Category: 0 to 3 months

Let Go, Grab Hold

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If you were holding an object in one hand, and I handed you another, you wouldn’t think twice before dropping the first to pick up the second. But this is quite the realization for little babies, and their little brains will have to think hard about it. So try this cute game to get those brains working. You’ll help develop the grip as well as the concept of opening the hand to let go.

I gave Veronika a set of favorite, easy-to-hold keys, but then enticed her with a new toy.

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Soon she was holding the new rattle firmly. A weight-lifter like mama!

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Now it twas time to present a new option.

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She’s thinking about it…

Let Go (5)Thinking hard…

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The rattle is down!

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And the ball is up. Good job, Veronika!

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Play this game throughout the day, and in days to come, and your little one will rapidly develop good hand control.

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Have a Family Meal

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If you’re in step with me on this baby game journey, then your baby is three-months old and still confined to milk alone – whether breast or bottle. So it’s hard to imagine that solid meals are but a few more months away! To introduce Veronika to the idea of family meals, we’re making a point of including her at mealtimes, even though she can’t partake of the food yet.

I will confess, we’re not the model family when it comes to “family dinner.” Travis eats early, and his dad and me eat after he’s asleep. But i always make sure I sit with him at his mealtime, and we read a magazine or do an activity workbook together. I can’t wait until my kids are old enough to have this be their special sibling mealtime together!

So here comes Veronika. Sit your baby right at the table so he or she is part of the meal, whether on a lap or baby chair.

Veronika gets to practice holding her own spoon!

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Babies will benefit just from sitting here, taking in the sounds of conversation and the visual cues of eating.

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You can also talk about the tastes or textures of what big members of the family are enjoying.

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In sum, I love perching Veronika on my knee for mealtime now. She’s part of the family, and we want her to know it!

Kiss Me Game

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Today Veronika and I got silly with our kisses! This is a sweet little activity that builds on the Kisses to Learn game we played when she was younger. It builds vocabulary at the same time that it promotes bonding.

The goal was to see what we could kiss with, other than our lips! First was a nose to nose nuzzle kiss.

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Then I rubbed my cheek against hers for cheek kisses! Forehead-to-forehead also produced a big smile.

From there, you can get really silly. Can your eyelashes kiss? Your knees? Your chins? Your ears?

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Name each body part as you do the “kiss”, and get ready for smiles of delight. I loved this idea so much that I hope to continue it. As she gets older, maybe we’ll make chin kisses part of our nightly routine before bed.

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VIsual Reassurance

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If your infant has a hard time on car rides, whether that means crying for you, simply fussing, or generally seeming to miss you, then this game is for you!

It can be tough for infants who need to ride backwards, since they can hear your voice, but they can’t see you. I love having a mirror hanging in the backseat so I can see Veronika, but that doesn’t mean she can see me!

Cue this adorable idea: tape up pictures of mom, dad, and other key family members.

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I had cheap prints made at the drugstore, and first let Veronika take a look at them. She was instantly really clued into them, clearly recognizing faces of her caregivers.

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A little tape and voila, I had a collage of family members up on the mirror. She seemed to love gazing up!

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If you want to make the pictures more permanent, laminate them before hanging.

I love that this gives her something interesting to look at, now, as well providing reassurance that I’m there, even when she can’t see me at the wheel. How do you keep your infant happy in the car? Please share in the comments!

Aquarium Adventure

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You don’t need a screen to provide your infant with moving entertainment; just pause in front of a fish tank instead!

Now, a caveat is needed here. I do not advocate for fish swimming around and around in small bowls, or for locations with dirty tanks. But some places do truly have beautiful displays, including our local library and pediatricians office. Should you find yourself in front of a similarly-cared-for tank, simply aim your child’s eyes at the fish, and talk about everything you see.

That’s free entertainment of course, but if you want to take things a step further, bring your baby to the nearest aquarium. Today, Travis and I took Veronika on a field trip to marvel at the colors and motions of the ocean!

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Travis loved pointing out the aquatic life to his little sister.

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And she in turn stared wide-eyed.

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As she gazed, I described everything she was seeing. You can mention colors (especially on vivid tropical fish), as well as patterns like stripes or spots.

