How to play with 6-month-old babies

Playing with your 6-month-old baby is the perfect way to build your baby’s physical, cognitive, and linguistic skills.

But which activities should you do? What’s appropriate based on your baby’s unique stage? Which milestones should you be targeting?

Here are a few ideas for how to play with your 6-month-old baby.

3 tips for how to play with a 6-month-old baby

1. Explore toys little by little

At 6 months, your baby needs time to understand the toys and activities you choose. Every child is unique and so is the way they learn. Over time, you’ll be able to identify what’s best for your child’s playtime needs.

When starting to use a toy, it’s a great idea to show your baby how it works and how to use it, but it’s also important to let them try to do it by themselves afterward. So, for example, if you’re playing with a rattle, shake the rattle before handing it to your baby so that they can try, too.

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At this age, your baby may already be able to pick up toys with both hands or switch them from one hand to the other. By helping them practice these movements –with just enough help to prevent your baby from getting frustrated– you’ll be able to support this skill growth. Of course, when your child takes an object or toy for the first time, it is normal for them to explore it first and not use it “properly” at the beginning.

2. Repeat, repeat, and repeat

Doing the same activity or using the same toy every day is a great way to reinforce skills and concepts. That’s because nobody learns anything the first time they do it! Especially 6-monht-old babies. For example, pressing a button on a toy to make a sound over and over again can help reinforce the concept of cause and effect, the idea that everything they do has a specific response.

Although this can be boring for parents, repetion is key to helping children grow.

3. Adapt activities as needed

Every child is different and, therefore, has different physical and social skill levels. As you observe your child’s behavior, try to adapt the activities to meet their preferences and abilities.

You can do this by paying attention to the sounds, expressions, and gestures they make. Over time, you will be able to recognize some of your baby’s reactions when they’re not comfortable or, on the contrary, when they’re very excited about a game.

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Take into account that when you play with a 6-month-old baby, some of them can remain calm if the TV is on while they play and others can’t. The same goes for bright lights or when they are around people. Identifying all of these distractors can help you tailor playtime to your little one and get the most out of each activity.

Did you enjoy these tips on how to play with your 6-month-old baby? To find more playtime ideas and guidance, download the Kinedu app for free!