Fun Activities for Babies 
from ChildGuide.com

Introduction.  You are the proud parent of a new baby. Congratulations!  It will take a few months for you to settle into your new family life.  As you get a feel for this new life, try not to get trapped into a rut by always staying home with your infant.  You will need to get out of the house once in a while.  For working parents, out-of-the-house activities will help you bond and spend quality time with your child without the pressures of household tasks hanging over your shoulder, pulling your attention away from your child.  For stay-at-home parents, these activities will also prevent you from going STIR CRAZY as a result of staying at home all day, every day.

But your child is just an infant!  What kind of activities could you possibly do with a baby?  Your baby really can't do anything anyway, right?  WRONG!  There are lots of activities that you can do with your infant that are fun and will get you out of the house and into the real world.  Your infant needs stimulation of her senses through new visual, auditory, and olfactory (smelling) experiences.  Below you will find a list of recommended activities to do with your baby.  Get out and have fun!

Go For A Walk.  Walking is good exercise for you and will help you keep fit.  Is the weather nice outside?

If the answer to this question is yes, take your infant for a walk through your neighborhood or along the walking path/trails in your local forest preserve.  The fresh air will do you both some good!

If the answer to this question is no, take your infant for a walk in the mall.  Malls have lots of visual stimulation for your infant and you will be able to people watch while getting some exercise.  You can even do some shopping while you're at it!

Go To The Park.  Another activity you can do when the weather is nice is to go to the park, sit on a bench, and people watch.  You may even meet other mom's that share your interests and lifestyle.

Join A Playgroup!  Visit Childguide's^SM Playgroup Postings section and join a playgroup consisting of families from the Childguide^SM community.  It is always fun to meet new people who share your concerns, hobbies, and family situations.

Take A Parent/Child Class Together!  There are many organizations that offer parent/child classes for parents and their infants such as singing, dancing, musical instruments, infant massage, and movement programs.  Refer to Childguide's^SM Parent/Child Classes article in the member Resouce Center for more information.

Visit Your Public Library!  Your public library has plenty of children's books to choose from that are appropriate for infants.  They also have story time sessions.  Start your child's love of reading early by reading to her and participating in the library's story time sessions.

Visit Story Time At Your Local Bookstore!  Take your baby to your local bookstore and let her help you pick out the books for you to read to her.  Some bookstores have story time for children.

Visit A Museum!  There are many museums in most cities.  Even though your infant may not be ready to understand the knowledge that can be obtained from visiting a museum, there is plenty to keep her visually stimulated.  Also, some museums have programs for children as young as infants.  Before going to the museum, call and ask about infant programs.

Visit A Farm, Ranch Or Zoo!  Even infants love looking into the face of animals!  There are also many new auditory and olfactory sensations to be found at these settings.  Many farms, ranches and zoos have special seasonal activities for children of all ages.

Visit A Nature Center Or State Park.  Stimulate your infant with the sights, sounds, and smells of nature by visiting a nature center or a State Park.  Smell the flowers, listen to the birds and other animals, and see all the wonderful colors of nature.  The center or park may even have nature guides or guided tours through which you and your child can learn more about nature.

Take A Mom And Baby Fitness Class.  Some fitness centers have mom and baby classes.  You can spend some quality time with your infant and get fit at the same time!  Call your local fitness center today and ask if they have such a program.  If they don't, suggest that they start one!

SUMMARY.  Just because you have an infant does not mean you have to be stuck at home by yourself, without interacting with other people.  There are plenty of things to do. Get out and go places!

Do you have any suggestions for activities for infants?  Send your comments and suggestions to babyactivity@childguide.com.
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