By Lindsay

Are you wondering what to do with your baby all day? Here are fifteen ideas to have fun with your baby! (Supervision required)

Snuggle. Babies not only love snuggling, but it is important for the development.

Go for a walk. Even though they cannot walk, babies need fresh air. They also enjoy a change of scenery like we do. Narrate your surroundings to your baby to help with language development.

Look in the mirror. Babies love mirrors! Walk around the house from mirror to mirror and talk to your baby. Lean out of view to play mirror peek-a-boo. Turn the lights on and off.

Fashion show at lunch. Take your baby into your closet and allow him or her to grab different textures of clothing or blankets. Put hats on yourself and your baby and lean forward so they may pull them off your head.

Read. Reading is important for language development. Even if babies do not understand the story, looking at pictures, watching your lips move as you form words and hearing your voice is beneficial. We started reading to our son the first day we brought him home, and so far (now 1 year old), he still loves reading! Check out your local library for summer reading activities for infants! They usually become available in late spring or early summer.

Attend mommy and me classes. Going to mommy and me classes is a good start to socialization and is entertaining for both mommy and baby. There are usually a few good options no matter where you are located if you search diligently. Check out your local library for baby story time, it is usually free to attend.

Dance party. Babies love singing and dancing. If you don’t know any baby songs or nursery rhyme, do a quick internet search to learn songs and the hand motions or dances that go along with them.

Tummy time with texture. Babies love feeling different textures, often called sensory play. Offer your baby different things during tummy time such as: a partially filled water bottle with the lid securely fastened (consider adding beads or other interesting things); old magazines to tear up; blankets of different textures; paper towel rolls, etc. Watch them feel whatever they chose to pick up and talk about it; “Did you hear the water splash?” or “That crinkles when you squeeze it in your hand”!

Tissue box play. Use an empty tissue box for entertainment by stuffing it with different things for your baby to pull out such as wash cloths, paper napkins, etc.

Jello dig mess. I’m just going to be honest and call this one what it is because it is a big mess, but our baby LOVED it, so to me it was worth it! Prepare jello as you normally would, then pour into a plastic bin or bowl and add baby toys such as plastic rings. Set in the fridge as you normally would. When the jello has set, let your baby dig out the toys. The jello by itself is interesting to them, but adding toys to pull out makes it even more fun.

Water play. Most babies enjoy water whether they are swimming in a pool, bathing or playing in a sink. Turn on a faucet and let your baby put his hand in the water. Fill up a bulb syringe and squirt water out onto your baby’s hand or in the sink. Drain water from a colander over your baby’s legs.

Obstacle Course. As your baby gets older, entertaining them is also a way to work on mobility. Making a simple obstacle course for your baby to go through is good motivation to move. Use card board boxes as tunnels, roll up blankets to create a path, use a small pillows as something thicker to crawl over, etc. Wait at the end with a favorite toy as a reward, and be sure to encourage your baby and celebrate his success!

Painter’s tape. Tabbing the ends, stick strips of painter‘s tape on your baby’s high chair tray for him to peel off.

Blanket rides. Lay a blanket on the floor and place your baby on it however he is most comfortable; sitting up or laying on his tummy. Once he is settled, gently pull the blanket across the floor to take him for a ride.

Treasure box. Take a small basket or cardboard box and fill it about half way full with an assortment of toys and different textured items from around the house that are too big to be choking hazards. Place the box on the floor near your baby. Allow him to discover the basket and pull out each item to inspect. Talk about each item that he pulls out; “The sock is red”, “the ball is bumpy”, “the water bottle crinkles and crunches when you squeeze it”, etc.

What activities do you do with your baby? Share in the comments below!