We all love our babies to pieces. Sometimes though, the daily activities of changing diapers and feeding can end up dominating our lives.
We are always looking for activities that parents and infants can share – fun for both. And, learning activities to help with infants’ development skills. Jenny’s parents suggested to us – using play activities that double as developmental activities.
Infant Development Activities0-12 months
We agree – these infant activities are interesting and fun.
They help with our kids’ development of sensory, motor, and mental skills – we like that.
- Activities for infants 0-12 months
- Infant Development Activities
- Sensory Activities for infants ages 0-12 months
- Motor Skill Development Activities for Infants
Best baby jumpers in2024
- Baby Einstein Neptune’s Ocean Discovery Jumper
- Evenflo ExerSaucer Jump and Learn Stationary Jumper
- Baby Einstein Neighborhood Symphony Activity Jumper
- Evenflo ExerSaucer Jump and Learn Jumper, Jungle Quest
- Baby Einstein Journey of Discovery Jumper Activity Center with Lights & Melodies
Activities for infants 0-12 months:
- Interact with you child on a regular basis. If they smile, smile back. You will be surprised at how fast they learn social skills with prompt reinforcement.
- Talk to your child. If they are making babies sounds, try making babies sounds to them. They will be very interested in this. Also, talk to them in “adult” language. This will help them learn the sounds necessary for language development.
- Show them multiple objects with a variety of shapes and color. Talk to your baby about the objects—they are taking in more than you would guess!
- Place your child in multiple positions. Tummy-time is especially important to development of motor skills.
- Encourage crawling and exploration– just make sure your baby has a safe environment
to explore first. - Go for a walk. Walking is great exercise for you and your child. You will find many interesting things to “discuss” along the way.
- Share video chats with grandparents or friends.
- Explore listening to or making music. Sing to/with your baby.
- Go to the library or your local book store for story time.
- Learn sign language: babies will pick this up faster than you can imagine and will be signing before they can speak.
Infant Development Activities:
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- Infant development activities are often divided into activities that help develop the senses, motor skills, and mental skills.
- Sensory activities for babies include any activity that stimulates and helps develop your child’s senses, including the sense of touch, smell, taste, sight, or hearing. Sensory activities help your baby develop and use their sense.
- Motor skills are those having to do with the actions of muscles. These may either be what are called gross motor development skills. These activities involve large groups of muscles for actions like walking, or fine motor skills for discrete actions like picking something up.
- There are many activities which can help with sensory or motor development. Here we will list a few along with the activities that you can try with your baby to help refine the skills.
Sensory Activities for infants ages 0-12 months:
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- Place a colorful mobile and music box above your baby’s crib.
- Touch your baby. Provide lots of skin-to-skin contact. Tickle your baby.
- Smile at your baby to provide facial interaction.
- Play or sing songs with baby to help enhance baby’s listening skills. Give your baby a rattle.
- When changing baby’s diaper touch different body parts and name them for your baby.
- Have your baby look in the mirror and point out each body part in the reflection.
- Encourage your baby to touch objects or fabrics with different textures.
- Use a shape sorter.
- Play with balls; bounce, throw, and catch them.
- Put your baby in different positions and encourage movement to help develop their sense of movement and balance.
- Encourage exploring objects with both hands.
- Encourage focusing on objects near and far.
- Play peek-a-boo and other sight games with your baby.
- To increase body awareness, encourage climbing, crawling under things, etc.
- Encourage pretend play—drinking from empty cups, etc. One of our kids had an elaborate fairy garden for several years.
- Encourage activities that involve singing, music, and rhythm.
Motor Skill Development Activities for Infants:
- Visual tracking: with your baby on his or her back, practice moving a brightly colored objects around in the baby’s vision field so that they learn to track it with their eyes.
- Singing and music: play music while you dance with your baby to teach them rhythm and sing songs to them.
- Sitting skills: help your baby get from their back or stomach into a sitting position.
