Things to Do With a 5 Month Old Baby

A baby's first year is a time of growth and development. During the fifth month, a baby will start to stay awake longer and will need more activities to keep her busy. While this means a parent gets to spend more time with his infant, it may be difficult to come up with ways to entertain the baby. It's important to provide educational, fun activities to keep your child busy.

  1. Peak-a-Boo

    • Parents and kids alike enjoy peak-a-boo. Cover your face with your hands while standing in front of your 5-month-old. Open your hands to expose your face to your 5-month-old and say, "Peak-a-boo!" This game will bring a smile to your child's face and teach him object permanence. Learning object permanence helps your child understand that you are still there even though he can't see you.

    Tummy Time

    • Tummy time is a great way for your 5-month-old build up her arm strength -- a prerequisite for crawling. Lay your baby on a mat or blanket, belly down, with her head positioned to the left or right so she can breathe easily. From this position she will try to lift her head and arms upward and will start to wiggle. Your baby may not like tummy time if she spends most of her time on her back. Slowly increase the amount of time your baby spends doing tummy time until she is doing tummy time twice per day, five minutes each time.

    Stationary Play Center

    • A stationary play center is a great way for your 5-month-old to play. Seat your 5-month-old in the swivel chair middle of the circular stationary play center. Various toys will line the edge of the play center around your baby. The toys can include flip cards, buttons that make animal sounds or play music, toys that rattle, or a number of other items. These toys let your baby practice his fine and gross motor skills. Stationary play centers also have a built-in floor to build leg strength and practice standing. However, the built-in floor prevents your baby from moving the stationary play center around the house.

    Baby Swing

    • Push your 5-month-old in a baby swing at a park or at your house. These baby swings allow you to safely secure your baby in the swing. Your baby will love the feeling of the air blowing in her face and the soothing motion caused by the movement in the swing. Your baby will enjoy looking around his surroundings. Be careful to push the swing at a pace that baby feels comfortable with. Look at your baby's facial expression for cues as to whether you are pushing him too fast.

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