Games to Play with Babies

Third Edition

Jackie Silberg
Illustrated by Laura D’Argo

Sample provided by iActiveLearning.com, all rights reserved.

 Author availability
Jackie Silberg is an acclaimed speaker, teacher, and trainer on
early childhood development and music. You can arrange to
have her speak, present, train, or entertain by contacting her
through Gryphon House, PO Box 207, Beltsville MD 20704-
0207 or at [email protected].

Other Books by Jackie Silberg

Games to Play with Toddlers
More Games to Play with Toddlers
Games to Play with Two-Year-Olds
125 Brain Games for Babies
125 Brain Games for Toddlers and Twos
300 Three Minute Games
500 Five Minute Games
The I Can’t Sing Book

Bulk purchase
Gryphon House books are available at special discount when
purchased in bulk for special premiums and sales promotions
as well as for fund-raising use. Special editions or book
excerpts also can be created to specification. For details, con-
tact the Director of Marketing at Gryphon House.

Sample provided by iActiveLearning.com, all rights reserved.

Games Jackie Silberg

toPlay
N EW !
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REVIS w
5 0 N e s!
Game

with Babies
gryphon house®, inc.
Beltsville, MD 20704

Third Edition
Sample provided by iActiveLearning.com, all rights reserved.
 Dedication
This book is dedicated to the joy that babies bring into our lives.

Acknowledgments
Thanks to Kathy Charner, the most wonderful editor an author
can have. She makes the words come alive.
And to the Gryphon House family who work together to
produce the beautiful product that you are looking at now.
Copyright © 2001 Jackie Silberg
Published by Gryphon House, Inc.
10726 Tucker Street, Beltsville, MD 20705
Visit us on the web at www.gryphonhouse.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without prior written permission of the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Silberg, Jackie, date
Games to play with babies / Jackie Silberg ; illustrator, Laura
D’Argo. — 3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-87659-255-7
1. Games. 2. Motor ability in children. 3. Infants. I. Title.

GV1203.S536 2001
790.1’922—dc21 2001018976

Illustrations: Laura D’Argo

Cover photograph: © The Stock Market/Norbert Schafer, 2000

Disclaimer
The publisher and the author cannot be held responsible for injury,
mishap, or damages incurred during the use of or because of the activ-
ities in this book. The author recommends appropriate and reasonable
supervision at all times based on the age and capability of each child.

Sample provided by iActiveLearning.com, all rights reserved.

 Table of Contents
From the Author 9
Guidelines for Growth 11

Games for 0-3 months

Tender Touching 17 High and Low 44
Sweet Dreams 18 Squeaky Toys 45
Good Night, Baby 19 Listen to the Sounds 46
Good Night Kisses 20 Different Voices 47
Sleepy Time 21 Follow the Bee 48
Loving Kisses 22 Tongue Fun 49
Touching Time 23 Mouth Noises 50
Special Times 24 Bedtime Talk 51
Coos and Hugs 25 Moving the Sound 52
Stroke the Baby 26 Learning With Classics 53
Baby Boop 27 A Language Game 54
Tickle Cheek 28 Can You Find Me? 55
Texture Glove 29 Black and White 56
Playing With Fingers 30 Seeing the World 57
Dance a Merry Jig 31 The Umbrella Mobile 58
Baby’s Fingers 32 Birdie, Birdie,
Rattles and Teethers 33 Tweet, Tweet 59
Baby’s Bath 34 Mirror Fun 60
Grass Games 35 What Can I Look At? 61
I See You 36 Hold It Tight 62
Baby Aerobics 37 The Hand Discovery 63
’Round the Mountain 38 Oh, How Pretty 64
Exercise Fun 39 Moving the Picture 65
Kick, Kick, Kick 40 The Tracking Game 66
Turn Over, Baby 41 Flashlight Tracking 67
No Distractions 42 Puppet Games 68
Find the Noise 43

Games to Play with Babies

5

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 Games for 3–6 months
Sleepy Time 71 The Spider Game 95
Hush-a-Bye 72 Here Comes a Bug 96
Swim Little Fishie 73 Cockle Doodle Doo 97
What’s Cooking? 74 Here’s the Spoon! 98
All Around the House 75 Hand Fun 99
The Stroking Game 76 Jelly in the Bowl 100
Reaching 77 Baby’s Bottle 101
Exploring 78 Reach Out and Touch 102
Bumping Noses 79 How Does It Feel? 103
Baby’s Fingers 80 Tapping Away 104
Hello, Hands 81 Rhythm Talk 105
Fascinating Toes 82 Shake, Shake, Shake 106
This Little Toe 83 Where’s the Sound? 107
Fingers and Toes 84 Silly Sounds 108
Five Little Fingers 85 Sing, Sing, Sing 109
Touch Your Fingers 86 Twinkle, Twinkle 110
This Little Piggy 87 Talk to Me, Baby 111
Where Is Thumbkin? 88 Talking to Your Baby 112
Kick Those Legs 89 The Name Game 113
The Rolling Surprise 90 The Body Game 114
Up and Down Talk, Talk, Talk 115
the Elevator 91 Look, Look, Look 116
Bouncy, Bouncy 92 Remembering 117
Fly, Baby, Fly 93 Roly-Poly Books 118
Diaper Fun 94

