Not every activity will be appropriate for every child. And there is obviously a huge developmental gap between a six month old and a one year old. Use your best judgment before trying these activities. You may even want to consult your doctor.

35 THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR 6-12 MONTH OLD

1. Make silly faces at your baby. This should elicit lots of giggles by baby or you as your sweet little one tries to imitate you.
2. Make homemade bubbles. This blog post has a lot of great recipes, so one of them bound to work well for your young’un.
3. Mimic your baby. If baby makes a sound. Repeat it. Little man and I can spend hours on this one!
4. Read books. Lots of books. And then read some more.
5. Read a texture book. Yes this is still reading, but this one gets its own mention since it’s also a great sensory/texture lesson. We have this set of books, and little man adores them!
6. Play a game of Patty Cake.
7. Sing songs. Make up the words. Put in a CD. Listen to YouTube. Have fun with it!
8. Dance together. Hold baby in your arms and dance. Slow music, fast music, ANY music!
9. Play crawling wars. Basically a game of tag or chase.
10. Play peak-a-boo. You can do this with a blanket, your hands, or really anything that you can duck behind.
11. Play with toy cards. Yes, even if you have a girl!
12. Create a discovery basket.
13. Create a spider web discovery basket. All you need is some yarn and a laundry basket. You child will LOVE pulling toys in and out of it.
14. Let your little one empty containers. It could be something as simple as an empty tissue container with old rags inside, or it might be their toy box that they are constantly emptying and putting everything all over the floor. (That might be a little bit of experience talking!)
15. Play catch. Yes, you may only be rolling the ball back to your baby. Accuracy will come later.
16. Check out your reflection. Babies LOVE mirrors! You can stand in front of the bathroom mirror or use a floor mirror (we love this one). Either way, your little one will thoroughly enjoy looking at themselves and others.
17. Crawl through things. Our little man thinks it’s great to crawl under blankets we put over the couch. Of course you could get more technical and buy a play house.
18. Create a baby drop box. Your little one will love putting items inside this DIY creation and taking them out again!
19. Practice walking. Most babies love the independence that comes with walking, but they may need some help getting there.
20. Talk to your baby. Talk high. Talk low. Talk happy, sad, or grumpy. See how baby reacts. By this age you might be able to have a conversation where baby talks then you do. This is a great way for baby to begin understanding that conversations are a turn-taking event.
21. Find some window cling and put various things on it. Baby will love exploring what sticks and what does not.
22. Make a drum. Show baby how to make some noise and see what much fun they have! Don’t feel like making one? Flip a plastic container upside down! Or just put the lid down on the toilet and let baby bang away.
23. Make rainbow spaghetti and let baby explore and/or eat it.
24. Have fun with a water table!
25. Go for a walk or jog. Baby will love the time in the stroller or in the baby wrap.
26. Play a game of fetch. One day my son brought me a toy, and I accidentally knocked it off my leg. He picked it up. So then I set it about a foot away from me. He went and brought it back to me. Andrew and I joke that we have a little dog on our hands. At least he’s a cute one!
27. Build towers.
28. Play with edible playdough.
29. Give baby a bath, but give him or her extra time to play. Jump in the tub with them if you’d like!
30. Play hide and seek.
31. Create a homemade sensory board.
32. Make some edible finger paint. This is great for snack time, but it can get messy!
33. Play with edible finger paint. You may even want to make a craft for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or Grandparent’s Day if you’re feeling especially crafty.
34. Make or buy a ball pit. A clothes hamper full of balls might work great, but you can also buy one like this from Amazon.
35. Play with your food. Babies are naturally curious, so keep giving them various items to eat and explore. Think about all different textures that baby can explore! Just make sure to follow the recommendations of your pediatrician and only give baby safe foods.

Ever wonder what to do with the precious bundle of joy in your care? It’s true: babies sleep and eat a lot. But they’re also awake for increasing amounts of time as the days and weeks unfold. The following list offers activities for infants and newborns as young as a day old all the way through about 6 months of age. Need some ideas to guide your day with baby? Pick a handful of the options below and enjoy! How many will you do?

Take a tour. Go from room to room. In each room, choose one item to show baby. Describe the item’s name, color, size, etc. When finished, move to another location.

Play with the light switch. Turn the light switch up and say,”On.” Flip the switch down and say, “Off.”

Read on your back. Lay baby down on her back on a blanket on the floor. Lie next to baby on your back. Hold books above yourself and read.

Take a bath. Even if it’s not bath time, entertain or relax baby with a warm bath.

Walk outside. It may be too hot or too cold, but even if you only walk 10 feet out your door, the change of temperature can invigorate you and baby.

Embrace the fourth trimester. Baby spent the first 9 months of life held in utero. Snuggle baby against your chest, allowing her to feel secure and relax. Snuggle for one minute; snuggle for one hour. Snuggle for as long as baby is happy!

