Little babies don't play!

Yes they do- play is how kids learn, especially little babies!!! I have been searching for over a year now for a presentation and handouts that I did for our SAA Babysitting Clinic a couple of years ago and I finally found them! I had a wild thought as I was cleaning out our computer desk as to where it might be because it was on our computer that crashed. I was pretty sure I had it somewhere but had not been able to find it so I am very happy to have it back now. I thought I would share a handout a day with everyone. I know that some of the stuff you may have done before but it is always good to have reminders. This was all written to help out babysitters but it can all be applied to anyone. Hope you get some new ideas for playing with your babies or maybe remember something that you have not done in awhile!!

Playtime for Babies- Birth to 12 months
• Hold, rock, and sing to babies.
• Talk to them while you are changing or feeding them.
• Let young babies lie on a big piece of paper and hear the crunching noise when they move.
• Play different kinds of music on the radio.
• Put bright toys near babies.
• Give them soft toys to hold and feel.
• Give babies toys they can move and make noise with (like a rattle).
• Show big pictures of people and animals at their eye level to look at.
• Hold up toys you make yourself for babies to see and hear. Hang aluminum pie plates on a string. Let a breeze blow them, or move them with your hand.
• Have a clean space for babies to crawl.
• Put bright toys near babies so they can reach out or move toward them.
• Put some chair cushions on the floor. Babies can bounce and roll on them.
• Read aloud books that have colorful pictures.
• Have blankets and scarves for infants to hide under.
• Cuddle them frequently.
• On the floor, do exercises like sit-ups with them perched on your tummy.
• Talk to them and show them things, like their own face in a big mirror, the cat next door, their teddy bear or a rattle toy, etc.
• Read a short colorful book to them.
• Place them in a bouncer, or propped up carefully in a lounge chair, or on the couch with pillows, in view of a musical mobile, looking out the window to the garden, or in view of family activities.
• Lay them on the floor on a blanket to watch you. Place a few rattles and teething rings near them so they can practice picking up and enjoy chewing.
• Lay them on the floor under a play gym with extra rattles and toys attached to it for variety.
• Hold them on your lap, and let them watch while you play with an elder sibling, especially during book reading time.
• Buy or make a play mat to lie on with scraps of brightly colored and different textured materials sewn together.
• Let them feel your hair, face, nose, mouth, fingers, etc.
• Change their scenery regularly, by just moving them from one room to the next in the house.
• Play ‘peek-a-boo’, or ‘this little piggy went to the market’ type of games with them.
• Coo and talk to the baby. Imitate her sounds and wait for her to respond. Encourage her to copy you, too.

By the way, that darling little baby above is my precious girl when she was 3 days old!!! This was the picture that we used for her birth announcements when she was born. I also found it on a disc as well!!! Sometimes cleaning pays off :)

Coming soon- Playtime for Toddlers!