Infant Stimulation Activity: silly sounds

Never forget that infant stimulation is about enhancing the wonderful relationship with your baby through fun and play. And what better way to have fun than with silly sounds. Lay your infant on the bed or have him sitting in his carrier. Be sure he is in a good mood and so are you. Tell him what you are going to do "Are you ready for some silly sounds?" or "Mama is going to make some silly sounds for you." Then make a funny sound with your tongue or your lips (please check out the video for one idea). Make sure you are smiling and laughing and showing your baby how much fun silly sounds are. And as you will see in this video, do not be surprised when your baby comes back with his own silly sound or even repeats yours!

Infant Stimulation Activity: making music

You may have heard about playing music for your baby, but how about making music? Tap out a rhythm on a drum, jingle some bells, or play a simple tune on the piano. See what effect different instruments and different tunes have on your baby.

And do not feel limited by any lack of instruments in your home - put some beans in a plastic container, get a spoon and a pot, or ring some chimes.

Infant Stimulation Activity: rythm and patterns

Round and round the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel.
The monkey stopped to pull up his socks, And Pop! goes the weasel.

Rhyming poetry and nursery rhymes introduce rhythms and patterns to your baby. And with this one, imagine the fun of the sound and facial expression when you get to “Pop! goes the weasel.”

Repeat the verse a few times and bring your baby in for a cuddle!

Infant Stimulation Activity: how low can you go (or high)

Did you know that when your newborn hears a high pitched voice (the common way we tend to speak to babies) his heartrate increases which means he is happy, secure, and cheerful.

Change the pitch of your voice from high to low as you talk or sing. Offer your baby a variety of sounds, but be sure her reactions are positive. And keep smiling so she knows this is a fun game.

Infant Stimulation Activity: take a walk

Okay this sounds basic, particularly as the weather warms up around the country, but I will have to repost this in January! Yes, take your baby for a walk throughout all the seasons. My son was born in January – if I waited for Spring that would have been 4-5 months inside! With a newborn! All day! Every day!

Instead, we bundled up and walked and walked and walked . . . every day. Even if baby is bundled up and the cover is over the stroller, the air is still different, the sounds are different, and the motion is different from indoor activities. This is a great time for you to point out some things, “Do you hear a bird?” “Do you hear a car?” “That is a stop sign.” “That is a fire hydrant.” “Do you see the dog?”

Naturally, in the nicer weather your baby will see more, probably hear more, and that fresh air always makes for some great naps!

The amazing thing about sound is that every one is new to your infant. Even the most mundane sound is of interest, especially as your baby matches the sound with a movement and/or object. If you are in the kitchen, tap a spoon on the table while baby sits in your lap or in her high chair. If you are reading a book, or finished reading a book, flip the pages. If you were writing, then tap the pencil.

Don’t forget to smile, showing your baby how much fun this is. Even though you have tapped a pencil a million times, it is new to her and therefore a fun first for you both!

Infant Stimulation Activity 129: ball in bowl

Here is an easy way to change things up and stimulate your baby. Take a small ball, not too small that it is a choking hazard, but not too large where it cannot fit into a plastic bowl. Roll the ball around the bowl so that your baby can see it. He will enjoy the movement as well as the sound of the ball.

If you have them, try balls made of different material. Explore the different sounds of a rubber ball, a plastic ball, and perhaps a ball with a bell inside.

And do not have all the fun yourself! Allow your baby to check out the ball in the bowl too. Prop him up on the floor and let him touch and enjoy. So easy, so inexpensive, and so stimulating!

Infant Stimulation Activity 126: snow bound to bound for snow

Are you feeling the cabin fever in these final days of winter? Don't feel like you have to stay inside just because your baby is a baby! Naturally you do not want to be out in sub degree weather, but a blue sky and some sun even with snow still on the ground is a great time to introduce your baby to a sled ride! If you live in an area where there is going to be lots of snow, there is no better time than the present to get your baby accustomed to the great white outdoors and the fun of a sled!

You will be stimulating so many of your baby's senses. Think of how different the world looks with snow on the ground and how different it smells! Yes, your baby will be taking it all in. And how about that sensation of the sled ride.

And if your baby isn't sitting up on his own yet and therefore cannot sit in a sled, well, you can still bundle him up in a carrier and get him outside to enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds.

Hope this brightens your day with thoughts of heading out the door and getting out of the house!

Infant Stimulaton Activity 124: Telephone Time

Always remember that everything is new for a baby, even your speaking on the telephone. When you are on the phone, hold aby close and look at him. Your baby will enjoy watching and listening to you. He may think the conversation is just for him and he may even start contributing to the conversation with some babbling of his own!

