10 Things to do With Your Baby

You brought home your new little baby. You are exhausted from sleepless nights, filled with joy as you snuggle your sleepy newborn, you've mastered diapering, and you feel like a milk machine and wonder how such a little person can eat so much so often. One thing your baby doesn't do for a while is play! Not going to lie. When my son started having more awake time, laying there gazing up at his new world, I often felt… bored. "You don't do much do you?" I mumbled. There's actually a decent amount of activities you can do with your young infant that not only bond the two of you, but can aid in their development, language, and motor skills!

1. Make eye contact and talk to your baby Of course we all do this but it's worth putting on the list. Eye contact in itself is

huge for brain and early speech development. Newborns have been known to show facial preferences and recognize a parent's face as early as 2-4 days old! 2. Read books Babies love to hear their parents voices! You can start reading to them from day one. As they grow and their vision improves they will enjoy seeing the different colors and shapes on the pages. 3. Show them their reflection in a mirror Mirrors are great fun for babies. How fascinating it must be to be held by mom but also see her somehow! It's enjoyable to watch them smile and look at themselves. 4. Go for a walk Walking is a nice exercise for you and the fresh air does everyone good. Some babies also sleep very well outdoors. This is also a great activity to do with another mom friend. 5. Sing songs Don't worry. Baby won't care if you're on key. Singing to your baby has many interesting scientific benefits! It aids in memory, recognizing rhythmic patterns, language, regulating emotions, and more! Great tip: singing to your baby while they are crying can help you. Singing can help you keep calm and breathe deeply, reducing your stress and lowering your heart rate. 6. Infant massage Babies absolutely need physical touch. Grab some baby lotion and give them a massage! This is a great thing to do after bath time or before bed. It is relaxing and bonding. You can look up detailed instructions on how you can give your baby a great massage. There are also special techniques you can learn to help those colicky babies and move that gas around. 7. Tummy time This is great exercise for those little babies. From being on their tummy, they gain strength while lifting their head, pushing up with their arms, and building muscle in their back. You can use tummy time to encourage rolling. This can also help move those stubborn gas bubbles around. 8. Explore new textures Have your baby touch and look at a variety of patterns and textures. This is a good thing to do during tummy time as well. One time they can feel the carpet, the next you can put them on a soft towel or fuzzy blanket (But not too fuzzy! They wouldn't be too impressed with it getting all in their mouth). 9. Peek-a-boo A baby play classic. This is particularly enjoyable when you are rewarded with those giggles and smiles! 10. Go exploring Take baby around the room and talk about different objects. Bring them to new areas of the house they've never been or don't go very often. Play on your bed, the floor of the office, walk around the basement, or inspect the garden together. Don't feel pressure to entertain you're baby every waking moment. There is value in allowing them to explore their small bubble of space all on their own. But this list is a great reference for you for those times you want to spend connecting with your little baby. Have fun and enjoy these moments even if it seems like you're not doing much. Before you know it, they will be running around, throwing balls, using their imagination, and reading books right along with you.