I didn’t know you could “play” with a newborn baby until L was three weeks old, and when I found out, I felt guilty for not having played with him for three whole weeks of his life!
That sounds silly, I know. But it’s true. As a new mom, I toggle back and forth between “Hey, I think I’m figuring this out!” and “I have no idea what I’m doing.” Discovering that you can actually play with a newborn baby was one of those no-idea-what-I’m-doing moments.
Side note: I also didn’t know newborns could do tummy time, so we started that late, too. L is now six months old and is a roly-poly who loves to play on his stomach, but we never achieved the recommended amount of tummy time per day in those first few months.
When I learned that newborns could benefit from play time, I turned to Google for answers.
How do you play with a newborn?
Sometimes, Google is helpful. This was one of those times. “Play” is a generous term for engaging a newborn, but essentially L needed some stimulation during his wake windows.
My search led me to the Lalo play gym (i.e. a structure to hang toys from) and to Lovevery’s The Looker toys (i.e. black and white things!)
High-contrast objects intrigue newborns because, while they can’t yet interpret a full spectrum of colors, their eyes can distinguish the “edges” where black meets white. Hanging things overhead gives newborns an opportunity to exercise their eyes and activate their brains as they watch toys sway or spin above.
There were days when L would lay beneath his play gym for 30-45 minutes, mesmerized and excited. Then, there were days he barely lasted five minutes before crying.
Soon, we found other ways to play, which evolved with him as he learned new skills and became interested in new things.
Fun ways to play with a baby
Reading
We read with L every day. The books have changed over time – from high-contrast books with black and white images of animals, to crinkle books, to board books like Brown Bear and Corduroy. And he now has favorites! I’ll hold two books in front of him and ask him which one he wants to read, and he’ll choose.
Singing, listening to, or making music
When L was a newborn, I’d only sing or hum when I rocked him to sleep. I’ll never forget the week that my husband’s cousin visited and busted out an entire catalogue of songs. She basically performed a concert for him, and we’ve been singing ever since. He’s a BIG fan of Rudolf (our songs were Christmas-themed around the 3-4 month period), and is currently into I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad (yes, I had to look up the lyrics).
My husband will also play regular music (The Beths, lately) on a bluetooth speaker that changes colors as it plays, and L will chill or roll around while they listen together.
I recently bought L a hand drum, so we’re starting to incorporate musical play through instruments, too. He has a wooden rattle that we use as a maracca, and a wooden bell toy that rings when he shakes it.
Mirror gazing
L has really gotten into mirrors in the last month. We have a 10-inch square one that he can get up close and personal with. But he’s just as fond of looking at our reflections in the big bathroom mirrors, too. The Lalo play gym came with a trifold mirror that I sometimes clip onto his pack-n-play so that he can grab it on his own and grin at the adorable baby staring back at him.
Snuggling stuffies
Or kicking them. Or pulling on them. My husband’s best friend got him a Gund worm that crinkles and jingles. Its long, slender shape made it perfect for kicking! Before L started rolling all over the place, I’d put the worm at his feet so that he could feel the plush fabric with his toes and hear the different sounds as he kicked.
My brother-in-law and his girlfriend got L a croissant shaped clip-on stuffie with teething hoops attached by ribbon. And my sister got him a similar stuffie shaped like a gingerbread man. I clipped one to either side of his pack-n-play, and he would pull at them and try to get them into his mouth. As he was learning to roll, it helped him start reaching to his sides and shifting his weight.
There’s also the tried-and-true traditional stuffed animals, like the Gund monkey my parents got him, the Steiff Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore my grandma got him, and the Peter Rabbit Madison’s dad got him. (We have some amazing and supportive friends and family who love to spoil our little guy!) He enjoys hugging them and rolling toward them in tummy time. He also enjoys putting them on his face and leaving them there.
Doing chores together
Honestly, I look forward to folding laundry now. I lay L on the bed next to the big pile of clean clothes, and as I pick up a shirt or pair of PJ pants to fold, I drape it over his face and play a round or two of peek-a-boo. As mentioned above, this boy loves things on his face, so I’ll also give him an article of clothing to “help me fold” and he’ll cover his face over and over and over again until I decide he needs a break.
Over the holidays, he was my little eLf! I’d lay him beside me on the floor while I wrapped presents and give him a piece of discarded wrapping paper to kick or to crumple in his hands. Pro tip: use glitter-less paper. Don’t ask me how I know.
Giggling
OMG, his little giggle melts me. I’m a puddle of goo when this boy gets a-gigglin’. I remember the first time I heard it. I was putting on his zip-up hoodie to go for a walk, and when my hand grazed his ribcage, he let out a tiny giggle. From that day forward, finding ways to make him giggle became a new game. The best part is that it’s not always the same!
Resources for playtime
I subscribed to Lovevery to get a new collection of toys every two months, and it’s one of the best investments, in my opinion. Each box comes with a guide to your baby’s development during that stage, and recommendations for how to play with the toys. The subscription also gives you access to the Lovevery app, which has helpful, research-based articles (that are short and easy to understand), milestones to look forward to at every age, and courses on topics like starting solid foods.
Setting up a designated play space in our living room has made play time easier and smoother. We started with a corner of L’s pack-n-play, then added a toy tote (converted diaper caddy) and small two-tiered bookshelf. Now, we have a 4×6 Tumble play mat, and we keep the bookshelf and toy tote on it, along with L’s activity chair. The mat makes tummy time simpler because it’s flat and wipeable, whereas our rug has two different pile heights and is covered in dog hair.
L isn’t yet crawling or sitting completely on his own, so we use his activity chair to keep him entertained while also giving ourselves a break from vigilant supervision. The Skip-Hop activity center lets him practice standing and using his core for balance, and it gives him access to various toys. Bonus: it allows my husband and I to eat dinner at the same time using both of our hands!
Playing with a newborn felt intimidating at first, but it’s a lot of fun to see L light up when he gets his hands on a favorite toy or squeal with excitement when he uncovers something new or surprising.
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