How to Play With a 5-Month-Old Baby

Your 5-month-old will keep his hands busy during most of his waking hours. He'll enjoy interacting with strangers, but he'll prefer his parents. Have fun playing. (The following information has been adapted from Dr. Segal's book series, "Your Child at Play.")

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Baby Swings
• Squeaky Toys For A Baby
• Baby Rattles
• Baby Toys
• Plush Toys

1. Keep a collection of small toys in his crib. He'll probably choose a favorite one and also be able to recognize a new one when it's placed in the crib.

2. Encourage him to play with rattles and squeak toys. As he gets older, he'll learn that certain actions work best with certain toys: rattles are to shake and squeak toys are for squeezing.

3. Get a roly-poly toy, one that rights itself when knocked over. He'll enjoy experimenting with how it responds to his actions.

4. Place him in an infant swing. When he swings back, say "goodbye," and then tell him "hello" when he swings forward. After a while he'll be able to recognize that different-sounding words have different meanings.

Tips & Warnings

• Let your baby be your guide when selecting activities: What new skills is he working on? What sorts of toys engage his attention? What makes him smile?

• If a particular activity seems stressful or frustrating, stop and give it a try another day.

• Remember that all babies develop at different speeds, usually with spurts and plateaus.

• Consult with your pediatrician if you have any concerns about your baby's development.