1. Importance of Play Stimulation
Babies are learning from the moment they are born. They love to be held, touched and feel loved. Playing with your baby stimulates her senses, causing them to be more aware of the world around her. Playing with your baby stimulates her mental and physical development. When you play with your baby, you stimulate her to learn, to talk and to walk.
2. Laughing and Playing Stimulates Learning
Choose toys to play with your baby that have bright colors, rattle sounds or safety mirrors. Make funny faces and over-sized smiles at your baby. Get him to laughing and reaching for the various toys. Help him to feel the toys and learn how to grasp the toys. Play with toys that have doors to open and close or pieces that make funny sounds when touched. You're stimulating his muscle and eye coordination by playing this way. The more you play this way, the more skilled he becomes in his own basic motor skills.
3. Play, Read and Have Fun Together
Reading books to your baby is one of her favorite types of play. Choose books that have colorful pictures, rhyming words and books that have touchy-feely pages. Take her hands and show her how to feel the different textures. Make it a game for her. Your play with her will be stimulating her language development, her creativity, her imagination and her sense of touch.
4. Sing Together While You Play
Use "Mommy and me" play exercises to stimulate your baby to learn about movement, coordination, rhythm, songs and dance. Bounce your baby on your knees and sing together while you play. Do songs that encourage clapping in rhythm, turning around and hopping up and down. Hold your baby doing these beginning songs and dances until he is old enough to do them with you. Do these songs and dances in front of a mirror that you can sit on the floor together. Put on funny hats together and make it a game taking them on and off. Babies love playtime and love to watch themselves.
5. Let the World Outdoors Stimulate Baby Play
Stimulate your baby by playing where she can see the world around her. Go outdoors with your baby, blow bubbles and watch them fly in the sky. Hold her up so they can try to catch the bubbles. Explore the wonders of the water hose and let her spray you for fun. Take her on a stroll through the park. Get down on the ground together and watch a ladybug crawl around. Let her pluck the petals off a flower while you sing songs about springtime. Everything is new and fun to them. Outdoor playtime stimulates her to learn about the world around her.
