Newborn Activities to Foster Baby's Development

Newborn activities: Fostering baby’s development

Bonding with your newborn can be a bit bewildering, but we've got expert tips on what to do in the early days.

By Motherly Editors Updated February 2, 2023

So you successfully brought baby home from the hospital—or will soon!—driving approximately six miles per hour. Now what? Bonding with your newborn can be a bit bewildering as you two figure each other out. As far as newborn activities go, beyond all the sleeping, feeding and diaper changing, lots of snuggling and skin-to-skin time may be your top priorities. But you can also start boosting baby’s brain and sensory development from day 1 in the things you already do, like talking and showing affection.

While your baby may not yet have gotten the memo that nighttime is for sleeping, what they do know is you. According to Tovah Klein, PhD, director of the Barnard College Center for Toddler Development and author of “How Toddlers Thrive,” even during the very first month your newborn can recognize your voice and smell. They’ll even turn their head toward you when they hear you speak. Here’s how to boost your bond and your little one’s growing brain through a few low-key newborn developmental activities you can do together.

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Sensory activities for newborns

While it may seem like newborns are only capable of sleeping, crying and generating lots of laundry, there are simple things you can do to stimulate their newly forming senses.

To build a strong bond from the get-go, Dr. Klein shares a few low-lift tips with high reward—perfect for those bleary-eyed days when everyone’s sleep-deprived.

1. Talk to your baby

Whenever you’re doing something with your baby, tell them all about it. “Now mama is changing your diaper. You’ll feel so much better with a dry diaper, won’t you?” Not only are these words soothing, but the more they hear you talk, the easier it will be for them to learn intonation, vocabulary and other language tools that are key for future communication.

2. Offer lots of comfort

Always go to your crying baby. Sometimes a newborn just wants to be held closely and cuddled, or simply needs to know you are there. Sucking on a pacifier or your clean pinkie finger also helps ease fussiness and is actually good for helping their brain grow in the first few months.

3. Make eye contact

If you look right at your baby’s face, they’ll look right back at you. This helps them get to know you—and helps develop their eyesight by giving them something to focus on.

Developmental activities for newborns

In the early days, newborn babies need lots and lots of sleep, and their wake windows are pretty short. In the times in between naps and feeding, here are a few newborn developmental activities to add to your roster.

1. Starting tummy time

Starting with just a few minutes, try placing your little love tummy-down on a flat surface to help them build up more trunk, neck and head control. Their reward for completing the challenge? Lots of snuggles!

2. Reading aloud

Even newborns can benefit from read-aloud time. Beyond the board books, try reading baby some poetry, the newspaper, a magazine, a novel or whatever you’re in the middle of. They just want to hear your sweet voice, mama.

3. Making time for massage

Infant massage has been shown to support weight gain in babies and promote increased pain reduction, improved alertness and better immune system function.¹ Massage also can help boost bonding and your sense of parenting confidence, too.

Things to do with a newborn

Try these week-by-week tips from child development psychologist, Dr. Holly Ruhl.

Week 1: Lullabies and snuggles

Baby heard your voice in the womb and will love listening to you sing lullabies. Skin-to-skin snuggles promote bonding and baby’s health. But when you need a break, ask visitors to cuddle with baby so you can rest peacefully.

Week 2: Go tummy-down

It’s never too soon to start that tummy time. This week, let your babe lie on that squishy little belly for three to five minutes a few times each day to work out that tiny upper body. Baby should always be sleeping on their back, so make sure your little love gets plenty of tummy time during the day to prepare for crawling, an important skill for developing spatial awareness and advanced motor skills.

Week 3: Find a mom’s group

If cabin fever is setting in, look for a new mom’s group for you and your new bundle. This week, check with local hospitals for “mommy mixers” designed to connect new moms seeking encouragement in those tough first weeks. Friend and community support are related to more satisfaction for new moms. Plus, other mamas offer wise advice—and may become fast friends.

Week 4: Start sensory play

Babies love to be swaddled, but getting the wrap just right can be tricky. Make life easier and opt for a style that does the work for you! The buttery-soft Kyte Baby Sleep Bag Swaddler is made from ultra breathable bamboo and comes with a fully removable swaddle wrap attached to the sleep bag via Velcro, allowing for different positioning of the swaddle as your baby grows.

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Look ahead: Activities for an 1-month-old: Fostering baby’s development

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

Source(s)

1
Juneau AL, Aita M, Héon M. Review and Critical Analysis of Massage Studies for Term and Preterm Infants. Neonatal Netw. 2015;34(3):165-177. doi:10.1891/0730-0832.34.3.165

Sensory activities for newborns

1. Talk to your baby

2. Offer lots of comfort

3. Make eye contact

Developmental activities for newborns

1. Starting tummy time

2. Reading aloud

3. Making time for massage

Things to do with a newborn

Week 1: Lullabies and snuggles

Week 2: Go tummy-down

Week 3: Find a mom’s group

Week 4: Start sensory play

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