Infants play
Disease Information
In-Depth
There are different stages that children go through as they grow, and each one is just as important to your child’s development of the next. Not all babies are the same and may not progress through the stages at the same time.
Most infants enjoy playing alone, with physical movements that are random and not always purposeful.
As he gets older, your infant will be able to participate in more and more kinds of play and a wider variety of toys. As a parent, the ways in which you can interact with your infant will also grow.
Birth to 1 month:
What you can do as a parent:
- Hang brightly colored objects near your infant.
- Hang black and white mobiles.
- Sing and talk to your infant.
- Play music.
- Rock your infant.
- Take him for walks.
2 to 3 months:
- likes bright objects
- enjoys pictures and mirrors
- likes rattles
- enjoys infant swing
- enjoys car rides
What you can do as a parent:
- Sing and talk to your infant.
- Play music.
- Rock your infant.
- Take him for walks.
4 to 6 months:
- likes brightly-colored objects
- likes to hold toys
- enjoys rattles or bells
- likes to splash in the bath
- likes swings and strollers
What you can do as a parent:
- Talk to your infant.
- Encourage your infant to crawl and sit by placing him on the floor.
6 to 9 months:
- enjoys large toys with bright colors that move
- likes to play peek-a-boo
What you can do as a parent:
- Call your infant by name.
- Speak clearly to your child and encourage different sounds.
- Name body parts, foods and people.
- Tell your infant simple commands.
- Play pat-a-cake.
- Begin saying words that tell what you are doing.
- Encourage your infant to crawl by placing toys beyond his reach.
9 to 12 months:
- enjoys looking at books
- likes hearing sounds of animals
- enjoys large toys that can be pushed and pulled
What you can do as a parent:
- Take your infant to different places and outings.
- Play ball with your infant.
- Read to your infant.
- Tell your infant names of body parts.
The following toys are recommended as appropriate for your child’s development.
Birth to 6 months:
- mobiles
- mirrors that will not break
- music boxes
- bells and rattles
- stuffed animals
- swings
6 to 12 months:
- blocks
- brightly colored toys
- books
- balls
- cup and spoon
- jack-in-the-box
- rattles
- teething toys
- toys that can be pushed and pulled
