Baby Playtime Activities By Age

Get ideas for what to do with your baby for every month of life in baby’s first year. These ideas will help you structure baby’s playtime. You will also find the 5 best toys for every age.

Throughout each day, you will want to aim for feeding your baby, playtime for your baby, and sleep time for your baby. This is known as the eat, wake, sleep cycle.

Playtime is a fun time to connect with your baby, and in reality it is the portion of the routine that you probably worry the least about. Despite that, you can find yourself wondering what activities are appropriate for your baby at their specific age. You might also be struggling to think of what to do to fill your time. You might even be worried that you are leaving important activities out of your baby’s day.

This post outlines playtime activities for every month of your baby’s life. It is meant to be a resource to you at any given age. There are many activities that overlap and can happen at every age (like reading books). Those activities are listed under every age it is appropriate for. All you need to do is scroll to your baby’s current age and get a list of ideas you can use right now.

Take note that in each section I list 5 great toys for that age. I will not list a toy more than once in this post, but many toys are great for more than one age, so it is helpful to take note of each toy section close to the age of your current baby (for example, if you have a 5 month old, look at the 4 month old toys and 6 month old toys for more ideas).

Newborn Playtime Activities

You will not be able to accomplish much in each playtime of your newborn’s day. In fact, you might find that many times, your newborn can barely stay awake long enough to eat and get a diaper change. That is very normal, especially in the very beginning of life.

Wake Time Length

Wake time length, or wake windows, is the length of time your baby is awake between naps. Newborns are not awake very long. Find out How Long Should a Newborn Be Awake Between Naps here. You should expect 30-50 minutes (including feeding time) for 0-4 weeks old, 40-60 minutes for 4-6 weeks old, 40-70 minutes for 6-8 weeks old, and 50-80 minutes for 8-12 weeks old.

Depending on how long your baby takes to eat, this will not give you a lot of time to play in each playtime. Aim for doing only one activity per wake time (if your baby can do more than eat and diaper change. If not, that is okay!).

NOTE: Make sure you do not overstimulate your baby during playtime. This will lead to your baby struggling to be able to sleep.

Activity Ideas for Newborns

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. You can do this before each nap, before bedtime, or during a playtime. Keep the book short and simple, and don’t be afraid to put the book down if baby gets fussy before you finish reading it.
• Bath time
• Lay on a blanket. The entire world is new to your newborn. It is perfectly fine for your newborn to lay on a blanket and take in the world.
• Activity gym. An activity gym is a great place for your newborn to lay and get some visual stimulation.
• Tummy time. Make sure you get tummy time in each day for your newborn. This will strengthen muscles your baby will otherwise not use.
• Independent playtime. It is not too early to do some independent playtime each day. For a newborn, I have the baby either on a blanket or on the activity gym mat. I put baby there and stay in the room since newborns cannot see very far. I either sit quietly and watch my baby or I do things like put laundry away or something like that. I can see my baby and make sure everything is okay, but I am quiet and do not disturb my baby. This sets the newborn up to be accustomed to having time to themselves every day from birth.
• Bouncer. A bouncer is a great place for your newborn to sit during playtime.
• Cuddle. Spend time cuddling and loving on your baby.
• Infant massage. This is a very relaxing activity for your newborn and can be helpful if your baby is fussy.
• Front carrier or wrap. You can babywear your newborn and do some tasks around the house. Your baby can observe things around her while you do so.
• Go for a walk. Go for a quick walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise.

Keep it Simple

Remember a newborn does not need a lot of activity. Keep it simple and calm so you do not overstimulate your baby. It is okay for your baby to lay on a blanket without you in her face. Let her just be present without being overstimulated.

