Physical development in infants happens at a rapid pace, along with sensory development and formation of fine motor skills. Though it may seem like there aren't many activities you can do with a newborn, the simple act of holding, talking and showing affection to your baby fosters an enormous amount of growth.
Head and Neck
One of the first developmental tasks of a newborn is to work on the ability to support her head and neck. When your baby is lying on her back, if you move to one side and talk to her, she will move her head to follow your voice. According to Medline Plus, as babies approach two months, they should be able to support their own heads. Sit your baby up often to strengthen this ability.
Reflexes
Babies are born with a whole host of reflexes that help protect them and get their needs met. Many of these reflexes are also ties to physical development. You can stimulate these reflexes during play to elicit the associated physical responses. For example, babies have a griping or grasping reflex. As you touch your baby's hand, she will form a tight grip around your finger. The Babinski reflex occurs when you tickle the bottom of your baby's foot. This will cause her to spread her toes far apart. You can trigger your baby's tonic neck response by moving to one side and speaking to her. You'll notice that she extends her arm in the direction her head faces and pulls the other arm into her body.
Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills mean your baby's body and brain are working together. Newborns demonstrate and develop these fine motor skills through taking in information through their senses and responding to those stimuli. Babies can only see about 14 inches away, so if you hold your baby close enough to see your face, your baby will recognize your face and smile. Babies also recognize their mother's smell, voice and touch. Spending timeinteracting with your baby is one of the best activities you can do to support physical development.
