Activities 0-12 Weeks
1. Artist baby
I began sharing my passion for art with Hayden very early on.
I purchased an Art Page-A-Day Gallery Calendar. Then, I'd off a few pages, and we’d lay side-by-side on our backs on his playmat to look at beautiful artwork and “talk” about them.
I’d point out and describe what I saw; I’d also ask him questions, always pausing for him to respond back with a coo, grunt, or even a smile.
This was such a hit!
So I purchased a baby animal and national park calendars, and did the same thing with baby animals and beautiful places.
This activity is especially fun now that he’s older and much more talkative; he loves to babble in response to my comments and questions.
Suggested Items:
Art Page-A-Day Gallery Calendar
Baby Animals 2022 Box Calendar
National Parks 2022 Box Calendar
2. Customize your play gym
Early on, Hayden wasn’t engaging with some of the items that came with his play gym.
So I customized it myself with three black and white cards.
I punched a hole in each one and attached it to the play gym structure with a string. The cards dangled from the top of the play gym. There are images on both sides of the cards, which made them fun to look at -- especially when they moved.
This worked great until he was ready to grasp objects.
So I customized it again.
I took some of his toys and attached them to the play gym with red ribbon. He loved the challenge of grabbing objects overhead or kicking them with his feet. I made the objects low enough so he could engage his hands and feet.
Suggested Items:
Play Gym by Lovevery
beiens High Contrast Baby Flashcards
Baby Bear Wooden Rattle Shaker
Ribbli Double Faced Red Satin Ribbon
3. The many uses of mobiles
Babies love mobiles! And so should you -- because you can use them in many different ways.
I strategically placed a mobile over Hayden’s changing table. This made diaper changes hassle free. He was mesmerized by the swirls above him -- especially when they moved.
I also used mobiles above Hayden’s play quilt, where he’d stretch his arms and legs watching and reacting to the shapes floating above him.
These mobiles were a gift that kept on giving because I used them in different ways, like during tummy time. This gave Hayden a different perspective. Because mobiles are so fun to look at, they motivated him to lift that heavy head!
Then, as he began to become more mobile on his tummy, I used the mobiles to encourage Hayden to rotate. I’d hold a mobile in front of him, then slowly move around his playmat and he’d follow me.
Suggested Items:
Montessori Mobile Toys Set of 4
Play Gym by Lovevery
4. Rattle, rattle, rattle
A rattle is a basic toy that can serve many purposes. Use it to get your baby accustomed to different textures and sounds. That’s why I found it useful to have several rattles.
Rattles also got Hayden accustomed to opening and closing his hands to grasp objects.
Here’s what I mean. You hold one end of the rattle and place the other end toward your baby’s hand. The idea is to have your baby grasp the other end of the rattle.
He may need some prodding. So gently tap his fingers with the opposite end of the rattle. If this doesn’t work, then take his fingers and place them around the opposite end of the rattle to show him how to grasp.
Once baby has grasped the rattle, then you grab the other end and shake the rattle with him so he can hear the sounds it makes.
You can also use a rattle for visual tracking. Have your baby engage with the rattle, then move it side to side.
Another way to use a rattle is to shake it and see if your baby turns their head in response to the noise.
5. Let’s talk
Talk with your baby as much as possible!
What should you talk about? Anything and everything!
Tell him about your day, what you’re having for dinner, what it was like during your childhood, a trip you’ve taken or want to take.
You can also talk as you do things with your baby, like dressing him. For example, “I’m putting the blue sock on your right foot.”
Make eye contact with your baby and have a conversation. Ask him a question, then pause and wait for an answer. Give him time to coo, grunt, or make other noises in return.
6. Make time for book time
It’s never too early to start reading. I began reading to Hayden as soon as we got home from the hospital, and we haven’t stopped!
Early on, I read while holding him.
But I soon found it more comfortable to lay on our backs, side-by-side on his playmat, where I’d hold the book above his head. I found this position to be easier and more comfortable. There was less to juggle!
Suggested books:
Panda Bear, Panda Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
I Love You to the Moon and Back by Amelia Hepworth
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
National Geographic Kids Little Kids First Board Book: Animals On the Go by Ruth Musgrave
National Geographic Kids Little Kids First Board Book: Ocean by National Kids
National Geographic Kids Look and Learn: Baby Animals by National Kids
7. Let the music play
Turn on some beautiful music and listen for a few minutes.
