Activities for 3 Month Olds

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If you’re reading this, you’re probably wondering how 3 months have already gone by and where your squishy newborn has gone. Those first three months of a baby’s life are a rollercoaster. In fact, it’s actually known as the “fourth trimester” due to the rapid transitions, adjustments, and changes that occur every day. And you’ve seen it firsthand: these babies are changing constantly!

Now that baby has transitioned out of the newborn stage, you’re likely noticing that your little one has gained some new skills. Playing with your baby is getting even more fun, and a whole new world of playing with toys is emerging. You might be wondering how to play with your infant to help promote these developments. Good news: our team of child development experts has all the tips and tricks below!

3 month milestones

At three months old, your baby should be:

• Turning his/her head side to side and tracking toys

• Lifting his/her head for short periods during tummy time

• Bringing his/her hands together and to mouth

• Rolling from his/her side to back

• Moving both arms and legs equally

• Batting at toys overhead

• Making eye contact

• Responding to facial expressions and vocalizes at caregivers

These are just some of the developmental milestones we look for in three month olds. You can check and see where your baby is at developmentally, and where they may need extra support by downloading our free milestone checklist for ages 0-36 months.

Developmental activities for 3 month olds

Three month olds don’t ask for much in the way of entertainment. Honestly, at this age, your baby relies heavily upon visual cues simply from watching your face and movements. (1)

Play is a vital part of development for infants, and not just for humans—it’s a universal experience for so many species. (2) So don’t hesitate to get silly and creative with your baby as you help them grow! Don’t worry, we have the best ideas you can keep right in your back pocket! 

Top 5 activities for 3 month olds:

1. Shake, rattle and roll! Grab a couple rattles, shaker eggs or anything that makes a little noise. Have your baby first track the toys side to side while lying on their back. Keep shaking and help them roll to their side. Once there, let your baby grab the rattle and shake, shake, shake! Then help your baby lift the rattle up over their head and roll to their tummy. Keep it fun and try to help your baby roll back to their back before they get fussy, even if they only last for a few seconds the first time.

2. The imitation game. Sit on the couch with your legs up and prop your baby up on your thighs so they can see your face. Smile, stick out your tongue, blow raspberries, and make all sorts of funny faces. See if your baby will imitate you…or WAIT for them to make a face and imitate them! You can also sing songs or just talk to them about your day. Don’t forget to give your baby a chance to “talk back” by pausing after you ask a question or finish a thought. You might be surprised by their responses! Read our blog post about why you need to pause.

3. Dance parties are a favorite for all ages. So turn on some of your favorite music (here is Eat Play Say’s Dance Party Playlist – trust me, you’ll love it!) and hold your baby while you dance around the room. Mix it up with upbeat jams and slow tunes to keep it interesting. You can hold your baby against your chest, in the super-baby position, or against you in a modified sitting position to let them experience many different points of view.

4. Spice up tummy time. Lift toys up a little higher when they’re playing on their tummy to encourage them to lift their head. Your baby may need some support to steady themselves and keep their arms under them at first. Use a shallow dish of water or some crinkly paper on the floor in front of them for sensory play and new entertainment. Make a toy car zoom by to try and get baby to turn their head (and eventually whole body) side to side. We love these roll back cars for now in tummy time and later for crawling! 

5. Hands to the middle. Start by singing them a song while they lay on their back. Bring your hand to their chest and gently rub or pat it while singing. Leave your hand there, pausing to see if they will bring their hands to their midline to grab onto yours. For a little more help, you can place a toy on their chest and guide their hands there at the same time. Once there, let go of their hands and see if they’ll hold on to the toy!

Sensory activities for 3 month olds

We’ve gotten used to thinking of sensory play almost exclusively as bins full of different textured objects or buckets of water for toddlers to splish-splash in. But sensory play is so much more, and it starts at birth! A three month old is all about using their senses, from seeing their caregivers’ faces to touching new textures or hearing new sounds for the first time. 

Some of our favorite sensory activities for 3 month olds include:

1. Finding items around your house that have different textures, such as clothes, blankets, crinkle books, or toys. Gently rub them on your baby’s arms, legs, hands, and feet to help them get used to different textures. This helps to prepare baby for the world full of different textures ahead as they become more mobile!
2. When cuddling with your baby or when applying lotion after bath time, give them little hand and foot massages! Rub your thumb from the base of their palm to the tips of their fingers, and from the base of their heel to the tips of their toes. This helps them to integrate their palmar and plantar reflexes, giving them more control of their hands and feet. 

Gross motor activities for 3 month olds

Gross motor skills develop so rapidly during the first year of life—from tiny potatoes to crawling or full blown walking in the first 12 months of life?! It’s actually insane. To help build your little one’s gross motor foundations early, you can incorporate just a few fun activities into day-to-day life.

A couple of our favorite activities for gross motor development in three month olds are:

1. Help your baby fly like Superman! For this activity, hold your baby with their chest on the inside of your forearm, tucking their body against your side. “Fly” them around the house and label what you see! This is a great activity for encouraging them to lift up their head. It’s also great sensory play and a language activity!
2. After a diaper change, roll your baby onto their side and hold them in place for 30-60 seconds while singing them a nursery rhyme (or classic rock or daily affirmations, whatever your family vibe is!). When you’re finished singing, gently pull your hand away and see if baby will roll onto their back on their own. Try both sides at once or alternate between sides!