Infant Activities - Time Well Spent
Most of them don't require a lot of monetary investment… just your time devoted to playing with your child in a variety of ways. Your baby will develop his natural curiosity and learn coordination and motor skills at the same time. Newborns enjoy rocking. Sing to your baby while you rock him or her, looking directly into their eyes. This helps them feel secure and loved. The sensations of touch and rocking helps their tactile senses develop. Movement also helps them develop balance. Talk with them and echo their sounds. This will help their speech later. Infant activities can include playing music for them to enjoy. Give them toys that have contrasting colors, like black and white or blue and red. Soft toys that they can hold will help them differentiate textures. Rattles are fun… once baby realizes they can make a noise, they really enjoy them. If the weather is nice, take them outdoors and let them smell flowers, the grass, and other scents. Provide some imitation play. Stick out your tongue and leave it there for awhile. Your baby will learn to imitate you after a few attempts. Tracking a toy is also a good developmental game. Move a toy or your finger slowly from side to side and baby will track it with his eyes. Don't move it too fast or your baby won't be able to keep up. By the age of 8 weeks, your baby will enjoy infant activities like seeing faces, hearing different voices and watching bright colors, toys and chimes. At 12 weeks, baby's vision has improved so he can enjoy seeing mobiles and such from a greater distance. Activities that are suitable from age 3 to 6 months include toys that can be easily grasped and are good for teething. Up to about 9 months of age, baby will enjoy activity quilts and activity centers. Colorful toys with varied patterns and textures will become favorites, as will toys that can be rattled or make other noises. A large cardboard box on the floor can provide some entertainment as baby can crawl in and out of it. Cushions on the floor provide some textural interest as baby can crawl and roll on them. Infant activities as baby approaches walking age can include spending time in a walker that has activity toys on it, or in a jumper attached to a door sill. These activities provide upright play for baby, and help him strengthen his legs. Rideing toys like rocking horses and toddler bikes can help them develop their arms and legs. Be sure to supervise as baby is likely to tumble and hit his head occasionally in his attempts to walk. Praise your baby frequently for his accomplishments. This gives him encouragement to keep trying, especially if he's had a day full of bumps and bruises. At the same time, you don't want to push baby before he's ready. It is not uncommon for babies to revert to crawling for a while, and then suddenly they'll try walking again and do it very well.
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