Around six months, a baby is old enough to show interest in play, yet not old enough to play on her own. Mom may find herself frustrated in finding enough activities for baby. Baby may tire quickly of toys and have a short attention span, yet baby play is important to learning and development. Here are a few simple activities for baby that should keep her busy.
Baby and the Yoga Ball
Hold baby while bouncing on the yoga ball to soothe or comfort baby. As baby is able to sit up, she can bounce on the yoga ball on her own. Place her on her stomach and roll her around gently while talking to her. See which ways she likes rolling. Or hold her sitting up and roll her back and forth on the ball. This helps develops her motor skills and sense of balance.
Get out with Baby
Go out. Now that baby’s eyes are nearly fully developed, she loves looking around her. A busy place like a shopping store has tons for her to look at and listen to. Go grocery shopping or even just window shopping.
Take a walk with baby either in the stroller or in a baby backpack. The motion of either one is soothing for younger babies. As they get older, babies will enjoy watching the scenery along the walk. A tree-lined path or lots of other people gives baby something to watch. It also lets mom get some exercise and fresh air.
Move With Baby
Put on some favourite music and dance with baby. Or (when she’s strong enough to hold her neck), play airplane games (make sure there is lots of room around baby before doing this). Or, mothers can also lay on their backs and hold baby on their shins, then move their legs up and down. Some babies also like being turned upside down – carefully supported by mom’s hands, of course.
Moms can also sing silly songs and play rhyming games with baby, such as “This Little Piggy” and “Pop Goes the Weasle.” Nicole, creator of the Kids Fun and Games website, says, “Baby development studies have shown that babies who are talked and sung to will generally have a better grasp of language as a toddler, giving them a better grounding for school and adulthood.”
Read and Talk to Baby
Babies love the sound of mom’s voice, but mom may get tired of carrying on one-sided conversations with them. Even before baby can pay attention to picture books, she will enjoy hearing mom read. This also helps them develop a love for reading. Nicole notes, “At this age babies will like to help turn the pages of books, [so] board books or fabric books are best.” Some libraries have reading activities for moms and babies.
Get Involved
See what’s going on in the community. Many pools offer moms and babies swimming classes, where the babies sit in floaters while their moms exercise and watch them. Fitness centers offer strollercize or other mom and baby activities. Libraries, community organizations, and churches also host mom’s groups. Watch for community advertisements or talk to other moms to find out more.
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