Playing with Baby: How to Play with Your Child the First Few Months

When you first take your child home, they really don't do much. They cry, they eat and they poop. When do they begin to play?

Babies will not begin "playing" much until they are six months to a year old. However, everything they do, see, touch and smell is part of their "play." At this stage, you will not need to spend a lot of money on toys. Most of your play will be interactive while introducing them to their new world.

Believe it or not, play actually has more of a purpose then acting wild and pulling out annoying toys for mom and dad to trip over. Play is actually a child's learning tool. When they play pretend, they are roll playing. So a child playing in the kitchen is mimicking mommy and getting ready for when she can cook. A child building with blocks is learning hand-eye coordination. When I child makes unusual (and often annoying sounds) they are experimenting with their voice and learning to speak.

You will most likely play with your child without even realizing it. Hiding your face and then singing "Peek A Boo" is a natural game. So is "This Little Piggy" and bouncing them on your hip as you sing.

A baby is not very mobile. When they first come home all the want to do is sleep. However, soon they will begin looking around. Babies love black and white items because they can focus better on these colors. Showing them pictures and talking to them is part of their play. Mobiles are a great toy to hang in their crib at this stage so they can watch the animals and listen to the music.

Playmats with arches have grown in popularity. They offer sight, sound, texture, taste and maybe even smell. A good playmate has activities on the mat for tummy time, as well as interchangeable toys that hand from the arches. These toys can come off and be attached to a stroller or highchair.

As they get a little older they will begin grasping. When this happens, you can give them items so they will learn through touch. Rattles are a great first toy because they are easy to grasp and teach cause and effect. When baby moves his hand, the rattle will move. They will love to bat at toys hanging above them.

Teethers are a great way to introduce taste. Babies love to put things in their mouths, and teethers are a safe toy your child can chew on. Some babies just love to suck on things, even when they are not teething, so it is a good idea to find a nice safe toy that they can put in their mouth.

There are numerous other fun games you can play with your baby. Babies love motion. Experiment and see if they like "flying" on your legs or bouncing. Watch them squeal as you swing them back and forth or dance a jig.

Be sure to focus on stimulating their senses. If you have flowers nearby, let baby smell them, or bring them in the kitchen as you cook so they can smell the spices. Make sure you find toys with different textures to let them experience smooth, rough, and bumpy.

Most importantly, engage them in your conversation. You might feel silly at first because they won't "talk" back but they will coo and smile. The more they hear your voice, the more you will help to learn to talk when they are ready.

Don't worry about doing it right, just play, have fun and love your child. Use cues from their face and temperament to determine if they are enjoying the game. If not, move one. In a few years you will get to pull out Candy Land, but for now, just be silly.