Tag: infant

Introduce Peekaboo

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No doubt you’ve played peekaboo with your baby; by three months old, hasn’t every child engaged in this game at least once? It’s funny that this is one of the first games we instinctively play with babies, but there’s a good reason for it. Babies don’t yet understand that someone who leaves will come back (otherwise known as object permanence), so “disappearing” behind your hands for a moment and then quickly coming back helps cement the idea that a beloved caretaker exists, even when not in sight.

So with that science lesson out of the way, have some fun with peekaboo today!

To combine peekaboo with hand control, you can put a light scarf or towel over your face, then encourage or help baby to pull it free. Peekaboo, there’s mommy! The more surprised I acted, the greater Veronika’s enjoyment of the game.

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You can also get stuffed animal friends in on the game, covering gently with a scarf and then having a big reveal.

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We also played with flap books for extra peekaboo action. Where are the chicks? Peekaboo!

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Finally, I love playing peekaboo at the diaper table. A (clean!) diaper makes a perfect peekaboo toy. Hold the diaper up over your face, then – surprise! – reappear with a big smile. This one in particular gets a giggle from Veronika every time.

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Tasty Toes

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Unless your child grows up to be a troupe member in Cirque du Soleil, chances are this is the only time that he or she will ever be able to get his or her toes into the mouth. So encourage this adorable action, and let them enjoy!

This morning, I pointed out her toes to Veronika, drawing attention to the lower digits by feeling them, naming them, and wiggling her toes for her.

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Next, I encouraged her to touch her toes, handing a foot to her just like I do with a toy. She held on right away!

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Gently bend your child’s legs until the feet are near the mouth. Nibble nibble!

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There are lots of other fun ways to draw attention to those cute toesies. Later in the day, we played games like “This Little Piggy”.

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Mid-afternoon, I caught her playing with her toes all by herself! Who knew feet could be so fun?

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Welcome to My World

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The task today: to see the world as your three-month-old does! This sweet little exercise will have you understanding your baby’s world a little better, as well as provide you with sweet mementos.

To start the fun, I needed my instant camera. I got down in places where Veronika spends most of her time and prepared to snap some pics.

It was actually really illuminating to be on my back in her little playgym, staring up at all the toys dangling and the ceiling high above. As adults, we don’t tend to stare at the ceiling very often!

Next I took photos from upward angles in her bassinet, diaper table, swing, and car seat. Her view is indeed different from a grown-ups, and the toys all seemed so much bigger.

Big siblings may enjoy helping with the game, since it can provide understanding of a pre-verbal little brother or sister. I encouraged Travis to take pictures of some of her toys, at the angle that Veronika sees them.

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Here’s his take on how she sees some toys, and our kids’ table.

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He also snapped mommy lying down on the floor, trying to get the best three-month-old vantage point, ha.

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In addition, make sure to get a few snaps of things your baby loves the most right now – favorite toys, favorite places to sit, etc. These are sure to be a sweet memento in years to come!

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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…

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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.