Below are several ideas for entertaining an infant at home, courtesy of Technology Childcare Center.
- Reading
- Musical instruments using pots and pans or tupperware containers
- Bubble play – use baby wash, shampoo, dish detergent
- Water play – You can put in anything waterproof
- O’obleck – 2 to 1 recipe – 2 cups cornstarch mixed with 1 cup water (food coloring optional)
- Stacking – blocks, books, boxes
- Color baskets – Make baskets full of all red or yellow or blue, etc.
- Aluminum foil painting
- Sticky Balls – reverse wrap balls with tape
- Ripping paper
- Shredded paper in baskets – hide toys or rattles inside
- Playing with shadows in the sunlight
- Taking a walk looking for signs of spring
- Playing music and dancing
- Painting
- Baby Yoga
- Sensory Baggies – Fill with shaving cream, water, water/oil, flour, rice, pasta
- Sand play
- Ice Cube Painting – Make ice cubes using food coloring and let your child explore them on trays or white paper.
- Paper play – Give your child different types of paper – foil, magazine, newspaper, wax paper, crepe paper, wrapping paper and allow them to explore by crinkling, shredding, wadding, tearing.
- Make Discovery Bins.
- Clean Mud – add 3 cups baking soda in bowl add up to 1 cup water until reach desired consistency.
- Homemade Playdough
- 2 Cups flour, 2 tbsp. oil, ¾ cup salt, ½ cup water (food coloring optional.
- 2 cups flour, 3 tbsp. oil, ½ cup water (food coloring optional)
- Mix all ingredients together and then knead dough until no longer sticky is too dry add a little more water.
- ‘What’s inside the box’ using tissue boxes.