>>>Read: Best Things…Newborn 0-3 Months

5 Toys for Newborns

Here are my 5 top toys for newborns:

• A blanket
• Finger puppets. An adult or sibling puts these on their own fingers and plays with the baby.
• Activity gym. An activity gym will give your baby a lot to look at and can grow with your baby.
• Book. Newborns prefer black and white images, so a book like this is a good idea. It is perfectly fine to read the same book every time you read, so don’t feel like you need to get a large collection of books for your newborn. Build your library over time.
• Bouncer. A bouncer is great because it will have some toys for your newborn to look at. It also allow your newborn to sit up a little bit and be more a part of the action of the household.

>>>Read: Best Toys for Baby: Ages 0-3 Months

3 Month Old Playtime Activities

By the time your baby is 3 months old, you will have playtime in each cycle for sure. You will be looking at 60-90 minutes of awake time between naps. 3 month olds also tend to get a lot faster at eating, so your wake time length will be longer and your feeding time will be shorter, so you will have plenty of time to play.

Activity Ideas for 3 Month Olds

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. You can do this before each nap, before bedtime, or during a playtime. You can start to have longer reading sessions. Here are my favorite board books to own.
• Bath time. As a newborn, you probably kept bath time quick. You will probably not have long baths yet at 3 months old, but you might be able to introduce a simple bath toy your baby can hold during bath time.
• Lay on a blanket. This is still a good option for playtime. It will give your baby gross motor time on the floor.
• Activity gym. An activity gym is still a great toy for a 3 month old. You can do tummy time at the gym and/or play on the back. Your baby will start to interact and reach for toys at the gym.
• Tummy time. Make sure you get tummy time in each day for your baby. This is important to do each day at this age.
• Independent playtime. At this age, your baby should be able to play independently for 15-20 minutes at a time. You can still have your baby on a blanket, or you can put your baby in a pack and play. If your baby is on a blanket, stay close by, but make sure you stay out of sight and that your baby cannot hear you.
• Bouncer. A bouncer is a great place for your baby to sit during playtime. This is a great spot during family mealtime so your baby can be present but everyone can have free arms to eat. It is also a great spot to sit and interact with older siblings if your baby has them.
• Cuddle. Spend time cuddling and loving on your baby.
• Front carrier or wrap. You can babywear your baby and do some tasks around the house. Your baby can observe things around her while you do so.
• Go for a walk. Go for a walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise.
• Observe the world. You can do something as simple as sit on your porch or a park bench and watch the world go by. Remember, everything is very new to your baby.

NOTE: Do not be afraid of repetition. It is okay to do the same thing every day and even the same thing multiple times a day.

>>>Read: Best Things…3 Month Old

5 Toys for 3 Month Olds

Here are my 5 top toys for 3 month olds:

• Bath toy. Get something light and easy to hold. A 3 month old will still drop toys often.
• Teether. Some babies this age will start to have teething pains. These keys are great, but if thy are too much for your baby to hold on to, get something light and easy to hold like this.
• Wrist rattle. This is great for babies at this age since they cannot hold toys for a really long time.
• Playpen. It is a good idea to start to get your baby comfortable spending time playin in the playpen.
• Stroller. A stroller is a great “toy” to get you and baby out of the house.

4 Month Old Playtime Activities

By the time your baby is 4 months old, playtime length will vary a lot. Some babies will still be around 60 minutes total, while others might be able to handle two hours of awake time between naps. You might find some wake times are shorter in the day and others are longer. Not every awake time will be the same length all day.

