Award-Winning Teacher Shares Indoor Activities for Babies
“The important thing is to show your baby how excited you are to teach them something new,” Fisher said. “You just have to be down at their level and make lots of eye contact. Talk to your baby about what you’re doing and ask questions. It’s okay if they can’t answer you yet. It’s all about the interactions you have while you’re exploring and learning together.”
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Find a center near youHere are five of Fisher's top tips for indoor fun with your new baby.
1. Explore a world of smells
Spicy cinnamon, sweet vanilla, crisp mint—your pantry is already stocked with tantalizing scents that help your baby learn about the world. Just grab a couple of spice jars and introduce your baby to new smells right in your kitchen.
Here’s how to do it: Take an empty spice jar (the smell will still linger) and hold it under your baby’s nose. Choose plastic instead of glass so your baby can play with the jar after taking a whiff. They will love all the new smells, and you’ll be putting old things to good use.
Safety tip: Make sure the jar is big enough that it won’t end up in your baby’s mouth, and always keep a close eye on them.
2. Reuse all those old boxes
Empty delivery boxes stacking up around the house? Turn all that cardboard into a brain-building activity for your baby. It’s never too early to start playing pretend!
Whether you make a box fort, a maze, or a make-believe drum set, your old cardboard boxes are filled with imaginative possibilities for play.
When you’re all done, it’s easy to break the boxes down and either store them for next time or recycle them.
3. Let your baby be your sous chef for the day
Sure, it may be quite a while before your baby can whip up a meal from scratch, but you can still introduce them to exciting new materials in the kitchen.
Need some ideas? Next time you’re baking, save a couple handfuls of flour in a bowl and let your baby feel its soft, silky texture. (Just be sure to keep raw flour away from your little one’s mouth.) You can also use other textured baking materials for your baby to feel. Even a small bowl of warm water will do the trick!
For older babies who are building their fine-motor skills by grabbing and holding everything they can get their hands on, mix things up and give them some baby-safe kitchen tools like a few measuring cups and a whisk.
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Search for a center near you4. Bring the outdoors in
Wherever you live and whatever the weather is like outside, you can let your baby dig to their heart’s content from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a bucket and some extra wipes for the inevitable super-messy fun!
Getting down and dirty lets your baby practice fine-motor skills and explore with their senses. Just scoop a few small shovelfuls of (pesticide-free) soil, sand, or dirt into the bucket and bring it inside for your baby to play with. Adding some sandbox toys like a big spoon and a spatula makes the game even more fun.5. Put on a show with flashlights
Babies love light and color, and this fun indoor activity provides both with items you already have around the house. You’ll only need a small flashlight and a colored plastic container (like a kid-size cup or Tupperware bowl) to make a DIY night light that your baby can reach for during tummy time.
If you don’t have a container that will work, your baby will still have plenty of fun watching as you trace shapes on the wall and floor or put on a shadow puppet show.
These are just a few ideas for indoor activities that your baby will love, and with a little imagination, you’ll discover even more. Whatever you decide to do, remember that what your baby really needs most is time with you!
