How to Entertain an Infant

If you̵7;ve long since forgotten what̵7;s it̵7;s like to be a kid, you may be a bit perplexed on how to entertain a little person who can̵7;t hold a conversation with you. Luckily, keeping a baby occupied isn̵7;t rocket science, and everyday items and activities can be fascinating for an infant.

Things You'll Need

  • Age-appropriate toys
  • Books
  • Radio

Instructions

    • 1

      Pull out some age-appropriate toys for your baby. A newborn or young baby will enjoy rattles, textured toys, musical toys and unbreakable mirrors. High contrast or patterned items work well. Tummy time is a perfect time to place baby-safe toys around your baby. This encourages her to lift her head and chest to look around and eventually work toward moving toward them. As your baby gets older, she may enjoy stacking toys, push pull toys, stuffed animals, soft blocks and balls.

    • 2

      Play some simple games with your infant. Peek-a-boo is a baby favorite. The imitation game can be fun for both of you -- just repeat any sound or facial expression that your baby makes and see if she will do the same. Hide toys under blankets and see if your baby can find them.

    • 3

      Bust out some books. Appropriate reading material varies by age. A newborn doesn̵7;t have a large visual field, so pictures aren̵7;t as much of a concern as hearing your voice. So it's up to you whether you read a newspaper, magazine or a kid̵7;s book to your child. Older babies will enjoy colorful baby books, board books, pop-up books and touch-and-feel books. As your baby gets older and gains hand-eye coordination, allow him to flip the pages of the book.

    • 4

      Get your groove on. Turn on some music at a low to medium volume and sway to the music with your baby cuddled in your arms. Don̵7;t be afraid to sing to your baby. He will not judge your musical talent -- he will just enjoy hearing you. Try lullabies, silly jingles or simply sing along with the radio.

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