Activity Ideas for 4 Month Olds

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. Reading a book will be on my list of activities for every age. A 4 month old will likely want to grab a book you are reading. For this reason, board books or soft books are a good idea at this age.
• Bath time. Bath time will probably be very similar to what it was as a 3 month old.
• Lay on a blanket. This is still a good option for playtime. It will give your baby gross motor time on the floor.
• Activity gym. An activity gym is still a great toy for a 4 month old. You can do tummy time at the gym and/or play on the back. Your baby will interact with toys on the gym and reach for them.
• Tummy time. Make sure you get tummy time in each day for your baby if your baby cannot roll over independently yet. Even if your baby can, it is good to start at least one playtime on the tummy.
• Independent playtime. At this age, your baby should be able to play independently for 15-20 minutes at a time. You can still have your baby on a blanket, or you can put your baby in a pack and play. If your baby is on a blanket, stay close by, but make sure you stay out of sight and that your baby cannot hear you.
• Bouncer. A bouncer is a great place for your baby to sit during playtime. This is a great spot during family mealtime so your baby can be present but everyone can have free arms to eat. It is also a great spot to sit and interact with older siblings if your baby has them.
• Go for a walk. Go for a walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise.
• Peek-a-boo. A baby this age starts to understand the concept of object permanence. Play peek a boo with your baby to help reinforce this concept.
• Exersaucer. If your baby has strong enough head and neck control, consider having playtime in an Exersaucer each day. This is a fun place to play for your baby and works different muscles. This can be a good place for independent play to happen–just keep baby in your sights without baby realizing you are there.

>>>Read: Best Things…4 Month Olds

5 Toys for 4 Month Olds

Here are my 5 top toys for 4 month olds:

• Exersaucer. This has many activities for your baby to do. It is a great place for baby to be while you make dinner or fold laundry. You can also use it as an independent play location.
• Rattles. A 4 month old can hold on to a toy and shake it, much to their delight. There are a lot of rattle options out there, but these are among the favorites.
• Link Rings. Link rings are fun toys by themselves, but they can also be used to link to another toy and then link it to the stroller, car seat, etc. This helps keep toys in easy reach when your baby drops them.
• Car Seat Toys. If you haven’t already gotten a car seat toy for your baby, this is a great age to get one. This will help keep your baby entertained while in the car seat, but your baby won’t be able to just drop the toy off the side of the car seat.
• Soft Baby Book. Your baby will want to grab the book you are reading and will also love to hold a book. This Hungry Caterpillar book is great because it is soft AND it has a link, so you can link your links to it.

>>>Read: Best Toys for Baby: Ages 4-6 Months

5 Month Old Playtime Activities

By the time your baby is 5 months old, playtime will be around 80 minutes to 2 hours total.

>>>Read: How to Teach Your Baby Sign Language

Activity Ideas for 5 Month Olds

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. Read to your baby each day! This can be before nap, before bed, and/or during playtime.
• Bath time. Bath time will probably be very similar to what it was as a 4 month old.
• Lay on a blanket. This is still a good option for playtime. It will give your baby gross motor time on the floor. Floor time is important for developing the ability to sit up, roll over, and crawl.
• Independent playtime. At this age, your baby should be able to play independently for 15-20 minutes at a time. You can still have your baby on a blanket, or you can put your baby in a pack and play. If your baby is on a blanket, stay close by, but make sure you stay out of sight and that your baby cannot hear you.
• Bouncer. A bouncer is a great place for your baby to sit during playtime. This is a great spot during family mealtime so your baby can be present but everyone can have free arms to eat. It is also a great spot to sit and interact with older siblings if your baby has them.
• Go for a walk. Go for a walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise.
• Peek-a-boo. A baby this age starts to understand the concept of object permanence. Play peek a boo with your baby to help reinforce this concept.
• Exersaucer. If your baby has strong enough head and neck control, consider having playtime in an Exersaucer each day. This is a fun place to play for your baby and works different muscles. This can be a good place for independent play to happen–just keep baby in your sights without baby realizing you are there.
• Sign Language. 5 months old is a great age to start to teach your baby sign language. Spend some time each day working on this.
• Blanket Time. Blanket time is a structured playtime activity. This is similar to independent playtime, but your baby does not play in an area alone.
• Sitting Up. Spend some intentional time each day with your baby sitting up during playtime.
• Jumper. A jumper is a fun toy to get out lots of energy. Some exersaucers double as a jumper.
• Motor Skills Practice. It is common for babies to stop sleeping well between 5-8 months old because they spend nap time practicing new skills. Circumvent this by making sure you spend time each day giving your baby time to work on any new skills she is developing during playtime.
• Sing Songs and Finger Play. A 5 month old will enjoy songs and finger plays. This is a fun way to interact with your baby. Patty Cake, 5 Little Monkeys, The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baby Shark, and Five in the Bed are all good examples.
• Talk, Talk, Talk. Talk to your baby, and give your baby time to respond to you. Talk while you change the diaper, talk while you clean and baby watches, talk while you give baby a bath, talk while you get baby dressed…talk.

