What Games to Play with an Infant

Sing about *eveyrthing*. Make up songs about changing her diapers. Make up songs about cuddles and anything else you do. It doesn't have to be record-contract worthy. :D Just sing sing sing and sing some more and the baby will love it!

At two months old they arent "doing" a whole lot yet. Tummy time is important, so you can lay her on her tummy and talk to her and encourage her to lift her head. you can also hold her on your lap with your feet proped up so your knees stick up (sorry, I didnt explain that well.) and have her sit so your knees are supporting her head. Then just look at each other. Make Funny faces and exaggerated sounds. EEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeee OOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo etc.
AT this point she is really just trying to figure out how to make things work, so actual play doesnt happen yet.

Hi K.,

The other moms had some great ideas! I have been a day care provider for infants and I think interaction at this time is probably the most entertaining for both you and your baby. (Such as talking to her, singing to her, showing her her hands and feet, etc.)

High-contrasting items appeal to your baby at this point, so just making simple shapes and designs with black ink and white paper and allowing her to focus on them would be interesting for her. Like swirls or zig-zags. This age is so fun! She is constantly learning and advancing, so there isn't much you could do wrong other than just doing nothing.

If you haven't already, you could google even more ideas for baby activities. Some sites offer age-based categories. Visiting magazine sites and subscribing to magazines often give me a lot of ideas. (American Baby, Parents, Parenting, etc.)

Good luck and enjoy your baby. =)

Hello! I own a pre-k school and these are some of the activities we use with our infants:
1. tummy time!
2. peek a boo
3. babbleing - ie mmmaaaa, babababa, kakakaka
4. Airplane-lay on your back and place your baby gently on your knees
5. baby massage
6. read stories together
7. mirror play
8. cuddling

Enjoy they grow up too fast! H.

1 little, 2 little, 3 little indians...on toes or fingers.

Hi K.,

I also have a two-month-old baby (though a boy) and I find he is most interested in my face. We smile and "talk" and sing with each other quite a bit every day. Another thing he really likes is to feel my hair on his face. This always gives him a big smile and makes him laugh out loud. In Gymboree classes they use soft scarves with the infants and I think it's the same thing as with the hair- the babies like to feel the scarves on their face & body. My son also likes to sit facing out on my lap while I read a book to him. He especially likes books with pictures of children in them.

I think the very best thing for babies is just time with mom, looking at each other and learning what the other is all about.

Hope this helps!

Hi K.,
High contrast objects help with sight developement and focusing. ie: black and white photos

My little girl is five months, and we've developed a habit of cooing to one another. She started this actually, and it's become quite the game. She does a short coo then I do one back. She loves it! Also at this age babies hear higher pitched sounds better. So talking in a goofy, higher voice gets lots of attention. I also lay her on her back and "tickle" different parts of her and say what they are. I know she doesn't understand yet, but it can't hurt to start early, right? Her favorite seems to be when I grab her toes and say, "baby toes" then tap her nose gently and say, "baby nose". You'll learn over time that repetition is the key, and they LOVE it.

Hi K.!

I remember when Erika was that little, we tried not to do too much because you don't want to overstimulate them, but I would hold up little rattles in front of her, or I would just hold my hand up in front of her and move my fingers around just to give her something to practice her focus on.

Congrats on your new little one!

I am a Healthy Start worker and I work with newborns to three year olds. What I suggest to parents is to do tummy time ,tracking activities( having baby track a rattle back and forth and encouraging baby to reach for rattle) and talking to your baby..Lots and lots of talking, singing and reading.

My son Brandon is now 14 weeks old and his favorite thing is to see himself in the mirror. I have a full length mirror in our bedroom and I will hold him so he can see himself and me and say �can you see the Brandon?� After awhile he started reaching out to touch the mirror. Now when ever we go into our bedroom I do the same thing and he does all sorts of different responses. And I do all sorts of different things to, singing, dancing, making faces. Little ones really respond to their reflection and love to see you there holding them and smiling and kissing them

Well get a peace of paper and a black pin and draw what you want and clearly wright the spelling for what you drew and show the baby. She will think this is fun and she will study it because babys learn better at this age also black and white is the best stimulation for ths age.

T.

The best thing I ever did with my babies was everything I did with them I told them what I was doing step by step. For instance when I was dressing them or bathing them. It helps you to feel more connected

http://familyfun.go.com/parenting/baby/dev/feature/dony18...

there are things to do on this site for all ages there is one for ages 2 to 4 months

K. ~

I have a 4 month old little girl. Although, she was 3 weeks early and spent 33 days in the NICU (23 of those days she was so drugged up to help with pain that she didn't get to experience what most babies get to). So she's not really developed like a 4 month old.

Anyhow. She absolutely loves it when I smile really big and I use a really happy voice and talk about anything under the sun. She gets a kick out of it and smiles so big! I also hold up toys for her and talk to her about what it looks like. She has almost got the grasping thing down.

I have this book that I got when I was in Nanny School that has so many terrific activity ideas in it from birth to 3 years. It's called "Creative Resources for Infants and Toddlers" by Judy Herr & Terri Swim. There are tons of activities in there that focus on 5 main areas of development. Physical, Language & Communication, Cognitive, Social, and Emotional. It's a wonderful book that I've used over and over again both as a nanny and as a mother. My 2 yr old has a blast with the activities that I pull out of there for her. Most of the activities use things that you have around the house anyways.

I hope this helps!!
~ S.