Honestly, there are only two rules that have to be followed when it comes to playing with a newborn. And that is be gentle and careful towards your kids. Since they are not yet able to move freely, your attention should focus on the head. You can try entertaining them by rubbing their forehead or cheeks.
So infants feel relaxed and completely internalize what they hear sounds and see around their environment. Playing games with young babies also help their brain development. There are many different ways you can play with your newborn baby. And this blog post will cover just a few of the many games that you might enjoy playing with your new baby.
In This Article
7 fun ways to play with newborn babies?
There are a lot of fun things you can do with your newborn baby. But it’s important to always be safe when playing with them. Below are some ways by which you can initiate your babies to engage in games.
1 Baby Massage
Sadly, most people ignore this process, and still, some don’t know how good it is for the baby. By massaging the body of your newborn every day, you will be able to keep their skin smooth and supple. It also helps in reducing the chances of skin diseases like rashes.
Apart from these, it is beneficial in making your baby smarter and it is a simple act to do. And giving massage to baby is a great fun activity you can do with your baby. And while massaging you can also cover your baby’s face with a towel. Gently take a fresh piece of cloth and dip it in warm water. Now, get the face of the baby covered by the cloth. This will make them smile within seconds. It’s a classic way to play with babies.
2 Tummy Time
It’s one of the first things you should do with your baby. Tummy Time helps the baby strengthen back muscles, neck, and head control. It also helps in developing motor skills as well as laying down position for later on. Tummy time helps your baby learns to lift their head, turn from side to side and strengthen legs as well as stomach muscles. Though tummy activity makes your baby laugh, thus making it an enjoyable game. Parents can also play games with their baby’s interests. For example, if the baby enjoys holding a soft toy, you can tie it to their ankle.
3 Smiling games
This is a great way to initiate play with your newborn. Smiles and laughter are the first steps towards communication and learning. Tickle your baby and watch them giggle with joy. While playing smile games you can make eye contact with your baby.
Just like we look at each other when talking, babies also learn this form of communication through their eyes. Look into your baby’s eyes and let them know it’s safe. When playing with your baby show them how to hold their hands with yours. They will love feeling the closeness you share, as well as learning about their body. Babies are still discovering the world around them so guiding them through smile games is a great way of enlightening.
4 Dance with me
Dancing is a fun way to play with your baby. Swaying their body gently to the rhythm of the beat will help them sleep easily. And this activity strengthens emotional bonding. For gassy babies, try with colic dance. Baby enjoys it most when they are placed on your shoulder. There are a lot of play ideas that you can play with babies involve making different sounds. Babies seem to love hearing complex sounds while dancing because these are difficult for them to produce themselves. They will just love it and want to have someone to play with.
5 Clapping game
This is a fun game that helps your baby to concentrate on the sound around him/her. Also while clapping, try to hold his hands or body so that they get engaged in some kind of interaction with you. Babies love physical contact with their parents and clapping game is one of the easiest ways to experience it. It can also help in social development and the baby’s motor skills by observing movements of their arms while clapping. And while playing this game the baby’s gaze gets focused which is good for their eyes. It’s one of the easiest games to play with a baby.
6 Baby mirror games
Therefore, try to get a big mirror and stand your baby in front of the mirror. This will help them learn how to visually interact with things. When they start to stand up on their own, make sure you get them a mirror with toys stuck on it. They can now watch themselves in the mirror and play with the toys which are hanging from it. This way they will engage themselves for hours together.
Make sure you are always there when they are doing this game. Because it’s easy for them to slip away if they are left alone in front of the mirror. While playing this game don’t forget to make eye contact with your baby. And it would be useful if you used an unbreakable mirror while playing this game when he or she’s awake.
7 Puppet game
As well as hold your newborn baby and tie a soft toy on the wrist. This way, when your child moves their hands or feet it will look like that they are controlling the puppet. You can also give them an empty water bottle and stick some colorful things on it. Babies love to play with these bottles as they produce different sounds when they shake them. Though while playing this game you can also do other fun activities with your baby like folding clothes, building blocks, etc. It would be a great job for both parents and children to fully developed play experiences and create memories.
How much playtime does a newborn need?
A newborn’s brain grows at an incredible rate over the first two years of life. So stimulating the senses is important. Playing with your newborn not only helps their development but also helps create a lifelong bond between you and your baby.
Many expectant parents worry about how much playtime their newborn needs once the baby is born. They wonder, “How long should I hold or play with my child? Though every child needs loving attention and time with parents. There is no set amount of time that a parent should spend with his or her newborn.
Letting your baby know he or she is loved and wanted will help your child grow up to be confident and secure. A new baby’s playtime should never be forced, but it also shouldn’t be limited to just brief periods. Newborns need responsive interactions with parents, siblings, grandparents, other family members, etc.
The amount of playtime that your baby needs depends on the child’s individual needs, development stage, and overall health. Newborns should be allowed to choose when they want to play or rest. Don’t worry if your baby does not play as much as you think he or she should. As long as your child is healthy and happy, then his or her playtime needs have been met.
When should you start to play with newborns?
Babies can be engaging and curious from birth, so you should start playing with your newborn at any time. But it is recommended that parents should start to play as soon as possible after the first days of life of their babies. For your baby’s development or enhancing the social skills you can use soothing music. Widely known fact that music and soft sound not only soothe but also entertain them. If during their early days children were exposed to such sounds they can perceive it as an element of communication with them. Later they would try to recreate this natural situation with their parents.
According to academic research institutions, studies have shown that some children can be more sensitive to music. And sounds than others, and this ability is developed from the first days of life. As soon as you get home with your baby, you need to create a comfortable environment for him or her. So they can start playing immediately after birth.
However, it isn’t recommended to start playing with your newborn until they are six weeks old. You make to ensure that the umbilical cord is long enough so that it’s not constricting. For baby developmental milestones playing with them is an important thing for new parents. There are so many interesting things you can do with your newborn babies. And you can watch a baby’s interest develop through play.
As well playing a game where a parent or guardian taps a baby’s palm against their hand or tickles the baby’s feet can hold a baby’s attention for several minutes. Engaging with babies through play helps them understand your communication and language skills. And playing games, telling stories and singing songs will help you bond better with each other.
The Conclusion.
In the end, you have to play with your baby in a way that makes them happy. They will show their displeasure if they are not having fun. So it is up to you as a parent to figure out what type of games and activities work best for your child. The best way to learn is by reading about their needs and spending time with them.
There are so many fun activities for your child according to their age group. Much trustworthy health information recommends playing with your child daily to help them build a strong and healthy brain development. Above, this article has provided you with some great insight on how to play with your new baby. Whether they are just hours old or days. There is always something that can be done to keep them entertained and happy. Just remember to keep it simple and gentle so that the baby only feels joy while you play with them.
