Our simplest activities to do at home with your baby

We get it: life is busy, and caring for a young child during COVID-19 can feel especially challenging as we all face the possibility of fall and winter at home. 

According to The National Association of Education for Young Children (NAYEC), play and learning go hand in hand, benefitting your baby’s social, physical, and cognitive development. Working play into each day is important for your baby, but that doesn’t mean it has to be structured or stressful to make a lasting impact. 

We’ve collected our favorite simple activities to help you plan less and play more throughout your baby’s first year. Each of these easy activities offers rich developmental benefits with little to no prep. 

0-3 months

Skin to skin

Skin to skin time isn’t just for newborns. Babies (and caregivers ❤️) of all ages are calmed by its soothing effects and other physiological benefits. Try it in a bath, during a feeding, or face-to-face during tummy time.

No fuss tummy time

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends tummy time for full-term babies starting in their first week, but tummy time can be stressful if your baby doesn’t love it. Here are some ways to take tummy time off the floor and make it more enjoyable for you both.  

Tracking sounds and sights

Your newborn baby’s world is fairly small, and you are at the center of it. Around 1 month old, their horizons start to broaden, and they begin to show an interest in the sights and sounds around them. Help them tune into their newly developing senses with these four easy ways to play. 

Building leg muscles

As your baby starts to uncurl from their womb-like position, you may notice they want to push up against anything within foot’s reach. This super simple strengthening activity helps them build their leg and foot muscles. 

4-8 months

House tours

Taking your baby on a tour of their home exposes them to rich experiences with real life objects and situations, enabling language synapses to form. The best part: zero prep and no toys required 😉 

Kicking play

Kicking builds the muscles your baby needs for rolling. It also gives them an immediate response to their movements, setting up an exciting feedback loop. Try these four ways to get your baby kicking and learning about cause and effect.

Sensory tummy time

Tummy time is the best place for your baby to gain strength for crawling and walking, but keeping it interesting can be a challenge. Try these tummy time ideas to engage your baby’s senses and keep them excited to be on their belly. 

Fun with sensory bags

Fill sensory bags with water, pom poms, buttons, straws, or anything else you can dream up. Sensory bags give your baby a way to examine the small objects they are so interested in without getting potential chokeables in their mouth. Do keep a close watch on your baby as they explore, especially if they tend to mouth the bag. This DIY activity takes a little bit of prep, but your baby will love it. 

Pillow crawling

Finding new ways to burn off energy at home requires some creativity and willingness to experiment. For pillow crawling, your baby must use both body and brain to climb to the top of Pillow Mountain and (hopefully) find a nap on the other side ❤️

9-12 months

Water and ice

With just water and ice, you can compare temperatures, explore solids and liquids, and (of course) splash. Best of all, it works at every stage of development.

Balls and muffin tin

Taking things out of a container and putting them back in is so much fun for your baby, who’s gaining control of their hands. Muffin tins and a few balls (or pom poms) are all you need for this scientific exploration of in and out.

Montessori treasure baskets

Treasure baskets are a Montessori favorite for good reason. They’re versatile and can be filled with objects from nature or your home to inspire your baby’s natural curiosity for exploring their world. 

Sing along with Lovevery on Spotify

Music is good for building brains and shifting moods. Turn it up and dance out the wiggles or turn it down and set the tone for sleep. Whatever the time of day, Lovevery has made a Spotify playlist for it 🙂 

Sometimes the best toys aren’t toys

Whether it’s a light switch, tea bag, or cooking spice, our babies are often interested in what we’re handling. It’s okay to go ahead and let them explore.