Filling wake windows with your newborn
Filling your baby’s wake windows is an important task to ensure their development and encourage good sleep patterns. When my little guy first came home, I wasn’t totally sure what to do with him. It’s not like newborns can play with their toys as an older child would. I sang, I read, I tried new things, I researched, and slowly I figured out how to fill our time. Lucky for you, I’m happy to share everything that I’ve learned to make your wake windows a breeze! So, without further adieu, here’s the full list of my favorite newborn activities:
Sensory Play
In our house, we prioritize sensory play. Our little guy enjoys watching his bubble machine, laying on his water mat in tummy time, splashing around in the bathtub, checking out his textured toys, and sitting in front of the mirror. Jackson particularly enjoys things that make the crinkle sound. I have found that mixing tummy time with sensory play helps keep him engaged for longer stretches of time. One of the easiest things I like to do is to introduce different touch and feel books while he props up on his Boppy pillow encouraging him to explore his hands and distracting him from the fact that he’s doing tummy time.
Storytime
Reading with your baby is a great bonding experience. It also helps build language skills and increase attention span. I started with simple board books, and now my little guy enjoys full Dr. Seuss books as well as other picture books from our collection. Another fun way to engage your baby in story time is puppet shows. I got an inexpensive set of finger puppets for my little guy, and he loves to watch me fumble my way through silly made up stories with them. One of the best things about this age is that he has no idea how ridiculous I sound. He just enjoys the effort.
Free Play Time
Start introducing independent play using dangling toys. My baby spends time in his play gym, swing, or bouncer just about every time he’s awake. This is a great way to strengthen motor skills, and it allows me time to get some simple things done or just relax for a minute while he’s entertained on his own. Constantly engaging and entertaining him can get overwhelming sometimes, so I really appreciate having a way to keep him busy without having to keep the mommy show going.
Music Time
My little guy loves, loves, loves music! He likes when I sing songs to him and watches as I perform finger plays for him. He especially enjoys having dance parties together. A fun trick I learned recently is using music and movement to relieve gas pains. Instead of bicycling and bending his legs listening for him to toot, we play silly songs while I help him circle and stretch his legs to get out his gas. He has a blast, and we avoid some of the cries and fusses brought on by gas pain. Here are some of our favorite dance songs:
- “Move Your Feet to The Beat” by: Mr. Scott The Music Man
- “My Jam” by: Koo Koo Kangaroo
- “Head Shoulders Knees & Toes” by: DJ Raphi
- “The Goldfish” by: The Laurie Berkner Band
- “We Are The Dinosaurs” by: The Laurie Berkner Band
- “One From The Left” by: Jim Gill (This one is a finger play my baby really enjoys watching.)
Skill Building
My baby and I spend part of each wake window practicing different skills. I help him hold rings and rattles to build fine motor strength. I guide him through stretches and rolls, practice sit ups, and encourage him to do tummy time to strengthen his gross motor skills. I make faces at him and mimic his sounds to introduce language, expression, and social emotional skills. I show him high contrast images and move toys around him to help his eyes track and focus. Spending just a few minutes during each wake window practicing developmental skills is super simple, and it has helped my little guy grow by leaps and bounds!
Outdoor Play
We make sure to get outside every chance we get. Sometimes we sit on the porch and enjoy the view. Sometimes we head into the yard and take a tour of the garden. Sometimes we load up the stroller and go for a walk. Sometimes we even break out the baby carrier and explore in the woods. Fresh air and sunshine does wonders for both of us, and a day never quite feels complete until we’ve spent some time outside!
As we move out of the newborn stage, our activity list is sure to grow. Drop a comment below to tell me your favorite newborn activities, and stay tuned for more play time inspiration coming soon!
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