Make an ice pack. Put some ice in a zipper bag. Place baby’s hand gently on pack and say “cold.” Of course, only keep baby’s hand on ice for a second or two!

Do baby massage. Strip down baby to diaper. Gently rub baby’s arms and legs.

Sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” A classic tune appropriate for babies even a few days old. Be sure to place your hand on baby’s body part as you sing about it.

Look in the mirror. Introduce baby to him or herself. Tired of looking in the bathroom or hall mirror? Grab a small hand-held mirror and let baby find herself.

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Congratulations! Your wait is over and your newborn is finally here. Nothing can surpass the joy of newly attained parenthood. Once the initial surprise and elation turns into an everyday routine, taking care of a newborn can become monotonous.

In the initial months, your newborn gets attached to you the most. The way you connect with your baby in these months plays a crucial role in your baby’s language formation, social intelligence, logical thinking, emotional connect and overall development.

There are various activities for newborn babies that you can get involved in and enjoy the joys of motherhood.

Top 10 Newborn Baby Activities:

If you thought that your new born baby will only sleep and wake up for meals, then it’s time to rethink! Here are the top 10 activities to do with newborn babies:

1. Baby’s Day Out:

Plan an outing with your baby. It need not be a far flung place but a nearby park or any natural surroundings.

• Let your baby enjoy the lush greenery and feel the fresh air.
• Even though your baby may be too small to play, he may really enjoy seeing the colorful environment and other children playing.
• It will also be a good change for you and your baby from everyday routine.

2. Music Therapy:

All babies have an affinity towards music. Melodies have a soothing effect on babies and can boost their memory as well as mental skills.

• Play different genres of music when your darling is awake and see which music relaxes him and which annoys him.
• Some music might charge him up while some will make him sleep.
• It is essential to be present along with your baby while the music is playing.
• Your touch and voice may accentuate the benefits. Sing along and encourage your baby to do so too!
• Besides making your baby happy, music will also help calm you.

3. Record Your Baby’s Move:

Each moment with your baby is unique and shall never come back, so make sure you capture them.

• Record your baby’s special moments through pictures or videos.
• Use different accessories and props to make it entertaining for your infant.
• Make him or her wear special clothes, try a different hair style. Your baby will thoroughly enjoy the attention.
• Share these with your spouse and near and dear ones. It will be amazing to watch these together when your baby grows up.

4. Emote:

It is a wonderful game to play with your munchkin.

• When your baby is awake and playful, hold him close and try to talk with animated gestures and expressions.
• Vary the pitch of your voice. You will be amazed to see how your baby reacts to your actions. This will help your baby learn and recognize emotions and increase the attention span of your baby.
• This activity can help your infant in early language identification and is a great way to strengthen your bond.

5. Play Hide And Seek:

Play hide and seek with your newborn but not in the regular way.

• Hide your face behind your hands or a cloth.
• Call his name or whistle or make any different kind of noise.
• Your infant will recognize your voice and try to find out where it is coming from.
• This activity can increase the alertness in your baby.
• When your baby finds you, pick him up and shower him with your love. This will create a happy emotional bonding.
• As a word of caution, don’t be too far from your baby. Always be at a distance from where you can pick him up if he is about to fall or get hurt.

6. Co-ordination Activity:

Introduce your baby to toys and colorful things.

• Hang different colorful toys just above your baby’s bed or cradle.
• When touched they should emanate soothing sound or change shape or light up
• Help your baby to reach out to these toys with their hands or toes and show them how interesting it is.
• Your baby will soon learn the coordination of hands, eyes and toes and learn to play on his own.

7. Simulate Senses:

Let your baby feel everything.

• Don’t hasten any activity you do with your baby.
• If you are bathing your infant, let him or her splash water and play with it.
• If you are feeding, then let him or her feel the bottle.
• This gives your baby an understanding of various senses.
• Such learning is essential for his overall mental, physical and emotional development

8. Introduce New Things:

Just like you, your baby also hates routine and needs new things to be entertained. Remember these activities of newborn baby will be the base.

• Take your baby around the house and show things that are non-hazardous and safe.
• Let your darling stare and feel the objects.
• It is a wonderful feeling for your baby and also a way to increase his or her memory power.

9. Story Time:

Of course your little one cannot understand your story but read, nonetheless.

• Read or tell a story by enacting the same with gestures.
• Touch your baby’s toes, fingers, tickle his belly and see his expressions.
• You can use this activity when you are clothing your baby. It is a good way to divert attention too!

10. Try Some Dance:

Sure your baby can’t dance but you can definitely sway him to the tunes of music.

• Take your baby in your arms and try some simple steps.
• Such moves are not less than any roller coaster ride for your little one.
• Be careful with your baby’s neck and always keep a hand there.
• This activity can definitely rejuvenate you and your little one.

When you engage into activities with your new born baby or babies, it will help him or her learn things faster while enjoying it more. In case your baby does not respond well to most of the above, or cries a lot, make sure you discuss this with baby’s doctor in the next visit.

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