You may not be able to discuss foreign policy with newborns, babies or toddlers, but interacting with them — specifically in the form of play or loosely structured activities — is crucial, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP notes that when children play and interact with parents or caregivers starting at a young age, it helps their overall health and development. That being said, due to an increase in rigid schedules, a decrease in safe spaces and (of course) screentime, playtime has declined in the past few years.
Looking to set your child up for a lifetime of play, along with a number of serious benefits? Here are 10 interactive activities you can do with newborns, babies and toddlers.
Interactive activities for newborns
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They may be tiny, but their brains are developing mightily, making interactive play wildly meaningful at this point. Here are a few super-simple activities to consider for babies 0 to 3 months.
1. Talking
Chances are, as a parent, grandparent or nanny, you innately do this, and that’s good! Research has shown that simply talking to babies can help with brain development, which in turn, can lead to quicker learning and speech development.
Further, speaking to newborns in a high-pitched voice with a “baby talk” cadence has been shown to help develop sound patterns, focus and the eventual production of their own words.
2. Singing
Singing to your newborn packs many of the same benefits as talking to them (think: language development and focus), but a 2020 study from Western Sydney University found that when parents or caregivers sing to newborns, it actually strengthens the bond between them (in a way talking cannot).
Singing, the study found, contributes to the emotional communication between parents/caregivers and babies via the following:
- Sharing and increasing positive emotions.
- Soothing or calming negative emotions.
- Taking joy in the child.
3. Tummy time
Tummy time, which, so long as baby is awake, can be started right away, is a great way for babies to increase neck and shoulder strength, as well as develop the muscles and coordination needed for opening up their hands in order to grasp things.
Babies should never be left alone during tummy time, so it’s also the perfect opportunity to get down on their level and sing or talk to them, too.
4. Massage
Everyone loves a massage — even newborns! Use a little lotion and give your baby an infant massage, which, according to the AAP, can help with sleep, relaxation, digestion and more. Also, it’s adorable.
Interactive activities for babies
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The older your baby is, the more you can do with them. Here are a few interactive activities parents, nannies and babysitters can do with babies.
5. Music and play classes
Music and play classes for babies come with a host of benefits, including an increase in parent-child attachment, better musical awareness for children and “better-developed gestures and social skills,” according to the University of California, Berkeley.
Further, in a first of its kind study, research from McMaster University found that when 1-year-olds go to music classes with their parent or caregiver, they “smile more, communicate better and show more sophisticated brain responses to music.”
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6. Baby and me yoga
Don’t expect to get a massive workout in, but baby and me yoga classes provide a number of advantages for both adults and children. In addition to providing socialization for moms at a time when loneliness can be high, baby and me yoga classes can boost both physical and emotional development in babies, as well as help them sleep better, aid in language development and more.
7. Brain-building games
According to the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child, when parents and caregivers play games with baby, it helps develop “sturdy brain architecture, the foundations of lifelong health and the building blocks of resilience.”
Here are two games to play with baby, recommended via the Harvard University research:
The “Where Is It?” game
To play “Where is it?”, simply show baby something that makes noise, such as a set of jingly keys, and then hide the object under a blanket or behind your back, making the noise still. Say “where is it?” to encourage baby to look for the item. Once they find it, make sure to praise them and say, “You found it!”
The “Boom!” game
To play “Boom!”, drop a small, hard toy into a container, saying “boom!” when it falls and makes a noise; then, prompt the baby to do the same.
Interactive activities for toddlers
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While you’re still a ways off from breaking out Monopoly, you can get a little more sophisticated with their interactive activities when kids hit the toddler stage.
8. Simon Says
This classic game has staying power for a reason. Not only is Simon Says a no-cost, simple game to play anywhere, anytime, it requires that children use their serious listening skills (kids need to think about what not to do). Also, it helps get the wiggles out! Full Simon Says directions can be found on the Genius of Play.
9. Pretend play
Kids love to pretend (or more specifically, imitate), full stop. And luckily, it’s great for healthy brain development. Whether you pretend to “take a call” on a fake phone and pass it to your child or rock a doll to sleep and ask them to do the same, the benefits they’re getting are the same. Additionally, pretend play for toddlers encourages language development, as well as creativity and imagination.
10. Do a puzzle together
The Center on the Developing Child recommends caregivers and parents do a puzzle with their toddler. And when you ask them about the colors and shapes of the pieces as you go, you’re helping them exercise planning and reflection skills.
The bottom line
When parents, grandparents, nannies, sitters, etc. take part in interactive activities with a newborn, baby or toddler, they’re helping strengthen the bond they have with them, as well as aiding with their overall development. Win-win.
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