Engaging Activities To Do With Your Newborn

Though newborns may seem too young for structured play, there are plenty of gentle activities that foster connection, support development, and promote early learning. In this post, we’ll explore some simple activities you can do with your newborn and the benefits they offer both for you and your baby.

Skin-to-Skin Contact
Skin-to-skin involves holding your newborn directly against your chest. This activity is particularly important in the first days and weeks of life.

The Benefits Of Skin To Skin

• Holding your baby close fosters a deep emotional connection, promoting feelings of safety and love.
• Skin-to-skin helps regulate your baby’s body temperature, breathing, and heart rate.
• Physical closeness reduces stress and helps your baby feel calm, which may also lead to better sleep.

Tummy Time
Tummy time is essential for strengthening your baby’s muscles and developing motor skills. Lay your newborn on their tummy for short periods, starting a few minutes a day, gradually increasing as they grow stronger. You can try tummy time on your chest or on the floor.

The Benefits Of tummy time 

• Tummy time helps build neck, shoulder, and arm muscles that are critical for milestones like rolling over, sitting up, and crawling.
• It helps prevent flat spots from developing on your baby’s head, as they spend a lot of time lying on their backs.
• When babies lie on their stomach, they instinctively try to lift their heads to look around, boosting their curiosity and spatial awareness.

Talking and singing
Talking and singing to your newborn, even if it feels one-sided, is one of the most effective ways to promote language development. Babies love the sound of their parents' voices, and it helps them begin to recognise speech patterns.

The Benefits Of talking to your newborn

• Exposure to speech patterns, rhythm, and sounds helps babies begin to understand language long before they can speak.
• The sound of your voice is incredibly soothing for a newborn, helping to calm them during fussy moments.
• Singing lullabies or chatting to your baby strengthens your bond, as they start to recognize and associate your voice with comfort and 

Reading Together
While newborns may not understand the words you're reading, they love listening to your voice and looking at colourful pictures. Choose books with large, high-contrast illustrations.

The Benefits of reading to your newborn 

• Exposure to books at a young age lays the foundation for language development and early literacy.
• Bold, contrasting pictures help to develop your newborn’s vision and focus.
• Reading is a calm, shared activity that allows for close physical contact, which fosters security and attachment.

Mirror Play
Your newborn won’t recognize themselves in a mirror just yet, but they will be fascinated by the movement and shapes they see. Hold your baby in front of a baby-safe mirror or place one near them during tummy time.

The Benefits of mirror play 

• Mirrors engage your baby’s developing vision, encouraging them to focus on shapes and movements.
• Over time, mirror play helps babies begin to recognise their own reflection, an important developmental milestone.
• Mirrors spark curiosity and encourage babies to move and explore their own bodies and expressions.

Sensory Exploration
While your baby’s senses are still developing, they are curious about the world around them. Introduce them to different textures, sounds, and gentle smells. For example, let them touch soft fabrics, listen to soft music, or looking at high contrast images.

The Benefits of sensory exploration 

• Early exposure to different sensory experiences helps stimulate your newborn’s brain and build neural connections.
• Sensory play helps babies begin to understand cause and effect, laying the groundwork for cognitive development.
• Exploring new sensations sparks curiosity and encourages babies to engage with their environment.

While it may seem like your newborn is too young for structured activities, the early months are a critical time for bonding and development. Simple activities like skin-to-skin contact, tummy time, and talking to your baby not only provide physical and cognitive benefits but also help you connect emotionally. These early interactions lay the foundation for healthy growth, setting your little one up for a lifetime of learning and discovery.

Embrace these precious moments—every cuddle, smile, and babble is a step toward building a lifelong bond and supporting your baby’s development.

Next blog post: Baby milestones - The first 3 months