Games for babies from the seventh month start to gain momentum as baby becomes more mobile - and more communicative.
It's a busy time, with lots to do and lots to learn. And that's just for baby! What with sitting up, rolling, reaching and rocking, your little one - when alert - is endlessly busy.
Along with the action comes greater thinking power. You'll start getting more feedback from your child as he starts to use a wider choice of sound and movement.
Your baby's brain is like a sponge, soaking in everything he hears and sees so that he can attempt to mimic your words and actions.
Games for babies - the seventh month
Your baby is becoming much more adept at showing his feelings, and will be quick to start expressing what he thinks about something by making a variety of noises and movements. Games for babies are a great distraction for any moody baby, as he will by now be eager to imitate you and join in an interesting activity. He's also realizing his own strengths and may start to push up more off his tummy and wriggle about more to use his increasing ability to reach for things. With support, he can bear his weight on his legs. He'll try to find things he knows are hidden nearby as he becomes more aware of what is happening around him.
Do what I do Action songs and games for babies encourage imitation. "Point to the Ceiling", "Incey Wincey Spider", "Wind the Bobbin Up", "Jack in the Box" and so on will encourage your child to copy your movements and anticipate the ending. You can choose a favorite book and read it a couple of times every day, pointing out the same things again and again - and soon, you'll have baby pointing at the familiar objects too. Increase your child's vocabulary by introducing books with flowers and trees, animals, the weather, clothes and simple household objects such as a spoon or bottle. Then when you see or use those items, point them out again so that he can associate the picture with the real object.
Stand up and be counted Standing games for babies help get those leg muscles working. Sit baby up and slowly raise him off the ground to stand on his legs, whilst holding his hands. You can count while you do it - one - two - three - up!!!! Then count back down again. You could start the game by marching slowly towards him with three great steps and counting as you walk, and then he'll know what's coming next. Once he's confident about standing for a few moments, you can try letting him hold only one of your hands.
Mystery box Put a selection of toys or baby-friendly objects into a small box, and let him take them all out. You'll notice him examining and fingering each object carefully, putting them into his mouth and then looking at something else before coming back to the previous object again. Once everything is all out, put them all back in again and let him take them all out! He'll begin to see the funny side of this soon!
Cover up Hiding games for babies are fun! Use a small baby blanket to cover up one of baby's favorite toys that he has been playing with. He'll start looking for it. You may have to guide him to see what's under the blanket. My baby's crib was next to my side of the bed. He used to gaze out at me and I would slowly disappear under the duvet, make some funny noises and then slowly reappear, sticking out arms and legs and then my face - lots of squeals of delight would inevitably follow.
Games for babies - the eighth month
Planning ahead is becoming more important for your nearly mobile baby. He's beginning to think what to do next and is becoming more determined to get hold of things just out of reach. His manipulation is improving, and with that comes his own version of the dropping game. He'll also relish squeezing and banging toys. If teething hasn't begun already, you may notice a lot of drooling and biting going on, plus a few more sleepless nights. Your little baby is now showing signs of growing up - he will probably start to sit up better on his own, putting his hands in front of him for support, and rocking back and forth in preparation for crawling. Don't forget the ages and stages rule - all babies are different. My son spent several months dribbling like a tap before he cut his first tooth at around nine months. Don't hurry your baby - they grow up too quickly!
Lights on - lights off! Baby will enjoy watching your mini light show as you switch the light on and off. It's all part of that lesson about cause and effect. If you have a baby telephone that makes noises and lights up when you press a button, he'll probably be able to manipulate it now. Games for babies involving buttons, levers and switches will intrigue him. Just make sure you keep your own tv remote controls hidden!
Picture this Games for babies involving familiar objects around the home can be fun and calming at the same time. One of our favorite baby games was to take baby around the house and point at all the pictures and photographs and describe them. It can work particularly well when he gets upset - and if you can make a little routine of this, it's a good way to calm him down and remove him from the frustrating situation he got himself into.
No, no, no... What with grabbing your hair and dropping finger food all over the floor, your child is beginning to learn the meaning of "no". However, it's good to practise this word when talking about every day objects too. Sit down to play with a selection of familiar toys - a teddy, a ball, a book. Ask which one is the teddy. If baby gets it wrong, laugh loudly, saying "No! That's a book!". The word "no" shouldn't always be associated with judgement about behavior, and your baby will enjoy your exaggerated reaction and will come to understand that it doesn't matter if he gets things wrong - you still love him and enjoy his company. If he gets it right - lots of clapping and yeses! This baby game also improves his vocabulary, and as he is at an age where he's beginning to pick out words in your sentences, he will find this game challenging.
Water, water everywhere You can play lots of games for babies in the bath. Once your baby can sit up in the water more easily, you can provide him with jugs and pots along with his usual bath toys. He'll love pouring, filling and emptying pots, dropping his toys into the bath and banging the water with different things. And if you join in, you can get wet too!
Bottom shuffle This baby game practises a bit of bottom shuffling and reaching skills! Once your child can sit up fairly well, try sitting them a little away from you - you can always pop a few cushions around him if you want. Hold one of his favorite toys up in the air and then put your arms out towards him to encourage him to move towards you. He might bottom shuffle a bit, or do a bit of rocking or rolling to get near you! Then you can climb around the cushions a bit together, with you helping him.
Games for babies - the ninth month
Your baby's brain is urging him to explore things in ever-greater detail. He will spend time concentrating on a toy, examining it visually and then with his fingers. He'll hold two different colored bricks closely together in front of him and look at them closely as he checks that they are the same - but different! Your hard work in the singing and nursery rhymes department is beginning to pay off - he anticipates the funny parts of familiar songs and will start to imitate movements and noises. He'll also recognise his name. He's nearly crawling now, so prepare yourself for some changes next month!
Build it up, knock it down In this baby game, you will have to do the building - but baby can knock it down! Stacking bricks and nested cups will be intensely interesting to your child now, and he will enjoy watching how you build simple towers or long walls. He'll also enjoy ruining your creations.
Music mayhem Banging and bashing pots and pans with wooden spoons and other baby friendly utensils can be done to music, or just with you both singing along! Rattles, bells and any noisy baby toys can be employed, with the aim to make as much noise as possible.
Point it out Pointing games for babies come into their own right now. Your baby is beginning to use his index finger to point at things. Use your index finger to point at his, and then let your two fingers touch! You can ask him where Mom is, or Daddy, or teddy, and point in an exaggerated fashion. Point to your own nose and ask him where his nose is - this should produce some interesting results! He can probably point at your nose first a lot more easily, with a little help from you of course. Put blocks in a row in front of him and count them slowly, pointing at and touching each one as you go. You could start with two blocks and go back and forth between them, then add another. Soon he'll be pretending to do the same in his own little way.
Walky - talky Life is so interesting at the moment - baby can sit up and see what is going on around him. He'll love to get out and about with you as his guide. Playing games for babies in the park, the zoo or an aquarium can involve describing animals, feeling the bark of a tree, ripping up a leaf or touching the aquarium glass to communicate with a friendly fish.
