Activities for a 3-month-old: Fostering baby’s development

Getting out of the house with a baby in tow is no easy feat. But your tot is becoming more social and you’re probably desperate for some grown-up conversation (even if it’s about spit-up or sleep deprivation). At this fun stage, little explorers are busy discovering their world and “talking” through smiles, giggles, squeals and babbles. You’re also probably becoming more familiar with your baby’s cries and facial expressions—you two have your own little language.

Tovah Klein, PhD, director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development and author of “How Toddlers Thrive,” shares what your social butterfly is up to this month.

Related: 3-month-old baby milestones

Sensory activities for 3-month-old babies

This month, your baby is more awake and alert during the day (which hopefully means longer stretches of sleep at night). Here’s what else you need to know.

Ready to explore

Your tot is spending a lot of time exploring: touching, grabbing, looking… and putting things in their mouth. Those are just various ways they get information about their world! Offer your little one crinkly toys and rattles they can hold onto and safely explore with their hands and their mouths.

Back and forth

Your little one is learning about the back-and-forth of things or how things work. If they smile at you, you smile back. If they shake a rattle, it makes a noise. Keeping this sensory game going helps lay the foundation for cause and effect down the line.

Sing-song games

Baby now gets excited by you and others, especially when they talk and smile. Playing games like pat-a-cake, and songs with coordinating gestures like Itsy-Bitsy Spider and others can be a fun way to introduce more social communication. Positive attention from (like talking, singing, smiling, saying how much you love them) helps them feel good about themselves.

Related: My babies taught me to stop worrying about milestones and just enjoy the moment

Developmental activities for 3-month-old babies

There are lots of interactive things you can do to encourage your baby’s newfound social skills and developmental milestones.

Chatterbox

You might notice your baby attempting to talk by babbling sounds like “ooh” and “ah” then trying p, m and b sounds. Keep up the chit-chat during the day, which encourages them to try out and make more sounds of their own.

Point and name

From wiggling those tiny toes to making a fist, your baby is figuring out all the ways their body works. Start building their vocabulary by pointing to their body parts and naming them, and then helping them move them around: “See this? That’s your elbow! Look how it bends.”

Related: 12 must-have products for baby’s first cold-and-flu season

Next-level tummy time

Is your baby ready to level up on tummy time? They may now be able to push up onto their arms from a tummy-down position. Encourage them to keep building up that strength by keeping a toy nearby that’s *just* out of reach. Will they push up to grab it?

Related: How much sleep does a 12-week-old baby need?

Things to do with a 3-month-old

Child development psychologist Dr. Holly Ruhl has week-by-week tips for the coming month.

Week 1

Craving adult interaction? Invite a few mamas and babies for a play date. Swap advice on feeding, naps and balancing the needs of baby, partner and (of course) yourself. Or just chuckle at babies’ attempts at social interaction. Smiling, gesturing or even laughing with pals is an enjoyable way to meet baby’s inherent need for social belonging.

Week 2

If your cutie seems antsy for more mobility, encourage baby to roll from front to back. During baby’s tummy time (aim for 20 minutes daily now—but it doesn’t have to be all in one session!), place a toy on the ground nearby to coax a rollover. If that doesn’t sway your tot, let baby experience the new sensation by gently placing baby’s elbow and arm under their chest and rolling baby in that arm’s direction onto the back.

Week 3

Time outside with your babe can provide bonding opportunities and promote physical and mental health. Get some fresh air with a daily walk in the stroller or babywearing carrier. On your jaunts, keep conversation flowing and focus on labeling a new outside object each day. “Motorcycle Monday,” “Tree Tuesday” or “Sky Saturday,” anyone?

Week 4

The foundations for understanding cause and effect begin early in infancy. Grasping cause and effect with daily experiments is a precursor to later mathematic and scientific reasoning. This week, enhance baby’s understanding of causality by helping those tiny fingers flip light switches on and off, shake a rattle to make noise and drop Rubber Ducky in the tub to make a splash!

Our favorite products for 3-month-olds

Skip Hop

Bandana Buddies Chime & Teethe Toy

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$7.99

This best-selling multi-sensory toy from Skip Hop is great for keeping baby entertained while out and about. The stroller and carseat-friendly design gives them something to pull, squeeze, shake and chew all while staying right within reach. And unlike traditional rattles, this one offers a soothing chime sound that babies (and parents) love.

SHOP

Manhattan Toy

Deer One Soft Activity Crinkle Book & Fold Out Pat Mat

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$27.99

With a variety of textures and surprises to explore, this sweet fabric activity book is a great choice for 3-month-olds. They’ll love to crinkle the leaf inside and spot the woodland creatures that hide underneath. There’s also a mirror to peer into and a tiny stuffed mushroom that’s perfectly sized for little hands.

SHOP

Manhattan Toy

Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy

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$9.99

Little hands and gums love exploring this best-selling Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy. (There’s a reason its been around for over 25 years!) The lightweight maze of colorful tubes is ideal for two-handed play and makes it easy to work on hand-to-mouth control.

SHOP

Melissa & Doug

Flip Fish Soft Baby Toy

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$24.99

This colorful friend is great for everything from snuggles to tummy time. Lift the textured and crinkly flaps to reveal hidden pictures, munch on the teether-enhanced fins to stimulate gums and find the parts that squeak for an extra surprise.

SHOP

Baby Einstein

Take Along Tunes

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$9.99

As baby is learning to recognize sounds, this classic toy lets them explore their love of music. And while we generally prefer toys that are battery-free, this one gets a pass. Not only is it a #1 best seller on Amazon with over 11k 5-star reviews, the lights and classical songs are downright mesmerizing making it a great distraction when you need it.

SHOP

Look ahead: Activities for an 4-month-old: Fostering baby’s development

A version of this story was originally published on Nov. 24, 2015. It has been updated.