- Flying: with your baby on their stomach in your lap, pick them up fully supported and move them around as if they were flying. Help the baby enjoy this with your own sound effects. Teachers body control.
- Follow the leader: show your baby various physical activities like slapping the table or clenching your fist, and see how many of those activities your baby can imitate.
Activities suitable for infants and toddlers:
There is a great deal of overlap among activities with your baby and your toddler. Often the larger activity is the same but with a different, age-appropriate interaction with your child.
For example, a visit to a Butterfly Conservatory with an infant may be focused on looking at the pretty colors and the movement. The same visit with a toddler might involve discussing how butterflies develop, what foods they eat, etc.
How to keep your infant entertained?
Every baby has his or her individual preference – what makes him or her happy. In general, we find activities or toys that are visually and mentally stimulating always score well with infants.
We are fans of baby activity jumpers. These activity centers provide infants with entertainment while aiding their physical and mental development . We find free-standing jumpers get most votes from our babies through the years.
Here are of our list of top-rated baby activity jumpers:
1. Baby Einstein Neptune’s Ocean Discovery Jumper
- Neptune’s Ocean Discovery Jumper is a 2-in-1 activity jumper for ages 6 months to 1...
- 15 plus activities and 3 modes: Piano Mode lets baby create a song; Melody Mode plays...
- Jumper features 4 heights that easily adjust to grow with baby; Seat rotates 360...
Product Details
Age guideline: 6 – 12 months
Dimension:32″ x 32″ x 33.1″
Baby Maximum weight: 25 pounds
Height settings: 4 adjustable heights
Washable: Seat pad is machine washable.
Baby Move: Jump Up and down.
Seat rotates: 360 °
Removable Toys: Removable sea turtle.
Multiple languages: English, Spanish, and French.
Reasons to buy:
The Baby Einstein Neptune’s Ocean Discovery Jumper (view on Amazon) will keep your infant entertained while providing exercise that your child will love.
It has 15 ocean-themed activities including introduction to numbers, colors, and multiple languages.
Our infant especially like the bouncy seat. It swivels 360 degrees. Your baby can move from toy to toy. We (the parents) like that they are easy to clean, and easy to adjust. It will fit your child as they grow with four height positions.
Read our full review of Baby Einstein Neptune’s Ocean Discovery Jumper.
2. Evenflo ExerSaucer Jump and Learn Stationary Jumper
- Nurture the love of music of your little one while promoting overall development with...
- Features more than 26 fun activities to choose from; Built with 3 musical variations...
- Enhanced springs provide twice the bouncing action and a unique balance base helps...
Product Details
Age guideline: 4 months to walking.
Dimension:35” W x 35” D x 39” H.
Baby Maximum height: 30 inch.
Baby Maximum weight: 25 pounds.
Height settings: 3-Position Height Adjustment.
Baby Move: jump, learn and play.
Washable: Seat pad is machine washable, low heat.
Battery life: 2.25 hours.
Tip: you need 12 AAA batteries (not included)
Reasons to buy:
This Evenflo ExerSaucerJump and Learn Stationary Jumper (view on Amazon) is best for children approximately 4 months to walking age, or until your child can stand flat-footed at the highest level.
The ExerSaucer includes 67 developmental learning activities. This jumper will hold your infant’s interests without getting bored. These ExerSaucer activities are action-packed with sound music.
This jumper is designed to promote early-childhood development such as:
- Jumping and balance – good for gross motor and muscle development.
- Fingers activities – good for fine motor development.
- Sensory stimulation – via interactions with textures, lights, sounds and colors.
Read our full review of Evenflo ExerSaucer Jump and Learn Stationary Jumper.
