14 Interactive Baby Activities for 3-6 Mos

14 fun baby activities for you to try with your little ones. These baby games encourage infants to actively interact with you and the world around them.

In the early stages of child development, newborns are only able to move with involuntary and reflexive movements. 

As their nervous system starts to mature, they are able to begin controlling how their bodies move. As they gain postural, locomotor, and manual control, they are able to play a greater variety of baby games.

Games for 0-3 Mos
Games for 6-9 Mos
Games for 9-12 Mos

*Many of these infant activities are adapted from ideas found in a wonderful book, Games to Play with Babies by Jackie Silberg. She has authored a variety of books about baby and toddler games.

For more fun infant activities, check out these baby games for little ones throughout their first year. Keep in mind that all children develop at their own unique pace, so you might want to browse the games in all categories to find some your baby will enjoy.

Is your baby visually impaired? Family Connect is a great resource for parents to find the perfect activities.

And don't be afraid to go back to games targeted at younger babies because your infant will enjoy many of them long after they develop past them.

Infant Activities

Baby Activities #1
Airplane Ride

• This is a fun game once your baby has control of his head and can keep it up.
  
• Lie down on floor with feet flat on floor, legs together, and knees up.
  
• Hold baby under his arms and raise him over your head.
  
• Hold him up in the air and move him gently around.
  
• Lower him back down to your knees.
  
• Stand up and hold him in a horizontal position.
  
• Fly him around room and then for landing on a soft surface.
  
• As baby gets older, add acrobatc maneuvers like loops, rolls, spins, and stalls.
  
• Don't forget to add sound effects!

Baby Activities #2
Baby Balance

Balance baby on different body parts of your body. While sitting in a chair, bounce her on your knees like riding a horse. Extend one of your legs and hold baby near your ankle while circling your leg around. (This is also a great workout for you!) While lying down, balance baby on your stomach or legs and let him gently sway or rock in different directions. With feet flat on floor and knees up, balance baby on your knees and gently rock her in different directions. Hold baby flat against your body and rock and roll and sway in different patterns. Hold baby while she sits or lies on a rocking toy like a Rocking Caterpillar. Lift and lower baby like she's going up and down an elevator. While sitting on the floor, hold baby up in the air and rock backwards to your back while baby stays in the air. Rocking Caterpillar

Baby Activities #3
Cookie Dough

• Lay baby on one side of a blanket and gently roll him from his back to his stomach.
  
• Grab the other side of the blanket and roll him from his stomach to his back.
  
• Lay him on the bed and gently roll him back and forth with your hands like you're rolling out cookie dough.

Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes

Baby Activities #4
Baby Aerobics

• Lay baby on her back.
  
• Sing a song or play music with action lyrics.
  
• Start by holding her hands and moving her arms in all different directions to the music.
  
• Do the same with her legs.

Baby Activities #5
Reach It

Discover 'n Grow Jumperoo

Sit down on the floor with your baby in your lap or in front of you. Give her a toy to hold that she really likes. Move the toy around while she holds onto it. Take it and hold it up a little higher than she can reach, and encourage her to try to get it.  She will strengthen her muscles as she tries.  Lower it enough so she can be successful, and give her the toy when she reaches it.

Baby Activities #6
Hello, Hands!

• Take a pair of baby socks and cut out holes in each one for baby's fingers.
  
• Decorate socks with bright colors, fun shapes, different textures, and sounds.
  
• Place on to baby's hands for him to explore.

Baby Activities #7
Fascinating Feet

Decorate a pair of baby socks with brightly colored items and objects that make noise like little bells. Put the socks on her feet, and let her watch the colors and make sounds as she kicks.

Baby wrist rattles and foot socks

Baby Activities #8
Clap, Clap, Clap!

Babies reflexively move their hands in clapping motions, but can't connect their hands together. Help her clap by holding a hand in each of yours and clapping to music. Clap her feet together to music.

Baby Activities #9
Body Parts

• Say the name of different parts of your body and touch them with your finger.
  
• After the baby watches you touch yours, say the name again and touch that part of your baby.
  
• Then take your baby's finger and help him touch the parts of his body and yours.

Baby Activities #10
Rolling Surprise

• Lie down with baby next to you on soft surface.
  
• Pick out 2 colorful toys and put one on each side of her body.
  
• Roll baby gently over to one side so she can see the toy and reach for it.
  
• Then roll her over to other side to interact with the other toy.

Baby Activities #11
Pick It Up

• Sit your baby up and give her small objects like bits of food to pick up.
  
• Dry cereal, goldfish, and diced fruit are challenging to pick up and will improve her ability to grasp.
  
• Show her how to pick up a piece, put it down again, and put it in her other hand. 
• Take turns having your baby pick up an item and place it into your hand and then you place it in hers.

Baby Activities #12
Reach Out & Touch

• Tie a bright scarf or ribbon around your neck with ends long enough to hang down in front of you.
  
• Lean over your baby and slowly move the ribbon to attract her attention.
• Encourage her to reach for it.
• Touch her hands with the scarf and let her feel the texture.
  
• Tie little bells or beads to the end, so they make noise when she touches them.

Baby Activities #13
Texture Box

• Cut a few little holes into the top of a shallow box big enough for baby to stick her fingers (or hand) into.
• Line the box with all kinds of different textures.
• Show your baby how to stick a finger (or hand) through one of the holes.
• Poke your finger through a hole and describe how the materials feel.

Baby Activities #14
Silly Scarves

• Hold several brightly colored scarves.
  
• Have baby track them with his eyes as you wave them in the air above or in front of him.
  
• Hold a bunch of different colors together in one hand like a rainbow and make them dance in the air.
  
• Gently rub them across your baby's face and along different parts of his body.
  
• Toss them up and let them gently fall down on him like rain.

• Scrub-a-dub - pretend you're giving him a bath and scrubbing him with the wad of scarves.
  
• Peek-a-boo - hold one in front of your face and then pull it away. Lay one on baby's face and pull it away.
  
• Tug - have him hold one end and try to pull it away.
  
• Car wash - holding one side of the scarves, move your arms along the length of his body so the other end of the scarves brush along his body like a car wash.

Tips:

• Make sure your baby has the head control to do some of these games.
  
• Take your time with each activity. Don't rush.
  
• Provide plenty of praise when your baby is successful.
  
• Talk to your baby and sing during activities whenever possible.
  
• Make sure baby is alert and awake.

For a Twist:

Inflatable Water Mat

• Add music and perform actions to different rhythms.
  
• Play games in different environments and rooms.
  
• Prop baby in different positions on a variety of objects - in an inflatable swimming pool ring, in stroller, baby seat, on pillows, bean bag chair.

If you're interested in activities for babies, you might also be interested in:

Toddler games
Preschool activities

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