Play may not be top of mind when you're caring for a newborn. After all, the day can fill up quickly with long (and frequent) feeding sessions, diaper changes , and naps. When each of my two sons were newborns, I felt like it was all I could do to simply stay on top of all of the dirty laundry and keep them fed and clean.
But play can start to be a part of your daily routine even in the earliest newborn weeks, experts say — and it will become more and more critical as your little one becomes more engaged and alert. From 0 to 3 months of age, your baby is soaking up everything around them like a sponge.
"Your newborn will grow and change more in their first year of life than during any other time, making it an exciting — and, at times, anxiety-producing — age, particularly for first-time parents," says Donna Housman , Ed.D., a clinical psychologist and CEO of the Housman Institute in Newton Centre, Massachusetts.
By the time your baby is 3 months old , they'll likely have mastered some pretty major skills, including smiling at you, making non-crying sounds ("muh-muh" or "bah-bah"), and pushing up on elbows during tummy time, among others. Here are 15 ways you can play your with newborn , meet these milestones, and fill their earliest days with fun.
Best activities to help baby's vision
It might sound simple, but one of the first milestones your baby will meet — sometime around the 2-month mark — is looking at your face; and by 4 months , they'll be looking at you to get your attention.
Their vision is rapidly changing during this time, too: "As babies grow, their eyesight improves," explains Katherine Williamson , M.D., a pediatrician with the Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) Primary Care Network. "By the end of 3 months , they can follow a moving object, are more interested in shapes and patterns, and can spot familiar faces , even at a distance."
Help your little one focus their developing sight with these activities.
1. Sing a song
What you'll need: nothing
Why it's good for newborns: Singing to your newborn — with background music to accompany you or a cappella — can encourage your little one to watch your face. "Babies love the sound of their parents' voices, so talk, babble, sing, and coo away," says Dr. Williamson.
2. Have a "conversation"
What you'll need: nothing
Why it's good for newborns: Your newborn will gradually start to share more non-crying sounds with you as they approach 2 months, making lovely little "oohs" and "ahhs."
Dr. Williamson recommends taking advantage of this "talking" to have a conversation. While looking at your baby's face, repeat the sound they make and wait for them to make another. "This teaches your baby valuable lessons about tone, pacing and taking turns when talking to someone else," she says.
Another way to have a "conversation" is by asking your baby questions and waiting for a response. While your baby can't speak words yet or understand what you're saying, You may get a coo, wiggle, kick, or another kind of "response" that can keep the game going. This helps support early language and turn-taking skill development.
3. Tell fabulous felt stories
What you'll need: pieces of felt and scissors
Why it's good for newborns: This activity "makes storytelling interactive and fun," says Dr. Housman. Cut animal shapes out of pieces of felt. (High-contrast colors are best for newborns, she says.) Then use them as props to narrate a story for your baby.
Hold the felt pieces up so your little one can easily see them and watch your face while you spin a tale. (Don't worry too much about the plot points; it's more about the sound of your voice!)
4. Play mirror peek-a-boo
What you'll need: a baby-safe mirror
Why it's good for newborns: Sit or stand in front of a mirror with your baby. (You can hold them or prop them on your lap.) While looking in the mirror together, play peekaboo so your baby can watch the reflection. Your little one won't recognize themselves in a mirror until they're closer to 18 months, but they'll still get a kick out of this activity at a young age.
As your baby gets a little older, you can add to this game by revealing a new emotion on your face each time you take your hands away, like happy, sad, or surprised. "This builds recognition, expression, and early emotion identification skills," says Dr. Housman.
5. Have storytime
What you'll need: books
Why it's good for newborns: It's never too early to start reading to your baby . In fact, research has shown that reading books with your child in early infancy helps improve reading and vocabulary skills four years later.
With a newborn, books that have high-contrast or black-and-white images are best. "Soft pastel colors are hard for a baby to distinguish," says Dr. Williamson.
Best activities for tummy time
Many newborns dislike lying on their stomachs, but tummy time is essential for your baby's development, even during their first few weeks. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends placing your awake baby on their tummy two to three times a day for short bursts (up to five minutes), starting the day your little one gets home from the hospital. By 7 weeks , your baby will ideally be able to do 15 to 30 minutes of tummy time a day.
1. Prop baby up for tummy time
What you'll need: a rolled towel or pillow
Why it's good for newborns: Once your baby is around 2 months, you can place a rolled towel or a pillow under their chest and armpits. (A breastfeeding pillow works well for this — just supervise your baby, and never use a nursing pillow for infant sleep.) This gives your little one some extra leverage to lift their head and chest up, further strengthening their neck muscles.
2. Introduce black-and-white images
What you'll need: black-and-white cards
Why it's good for newborns: The first few weeks of your baby's life are the perfect time to introduce high-contrast cards. Infants have an easier time focusing on these black-and-white patterns. Prop one up in front of your baby to help them focus while practicing tummy time. (Just don't place it too far away — at first, your little one can't focus farther than 8 to 12 inches in front of them.)
