Am I Playing Enough with My Baby?

As a new mom, there are a million questions swirling around your head at any given moment. Having all the best products, worrying about breastfeeding, keeping track of nap schedules, and timing wake windows just right is only the tip of the iceberg. All of these worries can keep us from actually enjoying our baby at times, and good ol’ Mom Guilt comes rushing in. If you’re worried about whether or not you’re playing enough with your baby, we’re here to help. Keep reading to learn more about understanding baby playtime, some great ideas, and a few high-quality playtime products your baby will love.

Understanding Baby Playtime

Playtime is such a great time for you and your baby to bond, encourage development, and have a great time. You are your baby’s first BFF, so they will learn all their playtime cues from you. Playtime builds confidence, skills, trust, and a bond between you.

There are so many different methods, rules, do’s and don’ts, and mom-on-mom opinions of the best way to play with a baby. Luckily, the only person who knows how to play with their own baby the best is YOU!

Baby playtime does not have to be complicated or expensive.

They can be simple things you have around the house as long as they follow these safety rules:

• They are unbreakable
• No loose parts
• No broken pieces
• No sharp edges
• Nothing that can spill out
• They cannot fit through a paper towel roll (this is the choking test!)

Baby Playtime Ideas

Want some simple baby playtime ideas? Using rhymes, books, a sing-song voice, narration of your day, peek-a-boo, sturdy rattles and teethers, and textured fabrics are simple ways you can play with your baby throughout the day. If you’re already doing all, or some, of this, you’re killing it, Mama!

Grab The Fabric

A great way to play with your baby as soon as birth is with fun fabrics. See-through scarves, muslin blankets, and crinkly texture toys are great ideas to start with.

• Grab a scarf and lay your baby down on their back. Gently swipe their body, starting at the top of their head down to their toes. Watch as they try to grab the scarf and enjoy the rush of the wind the scarf creates!
• Lay out several types of scarves on the ground and put your baby on their tummy. Watch as your baby reaches for the different scarves as you narrate the color and texture of the scarf.
• Play simple peek-a-boo with a scarf as early as three months old.

Stimulate With Simple Toys

Babies love to be stimulated with bright colors, and a great way your baby can enjoy playtime is by stimulating them with some simple toys.

• Grab some teethers and lay them on the ground. Watch as your baby tries to reach for them as they hone in their gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and oral development skills.
• Set up a play arch for your baby to enjoy if you’ve got to get a few things done. Dangling some brightly colored toys and some that make a slight noise, such as a bell or rattle, is a great place to start.
• Cups! Babies love cups, especially ones that stack. There is endless fun to be had with cups, as every baby universally loves them. With cups, they will practice their stacking skills, fine motor skills, and independent play abilities.
• Blow some bubbles! Babies, toddlers, and children absolutely love bubbles and it is never too early to start playing with them. Our mess-free bubble wand and botanical solution are perfect for indoor play, bathtime play, and tummy time. Watch as your baby’s eyes light up once they start floating!

Playtime Products Your Baby Will Love

Playtime with your baby doesn’t have to be complicated, which is why some of our most simple products are the ones your baby will love the most. Our Oral Development Teethers are a great way to double-up playtime with oral development, and our mess-free bubble solution and wand are the best options for those indoor tummy time moments.

Innobaby Oral Development Teethers

Our innovative design and different textures will help improve oral motor skills by stimulating tongue, lip, and cheek muscles, which aid in nursing, transitioning to solid foods, drinking from cups, and speech development. Also, these teethers are recommended by Occupational & Physical Therapists!

The Original Innobaby Flower Rattle teether has won numerous awards, including The National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval, Best of April Box by Citrus Lane, Best in NY Baby Show, and NY NOW Best in Baby Gear.

These freezer-safe baby teethers are engineered from the highest quality TPE under the world’s most stringent baby and toddler-proof standards - ASTM F963 -17 and CPSIA. Because we meticulously and continuously inspect all teething toys, you can rest assured they’re BPA-free, phthalate-free, PVC-free, lead-free, chemical-free, and DURABLE.

Parents confidently purchase Innobaby’s fruit teether, knowing it’s precisely what babies need for effective sore gum relief. With fun colors, a squishy lightweight surface, and an easy grip design that easily slides into babies' mouths, you can rest assured your baby and toddler will LOVE their Innobaby teether.

Mess-Free Bubble Solution

Playtime has never been simpler or easier. This sensory bubble toy gives tons of bubbles without the mess or soapy, gooey residue!

Perfect for tummy time, sensory play, learning, bubble therapy, the classroom, birthday parties, special events, and more, this uniquely designed bubble system is non-toxic, calming, and worry-free for parents. Made with plant extracts, coconut oil, and purified water, this bubble toy is easy on sensitive skin.

Do you have a big brother or sister toddler at home, too? If your toddler loves bubbles, but you hate the mess and constantly dipping a wand into a messy jug, you’re going to love how simple, easy, and mess-free this bubble blower is! Simply pour bubble solution into the tray, dip, and twirl the blower, and start blowing bubbles!

For more parenting tips, playtime ideas, and high-quality products for your whole family, visit us at Innobaby.com!