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You have your little one in your arms at last and are eager to play and interact with your baby. What games can you play together?
Here are some “Baby Game” ideas covering different ages and developmental milestones of your baby. There will be several different kinds of game ideas given! While definitely not an exhaustive list, it will get you started and give you some ideas for ways to interact with your baby. Baby Games the First Three Months – Often referred to as the “fourth trimester”, the first three months of your babies life are a crucial point in his development. It is typically when the worst of a baby's fussiness occurs as they struggle to adapt to life outside the womb. Changes are rapidly taking place as strong newborn reflexes begin to fade and developmental milestones are achieved. Games you play with your baby can focus on human interaction, body awareness and verbal communication. Baby Games Four to Six Months – An amazing amount of learning takes place over the next three months as your baby learns social, motor, visual and language skills at a phenomenal rate. By the end of the six month most babies are rolling with ease, trying to sit up, grabbing toys (and valuables) quicker than you anticipate and have made huge leaps in their ability to interact and play games with you. Your play times and interactions with your baby will greatly influence him at this critical stage. Baby Games Seven to Nine Months – Now your baby progresses beyond the skills previously learned and your games with him can reflect that tendency. While toys and objects hold more appeal for your baby now, all you need is to get down and crawl with your baby across the floor to see how much he still prefers YOU and your company to the latest flashing-noisy-widget. Crawling, pinching objects between thumb and forefinger, eating solid foods, standing, and multiple-syllable babbling are all important milestones your baby may reach during these months. These new baby abilities open up a lot of new games you can play! Baby Games Ten to Twelve Months – From nine months to twelve months your baby's games increase his mobility and communication skills to whole new levels. Crawling becomes cruising along furniture which all to soon becomes independent walking. Your baby adds his first solid words to his vocabulary and is capable of communicating even more through Baby Sign Language if you teach him. Your games take on a more playful and educational tone as your baby explores more of the world around him. Resources:“The Baby Book: Everything you Need to Know About Your Baby From Birth to Age Two” (2003) by William Sears, M.D. And Martha Sears, R.N. “Games to Play with Babies” (1993) by Jackie Silberg “Heading Home with Your Newborn” (2005) by Laura A. Jana, M.D. And Jennifer Shu, M.D. With the American Academy of Pediatrics “97 Ways to Make a Baby Laugh” by Jack Moore and Penny Gentieu
The copyright of the article Baby Games for You to Play in Postpartum Health is owned by Angela England. Permission to republish Baby Games for You to Play in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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