>>>Read: Best Things…5 Month Olds

5 Toys for 5 Month Olds

Here are my 5 top toys for 5 month olds:

• Jumper. My oldest child’s favorite activity as a baby was his Jumperoo. This is a great activity for a baby who loves to move.
• Flap Books. Flap books are great for reinforcing object permanence. I like soft lift the flap books for babies because they will not rip the flap off.
• Baby Chair. A baby chair or Bumbo is a great way to help strengthen the muscles needed to sit independently. Your baby will enjoy being able to sit up while she plays with toys.
• Patty Cake. I discussed this in the activities above. Finger play and songs for babies are a great activity during this time. In this case, you are the “toy” as you sing these songs to your baby.
• Floor. The floor is an amazing place to play to develop those motor skills. Use it.

>>>Read: Best Toys for Baby: Ages 4-6 Months

6 Month Old Playtime Activities

By the time your baby is 6 months old, playtime will be around 90 minutes to 2 hours and 15 total. Your baby still can have longer wake time lengths at some points in the day and shorter playtimes in other points in the day.

Activity Ideas for 6 Month Olds

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. Read to your baby each day! This can be before nap, before bed, and/or during playtime.
• Bath time. Bath time will get more exciting as your baby can sit up independently. I loved a bath seat as my babies were new sitters. Once your baby can sit in a bathtub, bath time can be more fun and more of an event for playtime.
• Lay on a blanket. This is still a good option for playtime. It will give your baby gross motor time on the floor. Floor time is important for developing the ability to sit up, roll over, and crawl.
• Independent playtime. At this age, your baby should be able to play independently for 30 minutes at a time. You will want to have your baby in a pack and play at this age.
• Go for a walk. Go for a walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise.
• Peek-a-boo. A baby this age starts to understand the concept of object permanence. Play peek a boo with your baby to help reinforce this concept.
• Exersaucer. If your baby has strong enough head and neck control, consider having playtime in an Exersaucer each day. This is a fun place to play for your baby and works different muscles. This can be a good place for independent play to happen–just keep baby in your sights without baby realizing you are there.
• Sign Language. 6 months old is a great age to teach your baby sign language. Spend some time each day working on this.
• Blanket Time. Blanket time is a structured playtime activity. This is similar to independent playtime, but your baby does not play in an area alone.
• Sitting Up. Spend some intentional time each day with your baby sitting up during playtime.
• Jumper. A jumper is a fun toy to get out lots of energy. Some exersaucers double as a jumper.
• Motor Skills Practice. It is common for babies to stop sleeping well between 5-8 months old because they spend nap time practicing new skills. Circumvent this by making sure you spend time each day giving your baby time to work on any new skills she is developing during playtime.
• Sing Songs and Finger Play. A 6 month old will enjoy songs and finger plays. This is a fun way to interact with your baby. Patty Cake, 5 Little Monkeys, The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baby Shark, and Five in the Bed are all good examples.
• Talk, Talk, Talk. Talk to your baby, and give your baby time to respond to you. Talk while you change the diaper, talk while you clean and baby watches, talk while you give baby a bath, talk while you get baby dressed…talk.