3. Have face-to-face tummy time
What you'll need: nothing
Why it's good for newborns: Sometimes tummy time is better with two. Lay down face-to-face to your baby while they're working on lifting their head up and look into their eyes. The image of their favorite person — you! — may inspire them to hold their head up for a little longer.
"Human faces are one of their favorite things to look at, especially their own face or a parent's face," says Dr. Williamson.
4. Roll on an exercise ball
What you'll need: a large exercise ball
Why it's good for newborns: Ready to level up tummy time? Add a large exercise ball for even more of a boost. Some babies will enjoy gently rolling back and forth on one of these balls while lying tummy-down.
Best activities for swatting
Most babies may use their arm to swing or swat at something interesting by 3 months, and this will progress to true reaching closer to month 6 .
1. Make some noise
What you'll need: rattles , bells, wind chimes, or other noise-making objects
Why it's good for newborns: Now is a good time to introduce rattles and soft toys (or household items) that make different kinds of noises.
"Let your baby hear different sounds," says Dr. Williamson, "for example, a wind chime, ticking clock, soft music, or music box." Hold the noise-making toy or object a few inches in front of your baby and see if they start to swat at it.
2. Play with finger puppets
What you'll need: finger puppets
Why it's good for newborns: While your baby is lying on their back or sitting in a bouncer , hold a finger puppet a few inches in front of their face. (You can buy one of these or make a simple homemade version using construction paper and tape.) Your child may be inspired to bat at the funny puppet.
You can make silly voices or use baby talk, but also feel free to mix in regular adult words and tone, says Dr. Williamson. "It may seem early, but this sets the stage for your baby's first words ."
3. Touch different textures
What you'll need: a variety of soft-textured items, such as a clean feather duster, a piece of satin, a fuzzy stuffed animal, or a silk scarf
Why it's good for newborns: You'll notice your little one engaging with their fingers in new ways during the first few months. "Children will start to wiggle their fingers, see their fingers move, and feel them move," says Dr. Housman. Help encourage this curiosity and their tactile exploration by introducing items that have a range of soft textures.
Gently brush them against your child's skin, narrating your actions. ("Do you feel the fuzzy lamb?") Let your little one touch and explore the different objects. Eventually, you can pull the object back to see if they swat at it.
4. Dangle a mobile
What you'll need: a mobile
Why it's good for newborns: There's nothing more tempting than an interesting object just out of reach. While your baby is lying on their back, carefully dangle a baby mobile a few inches above them to see if they reach to swat at the dangling items. Those with bright-colored objects attached are best, Dr. Williamson says.
5. DIY a mobile
What you'll need: string and light objects
Why it's good for newborns: If you don't have a mobile — or prefer to add some variety — attach different light objects (a plastic measuring spoon, a ball of yarn, a piece of tinfoil) from a string. Dangle the items above your baby while they're lying on their back or sitting in a bouncer to tempt them to bat away.
Skills your child is developing as a newborn
It may seem like all your newborn does is eat, sleep, and poop. But rest assured that there's a whole lot going on inside that sweet little head.
"Within the first thousand days of life, your baby's brain is growing rapidly, with one million neural connections happening every second," says Dr. Housman. Your newborn is changing dramatically in five areas of development: physical, language, cognitive, emotional, and social, she adds.
By the time your baby is 2 months old, they'll likely have mastered some first milestones , including looking at your face, making sounds other than crying, watching you move or looking at a toy for several seconds, and holding their head up during tummy time. They may be moving both arms and legs more, too, and opening their hands briefly.
There will be more skills to master as they reach the end of the newborn stage, such as smiling on their own, making sounds like "ooh" and "ahh," turning their head towards your voice, looking at their hands with interest, holding a toy, using their arm to swing at things, and pushing up on their elbows during tummy time. Every baby develops at their own pace, but most children will reach these developmental milestones by 4 months , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you have any concerns about your child's development, bring them up to your pediatrician at the 4-month checkup .
Sample daily schedule for a newborn
Your newborn likely won't follow much of a schedule at all during those first weeks and months of life. During this time, breastfed babies should be fed on demand in response to hunger cues, and bottle-fed babies also need feedings pretty much around the clock. Sleep can vary too, but it's usually unpredictable, clocking in somewhere between 14 and 17 hours a day.
There's no expert consensus on when to establish a true routine with your baby, but some little ones start falling into a more consistent eating and sleeping schedule around 2 to 4 months. Here's what a schedule for a 3-month-old might look like:
How much playtime does a newborn need?
All to say that in the newborn months, playtime usually follows more time-consuming tasks like feeding sessions, frequent diaper changes, and lots and lots of sleep. But it's still important to make time for play at this age. The amount of time you dedicate to play with a newborn can depend from parent to parent and even day to day, according to Norma Perez , M.D., a pediatrician at AltaMed Health Services in Commerce, California.
At this age, short, quick bursts of play are often easier to fit in than long sessions. You can find moments during diaper changes and bathtime to talk to your baby and exchange smiles and coos.
"I like to recommend that parents take any opportunity to make a silly face or have a quick game of peek-a-boo," Dr. Perez says. "These short moments of bonding can go a long way."
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