It’s easy to think of creative ways to play with an older child, but I found it somewhat difficult to find ways to play with my baby after she moved out of the newborn stage and hit the 2-3 month old mark where she needed even more stimulation. Here are a couple of our favorite things to do together that go beyond tummy time and reading:
1. Take a Bath Together—I’ve found that my 3 month old loves taking a bath with me. At first, I was super scared to try it and was afraid I would drop her or slip with her, so I do a couple of things to try to mitigate any risk. I take my daughter’s bouncy and place a towel over it and set it right next to the tub. I get her undressed and set her in it and then I get in the tub. I reach over and pick my daughter up and then lay her on her back on my legs. She kicks and splashes, looks up at me and smiles and coos. I play with her in the bath just like we’re at the swimming pool. When it’s time to get her out, I place her back in her bouncy and wrap the towel around her. I then step out of the tub and don’t have to worry about slipping with her or dropping her. She loves it and it adds a little more fun to normal bath time.
2. Dance with Her to Music—We have always listened to music throughout the day, but recently I’ve started dancing with her. I get super animated and overly dramatic as I hold her and we sway and twirl. She gives me her big, gummy grin and I know that this is one of her most favorite things for us to do together.
3. Mirror Time—I make it a point to stand in front of the mirror with my little one at least a couple of times a day. I make faces at her, move her close enough to the mirror to touch it and then pull her away. I point to her body parts and name them. Mirror time has become a daily routine and it gives me something different to do with her that’s both fun and stimulating.
These are just a few of my favorite ways to play with my little one now that she’s hit the 2-3 month old mark. We do other things like reading, tummy time, and placing toys in front of her to try to reach for, but I find these three to be somewhat more creative play than just the basic; and she loves that!
By Holly M.
BabyChatter Contributor