>>>Read: Best Things…6-7 Month Old

5 Toys for 6 Month Olds

Here are my 5 top toys for 6 month olds:

• Bucket of Toys. Around this age, my children became fascinated with emptying out buckets of toys. I stored the toys they like to play with in a small tote that I could easily transport around the house. So their little rattles, teething toys, blocks, etc. all went in this little tote.
• Blocks. This is a fun large cube that is a block for your 6 month old to play with.
• Touch and Feel Books. Your baby will love to feel different textures of books. I like the DK Touch and Feel Books as well as Baby Einstein Touch and Feel books. We also loved the “That’s Not My” Touch and feel books.
• High Chair Toys. Most 6 month olds start to eat foods if they haven’t already. This will mean you have a high chair in the house. When you have high chair toys, you can have baby sit in the high chair while you make dinner or do the dishes.
• Soft Toys. A soft toy like a stuffed animal or doll can be fun for a baby this age. Make sure you get something that is baby friendly. You don’t want things your baby can pull off and choke on. This toy is great for sensory play and even has a teether with it.

>>>Read: Best Toys for Baby: Ages 4-6 Months

7 Month Old Playtime Activities

By the time your baby is 7 months old, playtime will be around 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours and 15 minutes total. Your baby still can have longer wake time lengths at some points in the day and shorter playtimes in other points in the day.

Activity Ideas for 7 Month Olds

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. Read to your baby each day! This can be before nap, before bed, and/or during playtime.
• Bath time. Bath time will get more exciting as your baby can sit up independently. I loved a bath seat as my babies were new sitters. Once your baby can sit in a bathtub, bath time can be more fun and more of an event for playtime.
• Independent playtime. At this age, your baby should be able to play independently for 30 minutes at a time. You will want to have your baby in a pack and play at this age.
• Go for a walk. Go for a walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise.
• Sign Language. Continue to teach your baby sign language. If you haven’t started yet, start now. Spend some time each day working on this.
• Blanket Time. Blanket time is a structured playtime activity. This is similar to independent playtime, but your baby does not play in an area alone.
• Sitting Up. Spend some intentional time each day with your baby sitting up during playtime.
• Jumper. A jumper is a fun toy to get out lots of energy. Some exersaucers double as a jumper.
• Motor Skills Practice. It is common for babies to stop sleeping well between 5-8 months old because they spend nap time practicing new skills. Circumvent this by making sure you spend time each day giving your baby time to work on any new skills she is developing during playtime.
• Sing Songs and Finger Play. A 7 month old will still enjoy songs and finger plays. This is a fun way to interact with your baby. Patty Cake, 5 Little Monkeys, The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baby Shark, and Five in the Bed are all good examples.
• Talk, Talk, Talk. Talk to your baby, and give your baby time to respond to you. Talk while you change the diaper, talk while you clean and baby watches, talk while you give baby a bath, talk while you get baby dressed…talk.

>>>Read: Best Things…6-7 Month Old

5 Toys for 7 Month Olds

Here are my 5 top toys for 7 month olds:

• Music Table. If I could only buy, say, five toys for my child, the LeapFrog Music Table would be one of them. They love it starting young and continue to love it as they get older.
• Nesting Cups. Nesting Cups were Kaitlyn’s favorite toy from about 7 months until 17 months. This is a great toy for the bathtub and also for places like church.
• Stacking Rings. Stacking rings are a classic baby toy that develops hand-eye coordination. This set is fun because of the different textures.
• Walker. A walker can be a great way to develop some leg muscles for walking. It also gets baby excited to start trying on their own.
• Push Along Toy. A push along toy encourages crawling, so it helps develop gross motor skills.

>>>Read: Best Toys for Baby: Ages 7-9 Months Old

8 Month Old Playtime Activities

Increase stimulation! This is something I want you to remember as you enter the last several months of baby’s fist year. You want to increase physical and mental stimulation for your baby so your baby will be tired enough for sleep.