3. Baby Einstein Neighborhood Symphony Activity Jumper
- Inspire your baby’s musical creativity
- Music-themed activity center engages and entertains
- Features 4 height adjustments to grow with baby
Product Details
Age guideline: 6 – 12 months
Dimension:32″ x 32″ x 33.1″
Baby Maximum weight: 24.2 pounds
Height settings: 4 adjustable heights
Battery life: 144 hours.
Tip: you need 3 AA batteries.
Baby Move: Jump Up and down.
Seat rotates: 360 °
Washable: Seat pad is machine washable.
Removable & light-up toys: electronic bongo drums.
Multiple languages: English, Spanish, and French.
Reasons to buy:
The Neighborhood Symphony Activity Jumper (view on Amazon) is another excellent multi-activity jumper by Baby Einstein. Like the Neptune model, the stations are fully accessible from a 360° rotating seat.
The Neighborhood Symphony Jumper include musical activities to learn numbers and colors in three languages: English, Spanish, and French.
We like that it has four adjustable settings for height. The musical station is removable – making it flexible for placements.
This activity jumper will provide both gross and fine motor stimulation while engaging your child’s sense with music, color, shapes, and other stimulation.
Read our full review of Baby Einstein Neighborhood Symphony Activity Jumper.
4. Evenflo ExerSaucer Jump and Learn Jumper, Jungle Quest
- Provides baby with secure learn and play environment
- 58 fun learning activities help babies achieve important developmental milestones
- Bounce base gives baby a soft landing pad that promotes stability in early...
Product Details
Age guideline: 4 months to walking.
Dimension:35” W x 35” D x 39” H.
Baby Maximum height: 30 inch.
Baby Maximum weight: 25 pounds.
Battery life: 2.25 hours.
Tip: you need 6 AAA batteries (not included)
Spin & jump: exercise to aid gross motor skills
Unique balance base: helps to build core strength.
Washable: Seat pad is machine washable, low heat.
Reasons to buy:
This Evenflo ExerSaucer Jungle Quest Jump and Learn Jumper (view on Amazon) includes 58 fun activities to entertain your baby, and to stimulate developmental learning. These activities combine action with sound and music presented with a jungle theme.
Most infants we know like this beautiful jungle animals theme. This jumper supports and stimulates sensory activities via the exciting light, sound and color found in a jungle.
This Evenflo jumper is designed to promote early-childhood development such as:
- Spin and jumping action – great exercise to strengthen gross motor and muscle development.
- Unique balance base – great to help your infant build core strength and coordination.
Read our full review of Evenflo ExerSaucer Jump and Learn Jumper, Jungle Quest.
5. Baby Einstein Journey of Discovery Jumper Activity Center with Lights & Melodies
- Explore the world right from your living room
- Seat rotates 360 degrees for baby to explore
- Adventure and travel-themed activities captivate baby
Product Details
Age guideline: 6 – 12 months.
Dimension:32″ x 32″ x 33.1″
Baby Maximum weight: 24.2 pounds.
Height settings: 4 adjustable heights.
High seat back: Good support for infant
Plastic parts: Wipe clean with damp cloth. Do not immerse in water
Seat rotates: 360 °
Spinning globe: Plays internationally-inspired music and instrument names
Multi-sensory postcards: Soft souvenir from your baby’s travels
Washable: Seat pad is machine washable, cold water.
Multiple languages: English, Spanish, and French.
Reasons to buy:
This Baby Einstein Journey of Discovery Jumper Activity Center (view on Amazon) combines a number of visually and mentally stimulating activities with international themes. These discovery activities will keep your baby happy and entertained for hours!
This Einstein jumper is suitable for children up to 25 lb. and ages 6 to 12 mos.
It includes a globe of the Earth which plays music from around the world when spun. It also introduces the sounds of music instruments from around the world. Your baby will be able to explore numbers and colors in three languages.
We especially like the high seat-back for infant support. The soft souvenir postcards are fun and they aid with sensory development.
Read our full review of Baby Einstein Journey of Discovery Jumper Activity Center with Lights & Melodies.