our girl released a just-for-daddy giggle whenever they played “Beard on the Chin” together. In this game, he’d gently lean down and use his beard to tickle under her chin. She’d squeal and squirm in delight. That game and their shared laughter became a core memory for us all.
Your baby loves to play with you, too—even without a beard! In your child’s first year, play can be divided into two categories: social play (interacting with other people) and object play (interacting with baby-safe items). Try these 10 games for babies, and see which ones become your favorites.
But first, 3 tips for game time:
Tip #1: Keep the games simple and short. Hold off on scheduling that family game night. Your baby’s ability to focus and pay attention is limited. Instead, think in terms of games for babies lasting two to three minutes.
Tip #2: Monitor your baby’s cues. She’ll tell you by coos or smiles if she’s enjoying herself. Or she might turn away and cry if she’s not feeling it. One thing’s for certain: She’ll let you know if she wants to keep playing or not.
Tip #3: Use different facial expressions and voices to keep your baby’s attention. Your baby loves your face and your voice. So, don’t hold back. Show him all your silly faces and your best impersonations.
Now, let the games for babies begin!
1. Monkey See, Monkey Do – Get close to your baby and imitate her facial expressions. See if she can mimic yours. Smile. Make a surprised expression, or try putting on that super silly face you haven’t made since you were 7 years old.
2. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall – Obviously, your baby is the fairest one of all! And he loves looking at himself in the mirror, even if he doesn’t quite know it’s him. Prop a baby-safe mirror on the changing table for some diaper-changing fun. Or hold your baby facing outward and make faces together in a mirror.
3. Peek-a-Boo – Try a little twist on this classic and say: “Peek-a-Boo, I love you!” In this game, you’re bonding and beginning to teach your child something called object permanence. That just means your child is learning that an object still exists even if we can’t see it.
4. This Little Piggy – This is another of those traditional games to play with babies passed down through the generations. Vary the game by slipping on some soft gloves and “wee-wee-wee” those cotton-covered fingers all the way home to tickle your baby.
5. Hop Up, My Baby – Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Place your baby on your knees facing you. Gently bounce your baby on your knees. Then, “hop up” your baby by slowly pulling up your knees. Then, put your knees back down and try it again. Add some music to your game for added fun.
6. Track Star – Get your little one’s attention by gently moving a baby-safe object, such as a scarf or stuffed animal, back and forth, up and down, or tossing and catching it. Your little one plays along by “tracking” the object with his eyes.
7. On a Roll – Blow up a beach ball and roll it to your baby. See if she can roll it back to you. Or give her a smaller, age-appropriate ball she can hold and mouth. Or, for older babies, get her a basket of balls, watch her dump them out, and put them back in again and again. Ball games will remain a family favorite, even when your baby progresses to independent play as a toddler.
8. Bursting Your Bubbles – Kids love blowing bubbles. However, your little one can’t blow them just yet, but you can! Each time your baby visually follows the floating bubbles, she’s strengthening eye tracking abilities, a key pre-reading skill that will help her eyes follow the words on a page.
9. Striking Up the Band – Put on some music and pull out those baby-safe instruments you received during your baby shower. When your child shakes an instrument and realizes it creates a sound, she’s learning about cause and effect! (If you don’t have any shakers, these or these would work.)
10. Containing the Excitement – Put the empty wipes (or tissue) box to use. Place baby-safe toys, socks, or scarves inside with one item sticking out. Show your little one how to pull out an object and supervise her as she finds the other treasures!
What game do you love to play with your baby?
