Practicing Social Skills: Activity Ideas for Babies

Children begin to learn important social skills at a young age. This happens through lots of coaching and interaction from caring adults.

Attachment to primary caregivers is an important foundation for your baby’s development. Your baby will develop a strong and healthy attachment to you when you respond to his cries, help her feel better, and interact in calm and caring ways. Establishing routines is a good way to help children feel safe and secure as they try new things.

Here are ideas to help babies up to 12 months old develop social and emotional skills.
 

• Talk, sing, and play with babies while feeding them or changing diapers. The routine of sharing and repeating favorite songs is reassuring to babies.
• Read books or tell stories to babies using a quiet voice. Point to the words and pictures in a book as you read.
• Play hiding games by hiding a stuffed animal or toy under a blanket or cloth. Look for the toy together. Show surprise and delight when you find the toy.
• Look at photos together. Look at pictures of other babies. Talk about what you see in the pictures. Mimic the expressions or emotions expressed by the subjects in the pictures when appropriate.
• Older babies will enjoy rolling a ball back and forth. Talk about what you are doing as you are playing a sharing activity together.
• Play games like “my turn, your turn” with a ball or toy. This even works when you are putting on a baby’s socks or shoes. Having fun together builds a positive relationship.
• Talk to babies by asking questions and waiting for a response as though you are in a conversation. Mimic their response, which may be a gurgle, legs kicking or a laugh. Repeat this several times if the baby is interested in maintaining the responses.
• Narrate your actions as you do daily tasks, using a variety of words and voice tones. Show and label your emotions. Let them mimic you.
• Help babies learn to calm themselves by giving a pacifier or offering a favorite blanket or soft object.

For more information on how to encourage and support a child’s development, visit the Social and Emotional Milestones page. 

Source: Fun Activities Families Can Do with Their Children: Ideas for Families with Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers, Spring 2020, Minnesota Department of Education (PDF download)