Babies on the Move and Playtime Activities

After eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new baby, it can seem like in a blink of an eye, baby is experiencing their 1^st birthday and taking their first wobbly steps towards toddlerhood.  Our youngest, Joshua, celebrated his 1^st birthday this year and is the newest baby on the move in our family.

He started walking and is now taking steps all over the house.  During this time, most children learn to walk, talk, solve problems, relate to others, and more. One major change during this stage is learning to be independent.  Babies want to explore, move, touch, feel, play and experience the world around them with all of their senses.

Movement and play are an essential part of the day for a growing baby.  Since his first steps a few months ago, Joshua, likes to be on the move.  Everywhere he walks is a new adventure and experience for him since he is getting there with his own two little feet.  With 3 older brothers in the house, he is already trying to interact with them through play.  For example, he picks up one of his balls and rolls it over to his brothers so they can play ball together.

He crawls, kicks and walks with his toys to initiate playtime.  All of his playing now involves a lot of movement and flexibility.  Games at this age require them to be moving around and babies need to feel flexible and not constrained. As a mom, I know that Joshua can freely move with Huggies Little Movers Diapers. Babies need to feel comfortable to play and move.  Huggies Little Movers Diapers have double grip strips for a secure fit. Rolling, crawling and walking babies seem like they are always on the go and they can be incredibly fast.  Superheroes are big in our household with 4 boys and it seems like the super speed of some of the heroes starts during the baby years.  With a shaped diaper and 12 hours of leak protection, Huggies Little Movers Diapers keep my own little superhero protected and comfortable.

From games to outside trips, babies love to play and there many fun learning activities.  The following are some of our favorite playtime activities – try them with your little one and let us know what you think!

IMAGINATIVE PLAY

• Reading (soft or sturdy “touch and feel” baby books will help little hands gain a love of reading)
  

• Peekaboo (peekaboo stimulates baby’s senses, strengthens visual tracking, encourages social development­ ­­­­­­­­­­­—one of Joshua’s favorites)

• Pattycake (pattycake helps with hand-eye coordination, social and verbal development and fine motor skills)

• Toy gadgets (telephones and remote controls for button-pushing or use the real thing, with batteries removed)

• Housekeeping items (play kitchen with food, a sturdy plastic tea set, a baby-sized vacuum or mop)

• Baby dolls and stuffed animals
  

• Drawing (washable crayons and markers or finger-painting with careful adult supervision)

• Singing and dancing

• Big cardboard boxes (to become houses, shops, trains, planes, etc.)

• Pretend play

• Dress-ups (hats, scarves, sunglasses, and capes)

• Hands-free kitchen play

• Sensory Smells

TOYS

• Shape sorters (sorting and stacking and learning to identify and match shapes with shape sorters)

• Stacking or Nesting Cups (find ones in different colors which stack from large to small)

• Simple puzzles (puzzles with knobs are great for building hand eye coordination and starts developing problem solving skills)

• Push-or pull-toys (think doll stroller or the classic corn popper)

• Ride-on toys (without pedals or motors)

• Learning and music activity centers (for babies and toddlers)

• Mega Bloks (find sets that are great for building and help develop color recognition)

• Music Instruments (music sets are helpful to develop fine motor skills and a love for music)

• Playing ball (rolling, catching, running, etc.)

OUTSIDE PLAY

• Library (find a baby or toddler story time at local libraries)

• Parks and playgrounds

• Petting Zoos and Pick Your Own Farms (fun family outing that provides access to animals, fruits and vegetables)

• Nature walks

• Zoos and aquariums (offer special hours, discounts and children activities)

• Farmer’s markets and community gardens

Remember that as a parent, you are your child’s best teacher.  A lot of imagination, movement and play will create many memorable fun moments for you and your growing tot.

Huggies® believes deeply in the Power of Hugs. The simple, loving act is proven to support babies’ emotional and physiological well-being. Huggies® diapers and wipes are inspired by a parent’s hug, – to nurture baby with care, cradle baby in comfort and surround baby in protection. Huggies® Little Movers Diapers have a Moving Baby System™, so baby can explore more with a comfy fit that lasts. Learn more at Huggies.com. #HuggiesCouncil

Disclosure: We are part of the Huggies Parents Council and this is sponsored content in partnership with Huggies.
However, all opinions expressed here are my own.