11 Easy BABY Activities, To Engage Your Baby’s Brain!

Written By: Ashley McCargish

 

Looking for simple, new baby activities to engage your baby’s brain? These are my best tips to get their brain growing, and captivate their minds!

 

So you’re looking for activities to engage your baby. Maybe you are trying to get some work done or just trying to find a way to drink your morning coffee.

 

We all want our babies to be engaged and working to grow their minds. Luckily for you, I have 11 great ways to get your baby busy and engaged today!

   

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Disclaimer: Always monitor your baby in whatever they are playing with. Some of these things will engross your baby to give you a minute but you should always be close by monitoring.

 

Black & White Books

 

Baby’s mainly see in black and white when they are born for the first few months of life. Having them look at books and toys that are in black & white help engage their brains.

 

Books like this are also great for tummy time and floor time. You could put books up so your baby has to look up at them with their head to see the pictures. This is great for helping them strengthen their neck muscles as well.

   

Take your Baby Outside

 

I remember being a new mom in the spring and feeling trapped. I didn’t know that we could leave the house and it would be OK. Actually it would be freeing and instill creativity.

 

I took my baby on walks in the stroller everyday. I decided one day that I was over being at home and we packed up to go to the park. We took a blanket, a diaper bag, my book, and a couple toys. We had the best time!

 

Babies love to be outside. Just think of all the sensory input they get. They feel the wind and sun on their face. They can hear the birds, bees, and rustling of the leaves!

 

As your baby gets older you can take a sit me up seat like the one pictured to allow them a different view.

   

Mirrors

 

Mirrors are great for babies! It is important that babies are able to look at faces and what better than to look at their own! Or yours with them if you have a couple minutes to spare!

 

It’s even a great idea to take a long standing mirror and put it against a wall in their play room. Anytime they can interact with faces is great for development! Here is a picture of a baby with a mirror from a book.

   

Stacking Cups

 

These stacking cups are perfect for babies! They will love stacking them, banging them together, they can take them in the bathtub, use them in a water table, or use them in a sensory bin! I can’t tell you the number of times I stacked these up so my baby could crawl over (as fast as he can) to knock them down with great delight!

 

Make Your Own Rattle

 

Babies love to explore and create. I love this baby activity because it is simple yet effective! This baby activity is easy but can keep your engaged for minutes which is mom win when we are talking about infants!

 

Take an old bottle that you are no longer using and fill it with sand, seashells, small toys, and pom poms. Your baby will be so engaged with how to get them out and the fact that it makes noise when they shake it! If you keep this for when you are trying to make dinner or they are grumpy it could buy you a couple minutes before a feeding or diaper change.

   

Play Mat

 

A play mat is a great baby activity must have for any new mom. If you are a new mom or looking for a great play mat, you can check out the one we have here. Its the perfect place to put baby when you are new mom trying to do well let’s be honest ANYTHING.

 

But as your baby grows and starts to roll, sit up, or move around you can repurpose your play mat.

 

Many play mats have removable toys that you can throw into the diaper bag for on the go or put into a sensory bin. Here is a picture of my baby around 6 months still having fun with his play mat! I simply moved the piano to the “up” position and put a nursing pillow behind him (since he was still learning to sit up).

   

Jumper

 

Most babies in the 5-8 month range LOVE their jumper or exerciser. An easy way to engage them is to trade out the toys on the jumper. I use these baby rings to hang toys on the jumper. It allows the baby to have new toys to interact with and explore.

 

Here is another great idea. You can also place books around the jumper., use your baby’s favorites, trade them out, or try a new book! My son is very engaged looking at the different books, colors, and pictures.

 

If you are looking for books for your 1 year old check out my list here.

   

Laundry Basket Sensory Bins

 

This idea is easy but pretty effective! Especially if your baby isn’t pulling up yet. Put them inside an empty laundry basket with some of their favorite toys. You could put in teething toys, stuffed animals or blankets, and rattles.

 

This allows them to explore and engage different senses while they are playing!

   

Water Sensory Bin

 

This is perfect for water babies! Take a cake pan (or dish bin) and put it on a highchair, put water in it, and give your baby some simple toys.

 

In the picture my baby has a spoon and some rings! Let them explore and see what they come up with. You may feel more comfortable putting down a table cloth under the high chair. As always if your baby is playing with glass or water stay close.

   

Fill a Jug, Basket or Bin

 

We have this container that was full of zoo animals. My son loved it when I fill it up with anything in his room, small toys, blocks, small blankets, stuffed animals, etc. Then he pulls all of the toys and other things out of the jug.

 

This sounds so simple but even my 17 month old loves to take everything out of a basket or bin!

 

Baby Safe Sensory Bins

 

Do the thought of sensory bins scare you? If so you are not alone! I see it on my mom group boards and even have had friends from high school ask for help on sensory bins! The key with anything is consistent rules and expectations.

 

But today we are discussing bins perfect for baby! I keep a couple bins put away for my baby that are full of sensory items. He only gets to play with them when I get the bin down. I keep teethers in there, stuffed animals, cars, rattles, and large pom poms.

 

As they get a bit older and you are okay with them eating finger foods you can try sensory bins with Cheerios, flour, cornmeal, or puffs.

 

Keeping your baby engaged is important. Not just for your baby’s development but to add some routine and consistency.

 

Now I want to know – what are your favorite baby activities with your little one?

 

Let me know in the comments below and be sure to share this post with a mom, caretaker, or grandparent of a little one!

   

Love, Ashley E

 

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