How to play with a baby 0-12 months

**Continue to build on each list as they grow, and know that every baby develops at their own pace. It’s okay if your baby is not ready for something on the list until a later age**

I’ve heard a lot of people say that they don’t know how to play with their baby or they can’t wait until they are “old enough to play”. Personally, I found the opposite to be true. I love the newborn phase and had so much fun playing with my baby! It was after the age of 2 that it got progressively harder for me to know how to play. 0-12 months is all about being present, exploration, and teaching. Every single thing is new to your baby. Start by talking to them. Tell them who you are, who the other family members and pets are. Get used to narrating their day. Explain each step of the diaper change as you do it, describe their outfit as you get them dressed, look out the window and tell them about the weather, the birds you see flying overhead, the color of the cars driving by.

-Make up songs and sing to them as if life were a musical.

-Give them your time and patience to let them see, touch, squeeze, or chew on new things (keeping safety in mind).

-Interact with facial expression and hand gestures that they can mimic.

-Read at every age and ensure their brain is taking in language.

-Introduce age appropriate toys and show them different ways of using, holding, chewing, squeezing, shaking, dropping them, etc.

- Get on the floor and get silly, bounce a ball off your head, pretend to toss and fumble a ball, pretend to trip and fall over to get some giggles going.

-Encourage movement by laying on the floor with them on your back and put your arms up and down, narrate “arms up” “arms down” as you move and encourage them to copy you, then do the same with legs. Roll over and encourage them to roll with you. Lay on your belly and move your upper body up and down. Get on your hands and knees and rock forward and backward. Sit and stretch arms forward, up and down. Lay and kick your feet. Repeat each movement several times, continuing to narrate and encouraging them to copy you.

Possibilities are endless. Babies just want your attention and your time. They are eager to learn and so incredibly smart!

*I tried to focus mostly on things you can do versus things you can play with, so keep in mind there are tummy time mats with mirrors and toys, infant gyms, bouncy seats, saucers, walkers, teethers, and all sorts of toys you can use from infancy onward to help you play with your baby.*

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