Activities for Infants 8-12 Months Old

These activities help with development. And of course they are fun for you and the baby.

• Let your baby feed himself. This gives your baby practice picking up small objects (cereal, cooked peas) and also gives him or her experience with textures in their hands and mouth. Soon your baby will be able to finger feed an entire meal.
• Put toys on a sofa or sturdy table so that your baby can practice standing while playing with the toys.
• Turn on a radio or stereo. Hold your baby in a standing position and let your baby bounce and dance. If your baby can stand with little support, hold him or her hands and dance like partners.
• Make a simple puzzle for your baby by putting blocks or Ping Pong balls inside a muffin pan or egg carton.
• Your baby will be interested in banging objects to make noise. Give your baby blocks to bang,rattles to shake, or wooden spoons to bang on containers. Show your baby how to bang objects together.
• Find a big box that your baby can crawl in and out of. Stay close by and talk to your baby about what he or she is doing. "You went in! Now you are out!"
• Play imitation games like Peekaboo and So Big. Show pleasure at your baby's imitations of movements and sounds. Babies enjoy playing the same games over and over.
• You can make a simple toy by cutting a round hold in the plastic lid of a coffe can. Give your baby wooden clothes pins or Ping-Pong balls to drop inside. (make sure the edge of the coffee can won't cut you baby)
• A good pastime is putting objects in and out of containers. Give your baby plastic containers with large beads or blocks. Your baby may enjoy putting socks in and out of the sock drawer or small cartons (Jell-O, tuna, or soup cans) on and off shelves.
• Read baby books or colorful magazines by pointing and telling your baby what is in the picture. Let your baby pat pictures in the book.
• Let your baby play with plastic measuring cups, cups with handles, sieves and strainers, sponges, and balls that float in the bathtub. Bath time is a great learning time.
• Say "hi"and wave when entering a room with your baby. Encourage your baby to imitate. help your baby wave to greet others. Waving "hi" and "bye" are early gestures.
• Mirrors are exciting at this age. Let your baby pat and poke at herself in the mirror. Smile and make faces together in the mirror,
• Play hide-and-seek games with objects. Let your baby see you hide an object under a blanket,diaper,or pillow. If your baby doesn't uncover the object, just cover part of it. Help your baby find the object.
• Play Pat-a-Cake with your baby. Clap his or her hands together or take turns. Wait and see if your baby signals you to start the game again. Try the game using blocks or spoons to clap and bang with.
• Let your baby make choices. Offer two toys or foods and see which one your baby picks. Encourage your baby to reach or point to the chosen objects. Babies have definite likes and dislikes.
• Your baby will begin using his or her index fingers to poke. Let your baby poke at a play telephone or busy box. Your baby will want to poke at faces. Name the body part as your baby touches your face.
• Play ball games.Roll a ball to your baby. Help your baby, or have a partner help him or her roll the ball back to you. Your baby may even throw the ball, so beach balls or Nerf balls are hreat for this game.
• Your baby will play more with different sounds like "la-la" and "da-da." Copy the sounds baby makes. Add a new one and see if your baby tries it, too. Enjoy your baby's early attempts at talking.
• New places and people are good experiences for your baby., but these can be frightening. Le tyour baby watch and listen and move at his or her own speed. Go slowly. Your baby will tell you when she is ready for more.