Indoor Activities for Babies at Home

Due to the COVID- 19 outbreak there is a lot of uncertainty right now. Many schools, preschools and child care centers have closed. There are restrictions on playgrounds and how close you can be to others in the community.

As we are practicing social distancing and are staying more at home with our kids I really want to help. I have put together a post that will give you some ideas on how you can entertain your baby at home.

As a general rule movement is super important and should be an essential part of your baby’s day. Being indoors can be challenging to provide the same movement opportunities as if you were able to play outside. However, I strongly recommend movement activities throughout your day. They help your child strengthen their body and organize and clam their brain.

As we are unsure how long and how much we will be staying indoors we want to keep our kids as calm and organized as much as possible. Happy & calm kids = happy & calm parents… right?

So here it is…

Non Crawling Baby Activities

Even the non crawling babies love the feel of fresh air and the sun hitting their face.

If you have a backyard you can do many of these activities outside on a blanket.

A balcony? I would utilize that space with blankets on the ground.

If you have neither open a window or look outside when you can’t go outside. Look and talk about the trees, birds. Listen to the different sounds.

Movement for Babies

As your baby moves independently or with your help they get lots of sensory input to their internal body senses.These body senses play an essential role in your baby’s ability to learn how to sit, crawl, walk, run.

Movement with the help of an adult

One way to provide movement to your baby is through the use of your own body.

Depending on their head/neck stability you can have fun with this.

Hold your child and:

• Rock them side to side, up & down
• Raise them high above your head
• Spin them around while holding them in your arms
• Lay down, put them on your belly gently move your belly in various directions

As you move with your baby, make sure to stop and take a quick break every few minutes.  See how your baby is doing. The break will also let their body register the movements and ensure that they do not get over stimulated or tune out.

To make sure you do not get bored put on some of your favorite tunes in the background and have a dance off with your baby.

You can also sing to your baby while doing these movements.

Floor Play

Floor play is either on their tummy or on their back. Let them down on the floor. This is their opportunity to figure out what their body can do and get stronger.

Your presence is extremely motivational to them. You can simply talk or sing. Grab a toy and have them follow it with their eyes or reach out and try to grab. Mirror games are also fun.

Object Exploration

As your little one’s hand skills continue to get more coordinated they will love to explore things with their hands and mouth. Don’t limit it just to toys. See if there are household items that are safe to explore such as wooden spoons, plastic cups etc.

I recommend checking out some of my previous posts to get more ideas for some indoor fun.

Month 1: Top Sensory Activities for your Newborn

Month 2: Top Sensory Activities for your 2 month old

Month 3: Top Sensory Activities for your 3 month old

Month 4: Top Sensory Activities for your 4 month old

Month 5: Top Sensory Activities for your 5 month old

Month 6: Top Sensory Activities for your 6 month old

Crawling Babies Activities

Keeping your crawling baby active and moving is essential for their development. This is how they learn to use their bodies.

Movement stimulates their internal body senses.These senses lay down important foundations for body to do more complex skills such as walking, running, jumping, playing ball.

Obstacle Course

Use what you have at home. Couch pillows, chairs, tables, tunnels, sheets. Any of these can be used to create some kind of an obstacle course.

Simple is best at this stage.

What movements to incorporate:

• Crawling on various textures or surfaces
• Going under things such as chairs or tables
• Crawling over uneven surfaces such as couch pillows
• Making a ramp from a mattress and having your little one crawl up it

Have a purpose:

The obstacle course can be much more fun if there is a reason why your baby is doing it. Some reasons can include:

• Being chased by a sibling or parent
• At the end of the obstacle course they finally reach a toy that they wanted to get
• Follow a ‘snake’ game. Use a belt or scarf and have your baby crawl after it while moving over pillows & blankets
• Get a toy that is on a couch. Your little one will have to use the furniture to pull themselves up and get it.

Bubbles

There are lots of fun ways to play bubbles indoors. Check out my recent post for ideas “Developmental Benefits of playing with Bubbles”.

Hide and Seek

Such a fun game that also helps with anxiety seperation.

Simply hide from your child (behind a couch, behind a pillow, under a blanket) and have your little one crawl over to find you. Start with them seeing where you hide.

Blanket Ride

Put your baby on a blanket. Best if they are lying on their tummy. Then grab the other end of it and take them for a ride. Depending on their stability you can move slowly or fast, take slow or sharp turns. If they roll off, get them back on and start again.

Messy Play

I have a lot of ideas posted on my previous posts. Make sure to check out the links below for more ideas.

Remember that if you can’t do messy play outdoors you can try doing it in the bathtub.

Follow your child’s lead

See what your child is interested in exploring. Follow their lead and be present. Having 20-30min of uninterrupted play time with your baby each day can make a huge difference to their development.

I recommend checking out some of my previous posts to get more ideas for some indoor fun.

Month 7: Top Sensory Activities for your 7 month old

Month 8: Top Sensory Activities for your 8 month old

Month 9: Top Sensory Activities for your 9 month old

Month 10: Top Sensory Activities for your 10 month old

Month 11: Top Sensory Activities for your 11 month old

Month 12: Top Sensory Activities for your 12 month old

Stay Healthy and Have Fun!

~ Urszula