Playtime Activity: Birth to 4 Months

The world is so new to your baby right now! As a newborn, she will want to be held a great deal (and she needs this to form a strong relationship with you), but there are some fun things you can do with her as you hold her. Gather a few items that make different sounds (e.g., rattle, set of toy keys squeaky toy). Hold the rattle, as an example, away from her and shake it. See if she will turn her head toward the sound. You can reinforce this by saying, "Yes, that's a rattle. You heard the rattle."  Try different toys and hold them in different directions. See if she will turn her head to follow the objects and “find” sounds, and encourage her to grasp the objects.  

Babies at this age are exploring cause and effect. For example, they love learning what will happen if they drop their bottle on the floor. Will it make a noise? Will Daddy pick it up for me? Introduce your baby to simple toys that do simple things with their help (e.g., a pop-up toy that requires the child to tap a button or flip a large switch; a musical instrument, such as a tambourine that jingles when the baby taps it, etc.). Your baby will start to understand that his actions can make things happen in the world, and that is a very empowering feeling!

Possible Intervention Strategies & Supports

• If she doesn't turn her head to respond to the sound, it is possible that she may be more likely to respond to a familiar voice (e.g., "Hi, [baby's name]! Mommy/Daddy is over here.").  You may also want to try finding objects that are bigger or more interesting, such as a light-up toy or brightly-colored object.

• It is helpful to have your baby’s attention before you make any sudden noises so that you don’t startle and upset them. A newborn’s nervous system is very sensitive!

• Closer to 4 months, try occasionally attaching a soft rattle bracelet to your child’s wrist to help draw her attention to her own hands and movements or to her ankles for lower limb play.

• To help strengthen your baby’s hand grasp, place a small, plastic interlocking ring in each of her hands.  Starting around 3 months, help her get both hands on one ring at the same time.

Tips

If your baby startles easily when she hears a sound, don't worry. This is a natural reflex that should start to disappear around 2 months of age. In addition, mouthing objects is an important and normal part of exploration, so allowing your child to bring objects that are safe to his mouth is OK.  Mouthing helps to desensitize her mouth, which assists with feeding skills.  Putting socks or mittens on her hands can impede this skill, so it is not recommended.

Family Handout

Click here to download an editable one-page handout of this age range's playtime activity, interventions, and tips.