Playing with baby

> Here are some easy activities for parents to have some fun and bonding time together with their child

YOU have a baby whom you know how to feed, bathe, diaper and rock to sleep. But you are sometimes unsure how to entertain or play with your child.

Take your pick from these activities, which are not only stimulating and fun for your baby, but also fun for parents as well.

Sing to your baby

It doesn’t matter that you sing offkey. Baby doesn’t know any better. If you don’t know any songs, go learn them on YouTube.

Songs with actions are usually a hit with baby. As you sing, touch his toes, tickle his armpit or rub his belly.

I used to sing Rock a Bye Baby to my children, and pretend to drop them at the last verse of “When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, down will come cradle, baby and all.”

They loved that moment of anticipation before the ‘cradle’ fell.

Incorporate the baby’s name and funny sounds in the songs. For example: “Old Mac Jayden had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.”

Make exaggerated animal sounds. It’s okay if you can’t do a good mimicry of pigs grunting or horses neighing.

As long as you don’t sound as if a poor animal is being slaughtered, you’re fine.

Playing peekaboo Play peekaboo with your baby with a piece of nappy or hanky.

You can hold up the cloth as a shield between you both, then drop it to reveal yourself.

You could also drape it over your head and slow pull it down, or guide baby’s hand to pull down the cloth from your head.

Alternatively, use a cushion or a chair back to hide behind. Pop up from one direction a couple of times, then change direction.

You could wear a hat and let your baby pull it off you. When he does so, say: “Oh!” or “Ah!”

Only do this if you are not a regular hat wearer, for obvious reasons.

Playing lift-off games

When your baby can hold up his head, both of you can have a blast with lift-off games.