>>>Read: Importance of Exercise and Stimulation for Sleep

By the time your baby is 8 months old, playtime should be about 2 hours long for your first two playtimes. After that, it will be as long as you need it to be to get to bedtime.

Activity Ideas for 8 Month Olds

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. Read to your baby each day! This can be before nap, before bed, and/or during playtime.
• Bath time. Bath time will get more exciting as your baby can sit up independently. I loved a bath seat as my babies were new sitters. Once your baby can sit in a bathtub, bath time can be more fun and more of an event for playtime. Once your baby can sit independently well, ditch the seat.
• Independent playtime. At this age, your baby should be able to play independently for 30 minutes at a time. You will want to have your baby in a pack and play at this age.
• Go for a walk. Go for a walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise.
• Sign Language. Continue to teach your baby sign language. If you haven’t started yet, start now. Spend some time each day working on this.
• Blanket Time. Blanket time is a structured playtime activity. This is similar to independent playtime, but your baby does not play in an area alone.
• Jumper. A jumper is a fun toy to get out lots of energy. Some exersaucers double as a jumper.
• Motor Skills Practice. It is common for babies to stop sleeping well between 5-8 months old because they spend nap time practicing new skills. Circumvent this by making sure you spend time each day giving your baby time to work on any new skills she is developing during playtime.
• Sing Songs and Finger Play. An 8 month old will still enjoy songs and finger plays. This is a fun way to interact with your baby. Patty Cake, 5 Little Monkeys, The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baby Shark, and Five in the Bed are all good examples.
• Talk, Talk, Talk. Talk to your baby, and give your baby time to respond to you. Talk while you change the diaper, talk while you clean and baby watches, talk while you give baby a bath, talk while you get baby dressed…talk.
• Fine Motor. Do some activities to start to focus on fine motor skills for your baby. This can be with finger foods, finger painting, stickers, or toys.
• Free Play. Introduce free play into your baby’s day each day. This is when your baby chooses the activity that she does. Learn more about free play here.
• Sibling Playtime. Sibling playtime is a structured playtime when your kids play with each other. This is a fun part of the day for kids to develop their bond and spend time with each other.

>>>Read: Best Things…8-9 Months Old

5 Toys for 8 Month Olds

Here are my 5 top toys for 8 month olds:

• Activity Walker. An activity walker is a lot of fun for a baby who is interested in walking. These toys can be played with while sitting on the floor and also pushed along.
• Household Items. Give your baby things to play with that are just household items. Measuring cups, a mixing bowl and spoon, a whisk…anything from around the house that is safe for your baby to play with will be a bit hit.
• Toy Tissue Box. Babies love to empty things, so this toy tissue box is perfect to satisfy that need to empty.
• Toy Keys. This is a simple, classic toy that all babies love. It is an inexpensive toy that will keep your baby entertained.
• Baby Piano. This is a fun musical toy that also teaches cause and effect.

>>>Read: Best Toys for Baby: Ages 7-9 Months Old

9 Month Old Playtime Activities

Increase stimulation! This is something I want you to remember as you enter the last several months of baby’s fist year. You want to increase physical and mental stimulation for your baby so your baby will be tired enough for sleep.

>>>Read: Importance of Exercise and Stimulation for Sleep

By the time your baby is 9 months old, playtime should be about 2 hours long for your first two playtimes. After that, it will be as long as you need it to be to get to bedtime.

