Fun & Developmental Games for Babies

Musical toys always grab their attention. Put the toy in different parts of the room and turn up the sound. Then ask where the music is coming from. Will they try to find it? If they scoot towards it, change its position to different spots in the room and ask again. If they’re able to crawl, then place it somewhere they can reach. These kinds of activities are great for developing cause-effect relationships and increasing their spatial awareness. Make sure you supervise their play.

You can start playing with puppets during these months. When you hide them behind your back, do they look for them? Now hide it on top of the baby’s head, behind them, or under a pillow, take it out again and talk with it. Then put it in the baby’s hands and see what they do. Repeat this game from time to time until they try to imitate you. It’s a great game for establishing neutral connections.

To improve your baby’s climbing ability, create a climbing area by gradually putting more and more large pillows on top of one another (first 2, then 3, etc..). Put a toy on top of the “ultimate peak” for them to climb and try to reach it. Always supervise your child climbing. It’s a game that helps the development of basic motor skills, facilitating walking later on.

9-10 months is the time to start developing their understanding of inside and outside. Put a toy in a bucket or bag. Then help them take it out. Say the words “in” and “out”. You can repeat this game as many times as you like.

Get a bunch of different age-appropriate rings or hoops of different sizes and, if possible, different colors. Arrange them in order from smallest to largest and then vice versa. As you arrange them according to size and color, explain what you’re doing. Put them on the baby’s fingers or let him/her hold them and throw them, then retrieve them. This is important for conceptual development.

When confined at home help your baby familiarize him/herself with their environment. As you enter a room together, stop to name the room and explain its function. The next time, stop at a piece of furniture and explain its features, and introduce sounds. Encourage your baby to repeat the sounds introduced if they can. After they’re 10 months old, memory related connections can be established, and these kinds of activities can be very useful.

And don’t forget, wash your and their hands as recommended by your local health authorities, before and after playing. Avoid any face contacts with the hands as much as possible.