In the first month or two of life, newborns depend on others to initiate interaction. But by the end of the third month your baby will engage you with facial expressions, vocalizations, and gestures. Your baby will carefully watch your facial expressions and listen to your voice, responding to you with coos and gurgles.
At around 2 months, your baby will respond to your smile with a smile. Between 3 and 4 months, most infants can squeal with delight and laugh out loud. Babies will start to open and shut their fists, opening up new possibilities.
They can hold a rattle placed in their hands. They'll soon discover that they're the one that made the rattle make noise! Babies also start to explore their surroundings with their hands, reaching out, swatting at, and grasping for a favorite toy. They'll also begin to notice their hands and feet, and they'll become a source of amusement. Asleep, Active, or Alert? You'll learn to recognize when your baby ready to learn and play: A baby who is quiet and alert will be attentive and responsive and interested in surroundings.
A baby who is awake but active squirming, flapping arms, or kicking legs or fussing is less able to focus on you. The baby may seem upset or cry when you try to get his or her attention. These are signs that your baby may be getting hungry, tired, or overstimulated. In the first few weeks, you may want to introduce some simple, age-appropriate toys that appeal to the senses of sight, hearing, and touch, such as: rattles textured toys musical toys unbreakable crib mirrors Try toys and mobiles with contrasting colors and patterns.
Some Other Ideas Here are some other ideas for encouraging your newborn to learn and play: Put on soothing music and hold your baby, gently swaying to the tune. Pick a soothing song or lullaby and softly sing it often to your baby. The familiarity of the sound and words will have a soothing effect, particularly during fussy times. Smile, stick out your tongue, and make other expressions for your infant to study, learn, and imitate.
Use a favorite toy for your newborn to focus on and follow, or shake a rattle for your infant to find. Let your baby spend some awake time on his or her tummy to help strengthen the neck and shoulders. See all in Video. You might also like You might also like. My toddler hates baths: what should I do? How can I stop my toddler kicking and biting? Helping your child to be sociable. What does my baby find funny? Seven surprises to look out for as your child grows up.
How your baby learns to explore: photos. Do politicians seem more likeable when they have a baby? Is it safe to let my baby chew on my mobile phone? How can I get rid of my newborn baby's hiccups? Get the BabyCentre app. Brazil Canada Germany India. Connect with us. Some can take in a lot of stimulation before they top out and become distressed. Other babies get overwhelmed very quickly by what may seem to be just a small amount of stimulation like brightening the lights in the room. When you see these kinds of signals, try giving your baby a rest for a little bit.
Put aside her toys and perhaps rock and sing quietly to her. And keep in mind that even eye contact can be very stimulating for young babies, so just snuggling her against your chest may feel best to her. If your baby is falling asleep in order to rest from playing, let him snooze. You can also swaddle your baby to give him a break. The idea is to reduce the amount of stimulation—sights, sounds, touches, and movements—that he is experiencing.
Watching your baby to see how she reacts to, manages, and responds to stimulation gives you very useful information. You can begin to understand what and how much play your baby enjoys, how to recognize when she needs a break, and how to comfort her when she is distressed.
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