Activity Ideas for 9 Month Olds

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. Read to your baby each day! This can be before nap, before bed, and/or during playtime.
• Bath time. Bath time will get more exciting as your baby can sit up independently. Once your baby can sit in a bathtub, bath time can be more fun and more of an event for playtime. There are a lot of fun bath toys to choose from.
• Independent playtime. At this age, your baby should be able to play independently for 45 minutes at a time. You will want to have your baby in a pack and play at this age.
• Go for a walk. Go for a walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise.
• Sign Language. Continue to teach your baby sign language. If you haven’t started yet, start now. Spend some time each day working on this.
• Blanket Time. Blanket time is a structured playtime activity. This is similar to independent playtime, but your baby does not play in an area alone.
• Jumper. A jumper is a fun toy to get out lots of energy. Some exersaucers double as a jumper.
• Sing Songs and Finger Play. A 9 month old will still enjoy songs and finger plays. This is a fun way to interact with your baby. Patty Cake, 5 Little Monkeys, The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baby Shark, and Five in the Bed are all good examples.
• Talk, Talk, Talk. Talk to your baby, and give your baby time to respond to you. Talk while you change the diaper, talk while you clean and baby watches, talk while you give baby a bath, talk while you get baby dressed…talk.
• Fine Motor. Do some activities to start to focus on fine motor skills for your baby. This can be with finger foods, finger painting, stickers, building towers, stacking toys…
• Free Play. Introduce free play into your baby’s day each day. This is when your baby chooses the activity that she does. Learn more about free play here.
• Sibling Playtime. Sibling playtime is a structured playtime when your kids play with each other. This is a fun part of the day for kids to develop their bond and spend time with each other.

>>>Read: Best Things…8-9 Months Old

5 Toys for 9 Month Olds

Here are my 5 top toys for 9 month olds:

• Shape Sorter. Shape sorters are great for babies. They develop a lot of different skills, including fine motor skills.
• Pop Up toy. Pop up toys are great for teaching cause and effect and also working fine motor skills.
• Balls. Balls are a fun toy to play with at this age. These texture balls provide a lot of interest.
• Book Pile. Give your baby a pile of books to look at. Make sure the books are baby-proof (do not give baby a book of paper pages at this age).
• Finger Paints. Finger paints are a fun fine motor activity.

>>>Read: Best Toys for Baby: Ages 7-9 Months Old

10 Month Old Playtime Activities

Increase stimulation! This is something I want you to remember as you enter the last several months of baby’s fist year. You want to increase physical and mental stimulation for your baby so your baby will be tired enough for sleep.

>>>Read: Importance of Exercise and Stimulation for Sleep

By the time your baby is 10 months old, playtime should be about 2 – 2.5 hours long.

Activity Ideas for 10 Month Olds

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. Read to your baby each day! This can be before nap, before bed, and/or during playtime.
• Bath time. Bath time can be an event at this age. There are a lot of fun bath toys to choose from. This can take a big chunk of playtime during one of your awake times each day.
• Independent playtime. At this age, your baby should be able to play independently for 45-60 minutes at a time. You will want to have your baby in a pack and play at this age.
• Go for a walk. Go for a walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise.
• Sign Language. Continue to teach your baby sign language. If you haven’t started yet, start now. Spend some time each day working on this.
• Blanket Time. Blanket time is a structured playtime activity. This is similar to independent playtime, but your baby does not play in an area alone.
• Sing Songs and Finger Play. A 10 month old will still enjoy songs and finger plays. This is a fun way to interact with your baby. Patty Cake, 5 Little Monkeys, The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baby Shark, and Five in the Bed are all good examples.
• Talk, Talk, Talk. Talk to your baby, and give your baby time to respond to you. Talk while you change the diaper, talk while you clean and baby watches, talk while you give baby a bath, talk while you get baby dressed…talk.
• Fine Motor. Do some activities to start to focus on fine motor skills for your baby. This can be with finger foods, finger painting, stickers, building towers, stacking toys…
• Free Play. Introduce free play into your baby’s day each day. This is when your baby chooses the activity that she does. Learn more about free play here.
• Sibling Playtime. Sibling playtime is a structured playtime when your kids play with each other. This is a fun part of the day for kids to develop their bond and spend time with each other.

