How do I play with my newborn?
POV: You’re fresh from the hospital, in awe of the perfect bundle of sweetness that you just made (congrats, mama!) but also completely overwhelmed that you now have to care for this baby with virtually zero instructions whatsoever!
I know what you’re thinking: “I already have to feed, get my baby to sleep, change diapers, wash bottles and/or pump parts, keep the house somewhat picked up, possibly care for siblings/pets and try to take care of myself too, AND I need to play with my newborn?? Don’t they just eat, sleep and poop?!”
Playing with your newborn doesn’t have to be complicated! In fact, newborn wake windows are SO short that you may only have a few minutes (5-10 minutes tops on a good day) to play with your little one! And this can be a good thing as you ease into play. The infant stage is such an important time in a child’s early brain development. So many new connections within the brain are forming EVERY SECOND! In fact, a young child’s brain is nearly twice as active as an adult’s brain (1). Play not only is a bonding opportunity for you and your new baby, but also helps your baby to learn about the world and how things work.
How do newborns “play”?
They can’t move their arms and legs voluntarily yet. They barely have control of their heads. Other senses such as vision, hearing, and touch are developing rapidly and are the perfect place to start! Your baby’s vision changes a lot in the first month as they learn to focus on and track moving objects.
At first, your baby begins tracking slower moving, larger objects, but eventually will begin to track quick, smaller movements. Babies also begin to recognize and see patterns, especially those with more contrast at first. Different sounds and textures will also captivate your baby’s attention for a short period of time.
Don’t forget about building strength! Neck and core strength are important foundations for eating and talking, so we’ll want to begin working on those early on in infancy. Baby is doing MUCH more than their eat, sleep, poop routine!
Here are 5 different ways to “play” with your newborn when baby is awake and alert:
Hang out in the Play Gym!
Hang a variety of different toys from a play gym and place your baby under them on their back and on their side, too. This is a great way to begin teaching cause and effect, focusing on objects, and eventually trying to reach for them. Pick items that are highly contrasting and large!
Change up where baby lies on the play mat to help them move their head in both directions, and use some rolled blankets to help prop them on their side!
This is my favorite play gym from Lalo! “EATPLAYSAY” saves 10% on their website.
2. Then PLAY!
Use soft toys that have crinkle textures and teethers attached. This works on both tracking and focusing on objects, stimulates the senses with the different textures, and begins to help your baby “organize” the mouth through early oral play. Toys with crinkle sounds help baby turn towards sound and locate objects.
Around 2 months of age, you can help guide the teether part of toys (like Number 1) toward your baby’s mouth since they won’t be able to get it there on their own quite yet. Having early opportunities to explore safe textures within their mouth sets baby up for oral motor success down the road!
3. TUMMY TIME
Work on tummy time in small increments (very short periods of time at first, gradually building up to a few minutes). Start with baby on your chest in the first few weeks of life and then move them on the floor (yes, right on the play gym mat!) Prop up a soft mirror in front of your baby so that they can look at themselves or have a high-contrast book for them to look at. And put motivating toys all around them to try and get baby to move.
4. Get FACE-TO-FACE!
Spend lots of time face-to-face with your baby singing, talking, cooing, making faces, and talking about things around you. When your baby coos, coo back to them. Pause and wait with an expectant face to see if they will continue the interaction.
Your face is more interesting than any toy, so when in doubt, look at baby and interact!
5. READ, READ, READ!
Literacyproj.org tells us that less than 50% of parents read to their baby before 3 months of age! Let’s change that. Reading looks different during the newborn stage but is so important, nonetheless.
You can prop up black and white books for baby to study during tummy time or while side-lying. Placing baby on your legs while sitting and reading face-to-face is another way to encourage eye contact, social smiles, and bonding with you! Model one or two simple words at a time and remember to pause while reading to see if your baby will respond. Cooing comes in early, so they will likely vocalize back to you if you give them some time! Here are some great books for newborns!
By providing rich sensory experiences, strength building opportunities, face-to-face time, and of course lots of snuggles, you will set your newborn up for success!
References:
The Urban Child Institute (n.d.). Baby’s Brain Begins Now: Conception to Age 3. Retrieved April 16, 2024 from http://www.urbanchildinstitute.org/why-0-3/baby-and-brain
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