I like to expose Hayden to a range of music, and we talk about it. “Do you hear the drums?” Or “I hear a piano and flute.”
You can also sing to your baby -- and you should! Don’t worry about having a bad voice or sounding out of tune, like I do.
Just sing and maybe even sway back and forth to the tune. Or simply singing “lalalala” repeatedly is fun for baby.
Suggested item:
8. Study faces
Make time for your baby to study -- faces that is.
Hayden loves to study faces. It’s a fascination that began early on and continues to this day.
We’d lay on his playmat and explore each others’ face. Sometimes I let him explore my face: I’d take his hand and touch my face and point out different facial features. “This is mommy’s nose,” I’d say as I’d guide his hand to touch my nose.
Other times, I’d point out different parts of his face: nose, ears, chin, etc. “This is Hayden’s nose,” I’d say as I’d point to his nose.
A mirror is handy to have around for this activity. That way, it’s a multi-sensorial experience: baby can see where his nose is, and hear and feel you point out each facial feature.
Besides, babies love to look at themselves in the mirror -- so it’s definitely a worthy purchase.
Baby can also study faces by looking at pictures of babies. Books about babies, like Baby Faces and Global Babies, are a place to start.
These books also work great during tummy time. Prop open a book and lay it against a wall, so baby has something interesting to look at while on his tummy.
Suggested Items:
Mirror
Global Babies by The Global Fund for Children
9. The great outdoors
Step out to your backyard or go to a park and explore the great outdoors!
This may seem mundane to you, but being outside is all new territory for baby!
I’d hold Hayden and walk around our backyard, narrating what I’d see and hear, as he took in this different environment.
Point out the sights and sounds you’re experiencing. For example, “I hear the birds chirping.” Or “do you feel the breeze?!”
You can also introduce elements of nature: pull off a leaf from a tree or pick a flower, show it to him, and have him touch it.
10. Engage baby with black and white high contrast cards
We know that black and white cards matter for babies. But did you realize the many different ways you can engage baby with them?!
Hang black and white cards from your play gym. That’s what I did. Hayden wasn’t engaging with the items that came with his play gym at first. So I added my own.
I took three black and white cards, punched a hole in each one and attached them to the play gym with a string. The cards dangled from the top of the play gym. There were images on both sides of the cards, which make them fun to look at -- especially when they moved.
Eventually, he learned to bat at the cards and loved making them move!
Other times I attached the cards to the top of the play gym and to the side of it -- taking full use of the play gym structure. This also gets him to move his head in different directions. Hayden loved finding the cards everywhere he looked.
Visual tracking is another way to use black and white cards.
Show a card to your baby and let him engage with it. Then, slowly move the card from one side to the other. The idea is that your baby’s eyes stay glued to the card as they move their head side to side.
You can also place your baby on their side. Then, prop up a card or two across from them.
To keep your baby on their side, you may find it useful to roll up a small towel and put it behind their backside for support. This is a great way for baby to get practice laying on his side.
Suggested Item:
beiens High Contrast Baby Flashcards
11. Make tummy time fun!
One day baby will love being on his tummy. Until that day comes, make tummy time fun and interesting with the ideas below.
While baby is on his tummy on his playmat:
- Prop up some black and white cards against the wall for baby to look at.
- Lean a mirror against the wall so baby can look at himself.
- Prop a board book against the wall, and let baby look at the images. Babies love looking at other babies. So I’d open up books, Baby Faces or Global Babies, while Hayden was on his tummy.
- Use a mobile during tummy time. Hayden loved this! It offered a new perspective and motivated him to lift that heavy head!
I’d also tear a few pages from daily calendars of baby animals (Baby Animals 2022 Box Calendar) or artwork (Art Page-A-Day Gallery Calendar) and line the wall with them. Hayden was mesmerized!
Tummy time can be really hard for baby. Ease him into it by using a nursing pillow to prop up baby.
You can also have baby lay on your chest as you lay flat on the floor or on a couch.
Or sit at an incline and rest baby on your chest. I found this way to be very effective early on; it was much easier for Hayden to lift that heavy head.
Suggested Items:
beiens High Contrast Baby Flashcards
Global Babies by The Global Fund for Children