>>>Read: Best Things About 10-11 Month Olds

5 Toys for 10 Month Olds

Here are my 5 top toys for 10 month olds:

• Sensory Toys. Sensory toys really stimulate your baby. This textured sorter stimulates the senses and the mind.
• Vehicles. There are all sorts of vehicle options to play with. I love this dump truck because babies this age love to fill things up and dump them out.
• Toy Cell Phone. Your baby will love to be like you, so toys to try to mimic you will be very popular.
• Cause/Effect Toys. Cause and effect toys help teach your baby valuable skills. This toy penguin is a fun and popular toy.
• VTech Book. A fun book to add at this age is a VTech book. There are lots of fun options in these interactive books.

>>>Read: Best Toys for Baby: Ages 10-12 Months

11 Month Old Playtime Activities

The last several months of baby’s fist year. You want to increase physical and mental stimulation for your baby so your baby will be tired enough for sleep.

>>>Read: Importance of Exercise and Stimulation for Sleep

By the time your baby is 11 months old, playtime should be about 2 – 2.5 hours long.

Activity Ideas for 11 Month Olds

Here are some ideas of things to do during playtime:

• Read a book. Read to your baby each day! This can be before nap, before bed, and/or during playtime.
• Bath time. Bath time can be an event at this age. There are a lot of fun bath toys to choose from. This can take a big chunk of playtime during one of your awake times each day.
• Independent playtime. At this age, your baby should be able to play independently for 45-60 minutes at a time. You will want to have your baby in a pack and play at this age. Remember to change out the old toys and bring in new, more age-appropriate toys
• Go for a walk. Go for a walk with your baby. This is beneficial for mom to get out of the house and get some fresh air and light exercise. Talk to your baby on the walk and explain what your baby is seeing, hearing, smelling, etc.
• Sign Language. Continue to teach your baby sign language. If you haven’t started yet, start now. Spend some time each day working on this.
• Blanket Time. Blanket time is a structured playtime activity. This is similar to independent playtime, but your baby does not play in an area alone.
• Sing Songs and Finger Play. An 11 month old will still enjoy songs and finger plays. This is a fun way to interact with your baby. Patty Cake, 5 Little Monkeys, The Wheels on the Bus, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Baby Shark, and Five in the Bed are all good examples.
• Talk, Talk, Talk. Talk to your baby, and give your baby time to respond to you. Talk while you change the diaper, talk while you clean and baby watches, talk while you give baby a bath, talk while you get baby dressed…talk.
• Fine Motor. Do some activities to start to focus on fine motor skills for your baby. This can be with finger foods, finger painting, stickers, building towers, stacking toys, stickers…
• Free Play. Introduce free play into your baby’s day each day. This is when your baby chooses the activity that she does. Learn more about free play here.
• Sibling Playtime. Sibling playtime is a structured playtime when your kids play with each other. This is a fun part of the day for kids to develop their bond and spend time with each other.

>>>Read: Best Things About 10-11 Month Olds

5 Toys for 11 Month Olds

Here are my 5 top toys for 11 month olds:

• Ball Pit. One of my kids’ favorite toys was this Ball Pit Tent. This allows for a lot of gross motor play.
• Play Sets. Play sets are fun toys for your baby to use imaginative play. Melissa & Doug Pop Blocs Farm Animals has cute farm animal toys and fun toys that work sensory skills, fine motor skills, and gross motor skills.
• Stroller/Lawnmower. Your child will love to have a toy that they can push that also mimics mom or dad. A toy stroller or lawnmower are good examples.
• Puzzles. This is a great age for introducing puzzles to your little one. Peg puzzles are great for this age group. I love puzzles from Melissa & Doug. The jumbo knob puzzles are great for little hands. We also like the puzzles that have sounds with them.
• Play Doh. Play doh is a fun fine motor activity that also brings in sensory play and taps into artistic skills.

>>>Read: Best Toys for Baby: Ages 10-12 Months

Conclusion

These ideas will help you structure your baby’s playtime throughout the first year of life. Keep activities and toys age appropriate, don’t be afraid to keep things simple, and be mindful of stimulation levels.

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