Pregnancy/Baby
Let the Baby Games Begin!
By Debbie Montgomery
June/July 2002

Feed the baby. Change the baby. Burp the baby. Bathe the baby. Sure, parenting is a hard job, but all work makes for a dull day. It's time for some fun.

The typical newborn cannot even smile, but it's never too early to start playing with your baby. Babies like smiling faces even in their earliest days. Cut out happy people pictures from magazines and tape them around the top of the crib. Talk to them about any old thing and sing, sing, sing - even if singing is not your forte. They'll never tell. Pull out strings of colored beads and show them to baby one by one.

The earliest days are a great time for show and tell. Take babies outside as often as possible. They may not yet be ready for stroller or backpack travel in the first few weeks, but let them cuddle up on your shoulder while you whisper sweet nothings in their ear. They will be happy and amazed just walking around their own yard or down the street. They've got a whole world out there to meet. Start with home territory.

Large stores and their fluorescent lights may be bothersome to babies at first, so avoid those when possible during the first month. On the other hand, very young babies don't seem to mind small shops and restaurants, even those with live music. Pet stores are a great place to visit for babies of any age. Farms are fabulous, too. If you don't have access to a farm, then visit some of the UGA pigs and sheep on South Milledge Avenue, or try Bear Hollow Zoo at Memorial Park.

Once your baby reaches the age of two or three months, he or she should be smiling. So give him or her something to smile about. Toys are still not too important, but try placing something bright like a red and yellow rubber Pooh off to the side and just within her reach while you're changing her diaper. You'll be amazed how soon she learns to bap it down. Baby's first trick. Wow!

Try a game. Spiral your wiggling fingers closer and closer until they land on the tummy, tickling gently, while chanting, "Round and round the garden like a teddy bear." Then let your fingers walk toward the armpit while you say, "One step, two step, tickle you under there!" If your child is more ticklish under the chin, head for that location instead. Just remember not to overdo.

It's never too early to exercise. Spread out an old quilt, sheet, or bedspread and start spending some time on the floor. To encourage crawling, lay baby on stomach and place favorite toys just a few inches away.

Another exercise to try begins by laying baby on his back. Gently, very gently, raise baby's hands above his head, then down to baby's hips, up and down, up and down , all the while saying "uuup" and "dooowwwn" Remember to smile BIG.

Believe it or not, this maneuver produces major laughs. It feels so good for baby to stretch a little, and he can't quite do it on his own yet. For an encore, try the same thing with arms out to the sides and then crossed over the chest, saying "ooouuut" and "iiiiin" over and over again. He'll love it. I promise at least a big grin.

That is, I promise a big grin if baby is in the right mood. As you may have noticed, babies can be moody. After you meet her basic needs (see paragraph one), she may want to play, sleep or just think.

Usually a baby who's ready to play will look you in the eye. Frequent eye contact adds spice to all of these games. When baby starts looking away often, or fretting verbally, then it's time to quit goofing around and start cuddling, or rocking, or feeding, or whatever else it is that baby wants to do.

It's not too early to try picture books. Don't feel silly just because baby doesn't really get the plot. You're trying to start a good habit. Many babies enjoy the sensory experience of sitting in your lap and looking at something with you while listening to your voice. Some babies do not. If yours is one of these, then try, try again, but please don't worry. Plenty of people who would not sit for reading at an early age got into Harvard anyway.

Make up your own story or even change it every time you read the same book. You don't have to use the words printed on the page. It's okay to change the gender of the book's main character any time you like until baby learns to read it for himself.

Once your baby has enough strength to hold up his head, you can lay on your back, set baby's stomach on yours and lift him slowly up above your head, then bring him down again. Remember to say "uuuuuuup" and "dowwwwwn."

Lap games are good for babies who have learned to sit up. Hold baby on your slightly raised knees and chant "Ride a horsey, ride a horsey, go to town. Ride a horsey, ride a horsey, don't fall down." Say the last line with wide spaces between the words, and on the "down" there should be a bump, up and down, from your knees.

Another popular one is "This is the way the ladies ride, ladies ride, ladies ride. This is the way the ladies ride, prance, prance, prance." Your knees should be bouncing gently up and down. Then the gentlemen ride, trot, trot, trot, and knees go side to side. When the hunters ride, gallop, gallop, gallop, knees go wildly every which way and you should hold onto baby tight.

There are many other rhymes as well as patty cake games that can be found in books and by asking grandparents. Try the infant storytime offered every other Monday morning at 10 and 11 a.m. at the Athens Clarke County Library. Visit Athens Mothers' Center, which sometimes offers a class in baby games. Their voice mail number is 552-8554. You can also join or start a play group.

Whatever you do, remember to have fun. Parenting gets easier every day, especially if you play. When you relax, it helps the baby relax. Don't worry about being too silly. That's part of your job.

Debbie Montgomery has a Masters Degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia. She has been writing columns and free-lance articles for various publications in the Athens area for over twenty years. Debbie is a former television hostess and also worked as a library story lady for several years. She currently lives in a big old house with a big old yard with her husband Marion and their three children, ages 3, 11 and 13.