playtime with your infant

Infants' responses to music are very fascinating to me. I could type it all out for you, but instead I'll just link you to a couple websites discussing some of the many benefits:


http://www.suite101.com/content/benefits-of-music-for-infants-a44783

and http://www.parenthood.com/article-topics/how_music_benefits_children.html

I could keep going. I just did a little googling and thought those were all pretty interesting.


I think that for the first 6 months of a babies life, three or four songs is plenty for you to sing.  I am going to give 1 song with activities to follow for the entire first year of baby's life.


"Ring Around the Rosie"

If you aren't sure how this one goes, here is a video




When singing with a newborn, they obviously won't be walking in a circle.  :-)  You should hold baby facing you, supporting their head/neck with your hands.  Hold them partially upright and sing the song very gently.  When it is time to fall down, then just gently move baby to a horizontal position.  When baby is old enough to smile, this will get smiles.  After a few months, baby might start to anticipate the "fall" and start smiling or giggling before the fall.  This is great!

Once baby is old enough to sit unassisted, sit someplace soft with baby.  Make sure you are still holding onto baby so that he doesn't fall!  When it is time to "fall" then you can lower baby backwards to a laying position.  My daughter would start to throw herself backwards after doing this activity for a little while and we could only do it in a well padded place!

Once baby can stand, just stand in place and then "fall" down together at the appropriate place in the song.

Finally, once baby is walking, or even just trying to walk, you can try the traditional activity of walking in a circle, and falling on "We all fall down."