Looking for creative ways to keep your baby entertained without relying on a screen? Many activities can help boost their physical, mental, and emotional development while having fun. From sensory exploration to storytime, here are some of the best screen-free activities for infants.
Peek-a-Boo
Peek-a-boo is an easy game to play with your infant that is both fun and educational. This timeless classic helps build a sense of object permanence, the concept that objects exist even when not seen, and fosters strong parent-child relationships. All you have to do is hide your face between two hands and reappear by saying, “peek-a-boo!” You can encourage them to imitate your action or use toys for fun.
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Stacking Toys
Stacking toys are a great way to encourage your infant’s fine motor and problem-solving skills. This involves placing objects on top of one another, usually rings or disks, so they are stacked one atop the other. If you don’t have any stacking toys at home, you can create your own version by using cups and paper plates. Help your little one figure out how to stack them in various ways for some playtime fun!
Books and Reading
Reading to your baby from a young age is an advantageous experience. There are plenty of storybooks and picture books geared toward all ages. With older babies, you can also explore interactive books that encourage interaction and sound-making. Even if they cannot recite or understand the words, they will be exposed to the language and may even recognize some of the stories when reading aloud in the future!
Singing Songs
Singing songs with your infant is a great way to engage and entertain them. Infants can benefit from being sung to by increasing language development, improving their ability to concentrate, providing emotional connection, introducing rhythms and beats, and helping them develop muscle control. Research has also shown that infants can recognize songs before learning to talk!
Painting and Drawing
Painting is a fun and creative way to get creative with your little one. You can buy special finger paints made for babies or create your own using cornstarch, washable paint, paper plates, and some water! Depending on their age, they may be able to use a brush and splatter all sorts of colors everywhere – it’s always worth the mess in this case. If you don’t want any mess, grab some crayons or wax sticks, lay out a big piece of paper, and color together! Babies love this as it allows them to explore their creativity.
Infants don’t need to be in front of a screen to have fun and learn. Plenty of engaging activities stimulate their developing minds and bodies without technology!
