Put your baby on the floor, in an infant seat or propped up enough to see you. Get your baby's attention by making eye contact and calling your baby's name. Show your baby a toy. Say, “Look what I have. It's a red rattle. Listen!” Then give the rattle to your baby. Help her hold the toy if she cannot grasp it yet. As she plays, talk about what she is doing. Say, “You can make it rattle!" If she puts it in her mouth ask, "How does it taste? Is it hard?" Allow your baby time to play and explore what she can do with the toy. When she is bored, show her how to do something else with the toy. If it is a rattle, show her how to move it up and down. Another time, try this: Hold the rattle or toy and get your baby’s attention. Move it from one side to the other, up and down and in circles. This helps your baby learn to use both eyes well. Your baby will let you know when she is tired of playing. It is your job to match the amount of play to your baby's needs. If your baby wants to play some more, try playing another game. If your baby is fussy and tired, it's better to stop and play again later. Why Play? Playing helps babies learn. Babies learn how to tell the difference among objects by looking, feeling, tasting, smelling, and hearing. Play encourages your baby to explore the world. Your baby explores by using different body motions. For example, banging, mouthing, dropping, and rubbing. He will do a combination of motions and compare the differences. Playing with your baby shows him how to play when he is alone.

Browse related Faqs by tag: parenting