Tip—Babies begin exploring their world by watching the people around them.

Having a new baby in the house is a great joy. Too bad you’re so exhausted you can hardly keep track of what day it is, much less think about stimulating and enriching your baby’s life. Relax. Infants this young have a very short attention span—just right for the sleep-deprived parent in which to play. The things babies enjoy doing at this age are very, very simple. You can easily do them in the course of a normal day. So relax and have fun with that new baby. He will learn simply by being with you, watching you, and listening to you.

Tools—Here are two very simple activities you can play with your baby that will help her begin to use her body and learn. These games are drawn from my book, Peekaboo . . . and Other Games to Play with Your Baby.

• Rattle Play. A baby first gains control of her head and neck muscles. Control of her arms, hands, middle body, legs, and feet comes later. This rattle activity helps a baby learn to move her head back and forth. The crib or the changing table is a good place for this game.

  Lay the baby on her back. Hold the rattle about 12 inches away from her face. Shake it gently to get her attention.

  Slowly, move the rattle to the left, and then to the right. Watch your baby follow the rattle with her eyes, and then move her head.




• Smile Play. A young infant’s favorite way to explore is with his eyes—he likes to look at things. His favorite things to look at are his parents’ faces. At about one month old, the best distance for him to see clearly is eight inches; this is about how far he has to look at a parent’s face while feeding. His first smile will probably be in response to seeing your face. He recognizes you as someone who loves him and takes care of him. There are lots of ways to coax a smile.

  Talk or sing to your baby. He loves to hear your voice. Often, all he needs to hear is you talking. Sometimes a high-pitched voice will elicit a smile.

  Smile at him. Babies love faces. He likes your face best of all. Put your face near his. Kiss and blow on his fingertips.

  You can also look in the mirror with your baby. Say, “I see the baby! I see the mommy/daddy!”

You’ll find more practical tips you can use right now in Peekaboo . . . and Other Games to Play with Your Baby by Shari Steelsmith.

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