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    She's Your Friend » Baby Tips

    9 Activities to Play with your New Baby

    by Joanna Stephens Published: Dec 28, 2020 · Updated: Feb 18, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links. We earn commission from purchases made. ·

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    a mom playing with her baby
    a baby and a mom playing
    a mom playing with her baby

    Are you struggling to find things to play with your new baby? As moms, we are always wanting to provide the best for your little ones, but playing doesn't always come naturally. 

    Here are some surefire ways to play with your new baby that are fun and entertaining for both of you!

    Jump to:
    • Why is playing with your baby so important?
    • Simple ways to play with baby 
    a baby and a mom playing

    Why is playing with your baby so important?

    Playing with your baby helps baby learn to grasp, experience textures and stimulates baby's brain! Not only that, it's also great for bonding with baby.

    As you play with your baby, you will feel your bond grow, and baby's bond will also grow.

    Simple ways to play with baby 

    1. Reading to baby

    Reading fun board books, and making silly faces or voices while you read can be a fun experience for both you and baby! 

    I especially like the board books that have finger puppets like this Itsy Bitsy spider board book. 

    itsy bitsy spider pupped board book for sale
    This is especially good for newborns, because they love hearing mama's voice. After all, they did a lot of listening in the womb.

    2. Singing to baby

    Another fun way to play with your newborn is to sing to them. Think of the fun songs that always make you smile. Sing those to your little one!

    3. Shaking rattles

    Rattles are another fun toy that babies love! The sound they make when they shake will have your little one grinning from ear to ear. 

    We always searched for rattles like this one because they were easy for little hands to grip. 

    Bright starts O ball shaker rattle

    4. Lay on the floor and play with baby

    When your baby is doing tummy time, get on the floor and play with your baby. Have some rattles or these fun lots of links out for baby to see and grab onto. 

    Your baby will be much more interested in playing if mom or dad is right there with them. 

    Related: tummy time advice for new parents

    5. Dancing with Baby

    This one is my personal favorite, because I LOVE to dance. Turn on your favorite music and dance with baby. 

    If you have a baby wrap carrier, this can make things even easier! 

    6. Blowing raspberries

    My kids would always go nuts when I would blow raspberries on their tummy. I don't have to tell you that there is nothing better than baby giggles.

    7. Playing peek-a-boo

    This is another well known game that babies enjoy! 

    8. Playing patty cake

    There are a couple of different versions on Patty cake, but trust me... your baby will love whichever one you do!

    9. Stacking Rings

    This Fisher-Price stacking rings toy is another fun one to play with baby. The bright colors will keep your little one stimulated and as they get older, they can practice grasping the ring. 

    Then stacking and so on!

    fisher price stacking rings toy

    Playing with my baby was always something I think I forgot to do. When you are the aunt, it just comes naturally because you aren't overthinking things. 

    Babies can be lots of fun, but you just need to find a fun game or toy to play with them. 

    Hope this helps!

    You might also enjoy reading: when do babies start crawling?

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