Newborns get bored quickly and require their family members to remain around them at least when they are awake. So here comes the problem: how to play with a newborn? It is not necessary to keep on bugging the baby. You must give them some quiet time so that they can look at the things around them and process the information they are collecting through senses.
The best way to play with a baby is to cuddle him/her and keep on communicating with him/her in some way. You can either coo in response to his/her cooing or smile at him/her as he/she is going to like both of these ways of interaction. The following are some ways that can help you in having fun with your newborn baby.
Why Do I Need to Know How to Play with a Newborn?
1. Know Your Baby
Playing with your baby is the best way for you to get to know your baby and spend quality time with him/her. Not only is this easy, but is also quite enjoyable. You just need your baby and a few free hours to get started
2. Strengthen the Bond Between You and Your Baby
Playing together strengthens the bond between you and your baby. You both start knowing about each other and come to trust one another as well. Moreover, the baby feels loved and considers him/her to be safe which is good for his/her development.
3. A Stimulating Exercise for Your Baby
It helps their brain to develop and grow at a rapid pace. They use the experiences that they are exposed to during playing for forming ideas about the things present in their surroundings and learn about them.
4. Develop Your Baby’s Language Skills
The language skills of the babies depend largely on how often you communicate with them. The more you talk to your newborns, the more quickly they are going to start understanding and producing sounds. Thus, if you do not have time to play with your baby, at least keep talking to him/her about what you are doing.
5. Figure out Your Baby’s Personality
Playing together can help you in getting an idea about your baby’s personality as well. For instance, if a baby loves lots of action then he/she probably has a dynamic personality, whereas if he/she likes simple games which involve smiling and quite observation, he/she evidently has a calm personality.
How to Play with a Newborn
The brain of babies constantly tries to get information about the things that are present and the actions that are taking place in front of him/her. To get your baby’s brain to start thinking and imaging, you have to feed him/her new experiences and there is no better way of doing it than playing a game with him/her.
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Methods |
Descriptions |
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Reading |
Reading is a great way of stimulating your baby’s brain. Get hold of a story book that has pictures present in it and start reading it to the baby in a loud voice. He/She will love the sound of your voice while his/her eyes explore the pictures that are present in the book. |
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Singing |
If you are busy doing some work and can’t play with your newborn, then it is best to sing to him/her. Make up your own songs and try to sing them while doing some work in front of your baby. |
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Silly faces |
Entertaining your baby by making silly faces at him/her can be fun. He/She is definitely going to like this and will even try to copy you as well. |
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Toys |
Lightweight toys that are clean and soft can be good for the baby. They offer your baby the chance to use his/her sense of touch and know more about them. |
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Peek-a-boo |
It’s a fun little game in which you have to hide your face behind your hands and then emerge suddenly after a few seconds. Babies love this game and when they get older, they will try to play the game themselves. |
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Talking |
Talk regularly with your child, as it will help him/her in developing language skills and in keeping your baby entertained. |
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Dancing |
Scoop your baby in your arms and dance for a while, your rhythmic movements and the sound of music is going to give the baby lots of new things to experience and process. |
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Introduce your baby to clothes |
Take out the different kinds of clothing you have packed away in your closet. Let the baby feel the different textures and touch different fabrics as it will sharpen his/her tactile senses. |
What About Toys for My Newborn?
Concerning how to play with a newborn, there are some tips and toys that parents can use. With all the variety of toys, some of them can help you to entertain and bound with your newborn in a better way.
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Toys |
Descriptions |
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Hand-held toys |
Babies are mostly nearsighted and thus prefer playing with hand-held toys that their eyes can track. They won’t be able to hold them, but will still love to watch them move about in your hands. |
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Music box |
Babies love the sound of music. Play any kind of music on your music box and you will see them responding to it immediately. |
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Mobile |
Mobiles are a real attraction for a newborn, especially those that have contrasting bright colors and can play music as well. However, make sure you don’t hand the mobile to the baby. |
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Unbreakable mirror |
It is a good idea to Keep an unbreakable mirror in front of the baby during his tummy time. He/She will love seeing his/her image in the mirror and after a few days your baby will start smiling at it as well. |
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Soft books |
Soft books that have lots of pictures and contrasting patterns are loved by babies. Keep the book in front of the baby’s eyes while reading it to him/her so that he/she can see the pictures it contains. |
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Sensory toys |
Toys that make a sound when grabbed are excellent for growing babies. They love to squeeze them and the sound generated helps them in keeping track of the movement of their hands. |
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Sock and wrist rattles |
Rattles attached to wrists or present in socks can provide babies a chance to make their own noises. They will keep the baby entertained. |
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Wind chimes |
Wind chimes produce a soft musical sound which intrigues the baby. Hang one over his/her crib and you will see him/her listening intently to the sounds it produces from time to time. |