Activities To-Do with Infants
Some infants are very quiet and sleep a lot. Other infants are very active. Accepting these differences will make it easier to take care of infants and help them grow and develop.
BIRTH TO SIX MONTHS
- Talk and sing to the babies when you feed, diaper, and clean them.
- Imitate the sounds that the babies make.
- Point to and say the names of the babies’ mouth, ears, nose, fingers, etc.
- Place toys and other colorful objects where babies can see and/or touch them.
- Shake a rattle behind a baby’s head and let the baby turn and grab the rattle.
- When you hold or rock the baby, sing lullabies or other soothing songs.
- Place babies in different positions. For example, place them on their stomach so they can practice lifting their head and rolling over.
- Encourage hand clasping and kicking.
- Take care of babies’ needs promptly. (For example, feed a hungry baby or comfort a scared baby.)
SIX TO TWELVE MONTHS
- Play peekaboo or other games in which you disappear and reappear.
- Give babies a safe place where they can crawl, creep, and pull themselves up.
- Roll a ball or place a toy where babies have to reach or crawl for it.
- Give babies toys that squeak.
- Give babies teething toys.
- Read aloud books that have large pictures and not much writing.
- Talk to babies and name objects as you and the babies handle them.
- Begin to teach what is allowed and what is not allowed.
- Do not force baby to interact with strangers.
- When babies indicate that they want help, provide it.
- Rock and hold babies when they are upset.
- Let babies fill containers with objects and then dump them out.
- Change toys often when babies get bored with them.
