Appropriate Play Behavior in a Baby.

Babies “play” from the moment they’re born and as they develop, their play becomes more sophisticated and intricate.

Newborn babies “play” by focusing on a moving object, such as a mobile, and stare at the object or objects color and shape. Babies don’t see well shortly after birth but they can still find entertainment in looking at moving objects.

When a baby is old enough to grip something, it can grip a rattle and listen to its sounds. They learn that the motion of their hands causes the sound to occur. This usually occurs by the time an infant is two months of age. They may sometimes put the rattle in their mouth. Babies explore things with their mouth so everything from toy to fingers go in the mouth. This can persist until after the baby’s first birthday.

At about three to four months of age, having a jungle gym the baby lays under and reaches for items with is a perfect toy. At three months of age, the baby will swing at things he sees but will not usually have the coordination to grasp the item or even reach the item. Eventually, the baby will be able to reach for an item and be able to grasp it and put it in his mouth.

Soft toys and animals can comfort a baby of three to six months or more. The baby chews the toy and uses it as a security blanket of sorts. Do not use soft toys in newborns who can get suffocated in a soft toy and be unable to turn his head away from the plushness of toy. Wait until the baby is at least three months of age before introducing soft plush toys.

By the time a baby is six months of age, he or she can sit up and play with toys. You can use toy pianos the child can bang on or other activity toys that involve making things make noise or twist and turn with movement. Toys can be bigger and can do more things than ever before.

When the baby gets old enough to crawl, you can buy toys that the baby can push along while crawling. This can be a toy car, train or other toy with wheels that move along while the baby crawls. This usually happens when the baby is about seven to nine months of age. Besides push toys, there are a variety of toys that just do things when buttons are pushed or things are moved.

When the baby can walk with assistance, push toys for an upright child are good toys for the baby to play with. There are many types of push toys that the baby can play with and begin to learn to walk on his own. Toys the baby sits on and scoots around with are appropriate just prior to the baby’s first birthday. Often the parent needs to help the baby get on the toy but once on, the baby can scoot around.

Push toys and riding toys are also appropriate for when the baby learns to walk. They improve coordination and help the baby advance in his mobility as he enters his second year of life.