Tag: playdate

Arrange a Musical Playdate

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Classic children’s songs are so much fun for babies. Parents will likely know the words and motions from their own childhood, making them favorites to pass down (think Itsy Bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus, or Open Shut Them). When you make it a group event, it’s just that much more fun!

Today, Veronika and I joined a group singing at our local library. She was thrilled to receive props like scarves and puppets as we sang to favorites like Old MacDonald Had a Farm.

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This is a great way to see other babies in action, too, playing with instruments and moving around. Our group singalong featured an assortment of rattles and shakers.

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Another fun song for movement is Row Row Row Your Boat. After we rowed our babies’ arms on the classic first verse, the library added some cute new lyrics.

Drive Drive Drive your car (move your baby’s hands like a wheel)…

Chug Chug Chug your train (elbows swinging)…

and

Fly Fly Fly your airplane (arms out)

At home, I made up a few more silly verses. We rowed up a river to see a polar bear shiver, up the stream to see a crocodile and scream, and to the shore to see a lion roar.

You can continue the musical fun long after group time has ended. I’m a Little Teapot is another one that’s great for gross motor movement (and props!).

I’m a little teapot

short and stout

Here is my handle (one hand on hip)

Here is my spout (other arm out straight)

When I get all steamed up

then I shout

Tip me over

and pour me out! (lean over to the side)

The tip gets a giggle very time – mommy is sideways!

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If your library doesn’t have a musical sing-along for you to attend, consider being the host for a musical playdate. Have a few friends over whose babies are about the same age, and scatter all the instruments in the middle. Parents sing while babies bop and shake along!

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Have a Play Date at Home

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One thing little babies often see very little of? Other little babies!

This can be true whether your child is your first born, and thus most often in the company of adults, or if he or she is a second child, who gets to see lots of big kids, but probably not so many small ones.

One great way to introduce your baby to another baby is to host a playdate at home – this will be much less overwhelming than a group class, even though there are plenty of organized activities at local libraries or gyms for babies about 6 months and older.

So today, Veronika and I played hostess!

The babies loved checking each other out, reaching out cautious hands and staring at each other with big smiles. Hey, somebody else my size! Veronika seemed to say.

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We set up a bigger-than-usual tummy time station with some favorite toys where the two babies could look at each other as they got in their exercise and play – built in visual stimulation!

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It turns out Veronika was fussier than normal during our playdate, perhaps sensing that something was different. But eventually both babies were contentedly playing on mommy’s laps, chewing on toys and vocalizing to each other. Perhaps they even understand each other’s gurgles and coos!

Meanwhile this is a great way for you as a parent to connect one-on-one with a family member or friend whose child is close in age to yours. I guarantee that you will have lots to bond about!