Infant Stimulation Activity 123: Tick Tock

Tick, tock, tick, tock

Allow your baby to listen to the rhythm of a ticking clock. But make this interactive too. Show your baby the clock and say, "This is a clock. Do you hear it ticking?" Then put the clock to your and baby's ears and listen.

You may find that not only is baby enjoying the sound, but is being soothed too!

Infant Stimulation Activity 122: row, row, row your baby

Sit your baby either in your lap and facing a mirror if it is available, or if he can support himself have him sit facing you. Gently "row" baby's arms back and forth while singing.

"Row, row, row, your boat gently down the stream;
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream."

Make sure your singing and baby's arm movements match so he can feel the rythm.

Infant Stimulation Activity 119: abstract games = abstract thinking

If you have been doing infant stimulation activites with your baby since birth then by 6 months your infant has been listening to you identify lots of objects. "This is your blanket." "This is a spoon." "This is a ball" Eventually as you name objects your baby will be able to identify them too. No, he cannot talk yet, but do not be surprised if he reaches for an object you name if it is in his sight.

Also, even if baby is paying attention to a toy if you say "Daddy!", don't be surprised when he turns around to look for Dad. That is when you will see that your baby really has been listening to and learning what your are saying. He understands that words represent objects and names respresent people. So keep talking and identifying, and baby will keep listening and learning!

Infant Stimulation Activity 118: fun with cardboard?

You have heard about children who play with the box and not the toy that came in it. Well, babies love playing with empty boxes too. Offer your infant an empty soap or toothpaste box. The texture is certainly different than most of her other soft cushy toys.

You can even fill the box something that will rattle , perhaps small beans that a baby will not choke on if the box gets opened. Remember to seal the box completely and always supervise your baby - actually, you should be interacting with her!

Infant Stimulation Activity 116: rattle this

A baby's rattle does not have to be something bought at the store with a little jingle sound. Try making your own rattles. Put some dried beans into a plastic container and fasten the lid on securely with tape. Shake it gently to one side of your baby's head and wait for him to locate the sound.

You can try different sounds by using rice, buttons and macaroni. See if baby prefers certain sounds to other ones.

Infant Stimulation Activity 114: scrunch bag

Fill a soft fabric bag with cellophane paper, metallic gift-wrap or any other paper that makes noise. Fasten the bag then let your baby discover the noise it makes when he holds it, squeezes it or kicks at it.

This is a wonderful time to see your baby making the connection of her movement and the sound, as well as seeing her reaction to the scrunchy sound.

Infant Stimulation Activity 113: whisper time

By 5-6 months you have been interacting with baby lots and talking with him and playing all kinds of games. A fun twist on this is to do whisper time. Get close to your baby and whisper to him; whisper how much you love him, how beautiful you think he is, how smart he is, and how very happy you are that he is your baby. He will enjoy the feeling of closeness, the intimacy, and he will sense the beautiful things you are telling him.

This is probably best done when he is not eager for activity, perhaps at the end of another interactive activity and your baby is ready to wind down or take a break.

Of course, this activity can be done at any age with baby, but it is likely that you have not been whispering as much when he is 6 months old (and alert and active and interactive) as when he was a newborn (and new and quiet and fragile). You will see how much fun it is to change it up!

Infant Stimulation Activity 105: you're over there!

The idea of stimulation is that your baby is interacting with you and is experiencing something that, in fact, will stimulate him. One idea is to talk to your baby from different places in a room. Your baby will begin to look for you as he begins to coordinate sights and sounds.

Infant Stimulation Activity 102: greetings

Of course your baby recognizes your voice when you are right in front of him or in the same room. By 3 months try something new: call out to your baby before you enter the room. This will teach him to recognize your voice and anticipate your entrance.

When you can, have someone in the room with baby to observe his reaction to your voice before you enter the room.

Infant Stimulation Activity 100: which is it?

As early as one month babies can begin to associate sounds with objects. Show baby two objects that make specific sounds, perhaps a rattle and a bell. Show him each object individually and let baby hear its sound; do this a couple of times. Eventually hold up both objects at the same time, but only shake one of them. See if baby knows which object made the sound.

Infant Stimulation Activity 77: more texture and sound

Another wonderful texture and sound activity is easy and inexpensive. Is it Fall in your area? Get some of those brown leaves and let your baby enjoy the tactile sense of the leaf, the auditory sense of the crinkle of the leaf, as well as the emotional enjoyment of being and interacting with you!