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We also talked about movement, the various sizes of the different fish, and more.

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Whoops, the sharks might have been a little too scary!

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But they sure were cool.

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In sum, you can’t go wrong with an aquarium adventure. Veronika was able to see so many new things in one day, and to marvel at motion and light and color. Your child might not understand what a fish is yet, but will love the opportunity to learn.

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Baby Sit-Ups

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We’ve been working on strengthening Veronika’s little muscles in various cute ways, and I highly encourage you to add this method to the list!

Start with your infant lying on a soft surface in front of you.

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I gave her a little count of three each time – 1, 2, 3…

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….then gently and firmly grasped her hands and pulled upwards. Veronika grinned each time we repeated this motion!

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We paused at the top for big coos and smiles, then I gently lowered her back down.

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If your baby doesn’t have great head control yet, be sure to place one hand behind the head and neck on the way back down.

Do a few crunches, then rest! Seven minute abs just got a whole lot cuter.

Bouncing Baby

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In busy days with babies, it can sometimes feel like they’re passed from arm to arm or set some place to lie down all day. But this quick little activity is a welcome chance to sit upright, so your little one can feel his or her body in a different way.

Pull out a stability exercise ball or a beach ball. Securely place baby on top, holding them around the middle, and give a few little bounces.

Veronika looked a little uncertain on the first try!

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But then she really got into the bouncing. Not only will this help your child understand where they are in space, but it strengthens little tummy muscles.

If your child seems up for it, turn them onto their tummy on top of the ball too; it can encourage babies who haven’t lifted their head during tummy time yet to do so.

Textured Talk

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This game is a nice extension of the hand control activity Veronika and I played a few days ago. This time, I was less concerned with her grip, and more interested in using language to describe what she was feeling. You can use the same toys from that activity, or introduce a new set.

I did present her with mostly fresh toys, to keep things interesting. As I handed her each object, I said words about its texture out loud.

This one is smooth and plastic, Veronika.

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This one is soft and squishy.

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Bumpy was fun!

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It’s definitely okay for your child to move all these items right from hand to mouth. Babies learn a lot about the world through their mouths, so as long as the item is too big to be a choking hazard (use the toilet paper tube test), then it’s safe to hand it to your child.

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Veronika loved testing each one in her hands first, and quickly in the mouth second!

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In sum, this was a nice activity for language and sensory development, plus it was a delight just to watch her happy expressions!

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Break Open the Bubbles

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It’s been so long since Travis was in the bubble-loving phase of toddlerhood that I almost forgot about this classic with Veronika! So today, it was time to break out the bubbles.

I sat her up in a comfortable infant seat, and simply started sending them her way.

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She went from slightly confused to amazed!

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Travis remembered the fun and wanted in on the action, too!

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There’s no need for anything grandiose here; at this age, simply letting the bubbles waft down is enough, and will captive your baby. As they get older, get ready for the reaching and popping to begin!

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To continue the fun, we made sure to check out the bubble room at our local children’s museum. Travis was a great helper making huge bubbles for Veronika to marvel at, whether with wands or pulleys.

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Happy bubbling!

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Go to a Children’s Museum

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In my ongoing list of places you can take your baby right from the start, don’t rule out a children’s museum. Now that Veronika has had her first round of shots, I’m less leery of taking her to places like this that are full of other kids (and their germs). That said, do exercise good judgement in places where every kid touches everything; make sure big kids, little kids, and parents wash hands; wipe down any surfaces you’re unsure of; and otherwise, have fun!

You might not think an infant will get much out of a children’s museum, but think again. First, many museums have a designated area just for the littlest of the littles, so that’s where we headed first.

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Veronika had free reign in the “baby bathtub” over big trucks and cars, and big bright blocks. Big brother Travis loved making towers for her!

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Beyond this special space, her eyes were wide and amazed watching the big kids play, whether make-believe…

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…or with bubbles…

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…or with instruments.

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Sound exhibits are especially great for babies, since they will benefit from the experience without needing to manipulate anything. Travis and I had fun showing Veronika around a special sonic exhibit at our local museum.

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In sum, infants get in free, get to see and hear tons of new things, and will profit just from soaking in the atmosphere. What’s your favorite thing about your local children’s museum? Please share in the comments!