Stimulate Your Baby’s Senses
Babies use their senses to take in information. Create a stimulating atmosphere for your child by:

• Hold baby near your face and say loving things (“I love you,” “You’re so cute,” “What a sweet baby”) and encourage baby to explore your face with her hands.
• Take your baby to a mirror to see herself and you.
• Sing favorite songs to baby and use lots of facial expressions.
• Lay baby on her side. Place a toy to either side and see if baby will be motivated to roll and touch the toy.
• Remember to hug and cuddle – a lot!
• Buy or borrow a nursery rhyme book from the library and sing or say the rhymes repeatedly. Babies love repetition.
• Use wooden spoons and other simple tools to count out rhythmic 1-2, 1-2-3, and 1-2-3-4 patterns. Encourage baby to mimic the beat.
• Use conversation and single words to help baby label things in daily life (dog, ball, bottle)
• Put colorful pictures or photos in places where baby spends time (the change table, the bedroom…). Look at photographs of family members, and talk softly about what she is seeing.
• Babies love to let objects drop and fall. Help baby learn about different sounds and the concept of “down” by providing different objects to drop.
• Sing silly songs and wiggle baby’s toes and fingers to help baby learn about body parts.

Help Your Baby’s Muscles Grow

Babies’ muscles grow strong only when they use them. You can help by:

• Hold baby while sitting or laying on her back and hold toys or rattles within reach. Encourage baby to hit or touch the toy.
• Provide baby with some time on his tummy when awake. Place toys, a mirror, or yourself in front of baby to encourage him to keep his head up. This will strengthen back and neck muscles.

Keep Encouraging

You can create a stimulating atmosphere and encourage learning by playing with your baby, like with these games below:

• Use mirrors to show baby his/her face. Call the baby by name. Exaggerate your facial expressions.
• Play peek-a-boo, hide yourself and objects, then hide and find the baby behind a held-up towel or blanket.
• Fill a container with cereal or other object that will rattle when you close the lid and shake it. Ask baby what’s “inside” and let baby peek and touch as you name the object. Change the objects as you help baby discover different sounds and objects. Be sure there are no sharp edges on the container.
• Wiggle baby’s fingers and toes as you tell stories, count or sing songs about each one.
• Let baby touch toys and other objects as you raise them “up” and let them fall “down.” Then let baby try.
• Turn off the television.
• Read picture books aloud, walk outdoors, and let your child experience various sights, sounds and textures.
• Cuddle, talk in loving tones, and nurture with gentleness.

Stimulate Your Baby’s Senses
During the first three months of life, babies experience a world of sensations. They use their senses of sight, hearing, smell and touch. Here are some things you can do to help!

• Place baby on different soft and pleasant textures – silky satin, wool, soft flannel, fluffy toy.
• Softly blow on baby’s hands, feet and tummy during play. Talk to baby about what you are doing.
• Slowly rock baby in your arms several times each day. Always touch, hold and move gently. You can’t hold your baby too much.
• Hold baby close while you sing, dance, rock, read or talk.
• Respond to baby’s needs as quickly as possible. This way you help baby trust, feel safe and be confident.
• Help baby observe different faces. Smile at baby and use her name. Play peek-a-boo as you hide behind a paper plate or blanket.

Help Your Baby’s Muscles Grow
Your baby’s muscles only grow strong when he or she uses them. Here are some ways by which you can help your baby gain strength.

• When on his tummy, encourage baby to look toward a variety of soft sounds – your voice, music, a rattle, a bell, singing.
• When changing a diaper gently move baby’s legs like pedaling a bicycle. Talk softly or sing at the same time while making eye contact.
• After bathing baby, gently bring baby’s hands together. Help patty cake, or kiss the hands while talking or singing.
• Give baby things he can safely put in his mouth and hands to learn about the shape and feel of things. Make sure the objects are large enough that they aren’t a choking hazard.

Milestones
By the end of three months, your baby should be able to:

• Raise head slightly when lying on stomach
• Say a vowel-consonant combinations (ah, uh, eh)
• Recognize a bottle or breast
• Watch objects move slightly from one side to another.