Finger Plays with Baby
Finger play songs and games are perfect because they encourage cuddling, eye contact, rhythm, hand eye coordination and support language development. Here are a few of our favorites to try:
Open Shut Them
Open, shut them, (open and close both hands in front of baby)
Open, shut them,
Give a little clap clap clap. (clap each time you say “clap”)
Open, shut them, open, shut them, (open and close both hands in front of baby)
Put them in your lap lap lap. (pat your legs each time you say "lap")
Creep them, creep them,
Right up to your chin chin chin. (crawl fingers up baby's chest to her chin)
Open up your little mouth, (open your mouth)
But do not let them in in in. (quickly put your hands behind your back)
Two Little Blackbirds
Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill,
Put 2 forefingers and thumb on each shoulder to represent birds.
One named Jack.
Hold out one set of fingers.
One named Jill.
Hold out the other set of fingers.
Fly away, Jack.
Place one hand behind back.
Fly away, Jill.
Place other hand behind back.
Come back, Jack.
Return one hand to its shoulder.
Come back, Jill.
Return the other hand to its shoulder.
Round and Round the Garden
Round and round the garden (trace your finger gently around baby’s tummy)
Like a teddy bear.
One step, two step, (use your finger “to step” up toward under their arm or chin)
Tickle under there! (tickle!)
Pop Goes the Weasel
All around the cobbler's bench
The monkey chased the weasel
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun
Pop! Goes the weasel (clap your hands on “pop!”)
A penny for a spool of thread
A penny for a needle
That's the way the money goes
Pop! Goes the weasel (clap your hands on “pop!”)
Physical Games with Baby
Getting physical with baby and a great chance for them to practice their gross motor skills and have some fun moving their bodies and exploring their environment. Here are a few suggestions to get physical with baby and get a lot of baby giggles while you’re at it.
Roll a Ball - This is a game to play once baby can sit up on their own. Sit facing each other a few feet apart. Roll a ball to baby and encourage baby to roll the ball back. Roll ball back and forth, clapping when baby gets the ball and rolls it back.
Play Reach - Hold an object above baby’s head or over them if they are on their backs, or in front of them if they are on their tummies. Basically, put a desired object just out of reach, so baby needs to reach and extend to get the object. Then clap, praise and smile when baby gets it!
Tug of War - Here is another game for when baby is sitting up unassisted. Sit in front of baby and with both of you holding one side, tug gently on a colorful scarf or blanket. Tug just enough to give baby a thrill but not so much that it makes them lose their balance completely.
Crawling Race - Get on the ground with your baby. Roll a ball or put a desirable toy at the end of a room or hallway and “race” them for the object.
Pillow Obstacle Course - Arrange some couch pillows on the ground with some bed pillows or decorative pillows and watch baby crawl through the pillow tunnels and over the pillow mountains.
Developmental Games
Here are a few tried and true games which help baby with certain developmental skills. For example, peek-a-boo introduces baby to the idea that even when an object is not seen, it is still there.
1. Peek - a -Boo
Use a simple swaddle blanket or cloth to cover your own face and then pop out and say peek a boo! A variation of this is to cover a toy with the swaddle and reveal the toy. Allow baby to practice taking the blanket off and finding the toy too.
2. Read Board Books
Read with baby in lap and point to the pictures. Some great first choices for baby are "Peek-a-Who," "Dear Zoo," "Goodnight Gorilla," "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb," and "That's not my Puppy."
3. Sensory Play
Let baby explore different textures. One of the safest-- and healthiest-- sensory play you can do is let baby play with and explore their food. Put baby in high chair with just a diaper, place a mat under the chair, give them a puree in a bowl, a spoon, and let them go to town! No time to make baby food from scratch? Try these 100% organic, veggie-forward baby purees from Amara. They just need to be mixed with liquid and voila, they are ready to serve. Don't be surprised if baby also plays the “drop the spoon” game which teaches them important lessons about cause and reaction and gravity, of course.
4. Make Music
Lots of everyday objects can make music, or noise at least. ;) Give baby a set of pots and pans and a wooden spoon and let them drum their hearts out. Look for rain sticks, egg shakers, xylophones. Play alongside baby and don’t forget to sing!
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