Cover-Up
Hide one of your baby's favorite toys under a baby blanket and let him find it.
Hand Hiding
While your baby is watching, place a small toy in one of your hands, then close both hands into a fist. Ask her to choose the hand with the toy in it. If she picks the correct one, tell her how brilliant she is!
Paper Play
Let your baby play with some plain white paper (spare him the dyes from newspapers and magazines). He'll enjoy crinkling it up, reaching for it, throwing it, and unfolding it.
Target Practice
Place a pot or a plastic container on the floor and tap on it with a wooden spoon. Then let your baby take a turn.
Crawling Challenge
As your baby begins to master her crawling technique, create an obstacle course for her by stacking pillows on the floor so that she has to crawl over them.
Monkey Do
Once your baby starts crawling or rolling across the floor, get on the floor and do it with him. He'll get a kick out of this, and it'll encourage him to work on these skills even more. Plus you'll be able to see just how hard he's working.
Peek and Seek
Once your baby is mobile, let her see you hide around a corner, then come and find you.
Pocket Play
Hide a small (but not small enough to choke on) object, such as a pen or your keys, in a shirt pocket and let your baby take it out.
Roll, Baby, Roll
Sit on the floor a few feet away and roll a ball to your baby. Then try to get her to roll it back. Babies love rolling balls, in part because they go across the floor just as your baby wants to.
Cuddle Up
While reading a story to your baby, cuddle with one of his favorite stuffed animals or dolls or his blanket. Associating this special object with the comfort of you will help him feel better when you go out.
Light Show
While you're getting your baby ready for bed, turn on a flashlight or a penlight and let him track the beam as it moves around the room. This can be very soothing.
Make Faces
Sit down with him in front of a mirror and make faces that illustrate different emotions—happy, sad, scared, and so on—and label each one as you show it.
Voice of Confidence
If your baby seems scared when you're out of the room, talk to her and tell her what you're doing. That way she'll hear your voice and realize that you're still around.
Hat Exchange
Put a hat on your baby's head, then put it on your head. Your baby will love this kind of turn taking, and she'll find it funny to see the same hat on both of you.
Picture Perfect
Show your baby pictures of her favorite people—Mama, Dada, other relatives, and friends—and tell her who they are.
Rhyme Time
Play pat-a-cake and other clapping, rhyming games with your baby.
Sing and Show
Sing "Itsy, Bitsy Spider" to your baby and do the finger movements. As he gets to know this routine, he may even try to gesture along with you.
Tell Stories
Read to your baby or tell him a story about your day together. Pause once in a while to let him respond vocally.