Games for 6-9 months

Relieving Stress 121 Who Do You See? 126
A New Peek-a-boo 122 Zip, Zip, Zip 127
The Napkin Game 123 Rattle, Rattle,
Which Hand Is It? 124 Rattle, Rattle, Bing! 128
Backstroke Baby 125 Where’s Your Toe? 129

Games to Play with Babies

6

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Pinkety Pinkety 130 Fast-Food Fun 154
Creeping 131 The Dancing Game 155
Little Mouse 132 The Paper Game 156
Circles and Music 133 Feels Good 157
Baby Massage 134 Touch This 158
Where’s the Mousie? 135 Texture Crawl 159
Stretch Up High 136 What Happens Next 160
One, Two, Kick! 137 Where’s the Doll? 161
Ball Rolls 138 Sound vs. Silence 162
Bend and Stretch 139 Familiar Sounds 163
The Dropping Game 140 Choo, Choo, Choo,
Crawling Fun 141 Happy Game 164
Floor Games 142 Mama, Dada 165
Tug of War 143 Name the Clothes 166
The Floating Game 144 Using Signs with Words 167
The Exploring Game 145 The Baby Story 168
Three Blocks, Telephone Talk 169
Two Hands 146 Loo Loo Loo 170
What Toy Is It? 147 Bang It and Shake It 171
Cup Games 148 Making Music 172
The Cracker Game 149 Music Listening 173
The Macaroni Game 150 Old MacDonald 174
Muffin Tin Game 151 Song Cues 175
The Spoon Game 152 One, Two, One, Two 176
Pots and Pans 153

Games for 9–12 months

Sleep Song 179 Powder Puff Fun 186

Niño Querido 180 The Rainmaker 187
Newcastle Lullaby 181 The Washing Game 188
Sleep Story 182 A Bath Surprise 189
I See the Moon 183 Squeeze Fun 190
Shoe Game 184 Floating Surprise 191
Combing Game 185 Catch the Toy 192

Games to Play with Babies

7

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Let’s Find Daddy 193 Mirror Parts 223
Shopping Fun 194 Open, Shut Them 224
It’s Cold 195 Copy Me 225
Left, Right, Cross Tunnel Fun 226
the Street 196 Let’s Play Ball 227
Wrapping with Babies 197 The Toy Chase 228
Make a Toy 198 In the Sky 229
Mr. Bear 199 Mommy Tunnel 230
Object Hide-and-Seek 200 High Steps 231
Where Did It Go? 201 The Feely-Touchy Game 232
Give Me the Toy 202 M-m-m Nice 233
Ribbon Fun 203 The Bye-bye Game 234
Gathering Treasures 204 The Banana Game 235
Crackers 205 The Shoebox Game 236
I Can Do It Myself 206 The Glove Game 237
Look, I Can Pour! 207 Two Tube Games 238
Water and Spoon 208 Upside Down Game 239
Find the Snack 209 Sticky Game 240
Choo, Choo, Food 210 The Cardboard Game 241
Counting Buttons 211 Trampoline Game 242
Does It Fit? 212 The Elbow Game 243
Boxes, Boxes 213 Pushing Game 244
Stack Them Up 214 Singing Fun 245
Drop the Clothespin 215 Where’s the Music? 246
Find the Bell 216 Speech Rhythms 247
Hats, Hats, Hats 217 Wee Willie Winkie 248
Drawing in the Snow 218 Huff and Puff 249
Tap and Clap 219 Where’s the Foot? 250
Through the Hole 220 Simple Directions 251
Whoops, Johnny 221 Special Book 252
So-o-o Big 222

Index 253

Games to Play with Babies

8

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 From the Author

For as long as I can remember, I have loved spending time

with young children. There is something so joyous in a baby’s
smile and laughter. For the past twenty years, I have taught
classes for parents and babies together. We share times filled
with songs, movement, games, fun, and learning. The parents
have shared with me games that they play with their babies.
All of the games in this book have been played and enjoyed by
babies.
Playing games with babies is a valuable learning experience
for babies and a bonding experience for both adult and child.
Healthy bonding and attachment to loving caregivers give
babies the emotional security so essential to their total devel-
opment.
The latest brain research affirms the importance of stimu-
lating babies to help their brain cells form connections, paving
the way for future learning. The games in this book will help
to “grow” the connections in babies’ brains. In addition, they
will improve babies’ listening and language skills, spark their
curiosity, increase their awareness of their bodies, and help
them develop a sense of humor. Each game describes what
babies will learn by playing it.

Games to Play with Babies

9

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Observe babies closely as they interact with their environment
and play these games. By responding to their interests and abil-
ities, you are creating a healthy and challenging environment
that will promote babies’ physical, mental, social, and emo-
tional growth. Also remember that babies need time alone.
Sometimes they don’t want to be picked up or played with.
With your loving time, patience, and warmth, all the games in
this book will give babies a beautiful beginning in life. Play
these games with babies. Hold them close to you. Cuddle, pat,
touch, kiss, and enjoy every single moment!

Age range
The age range given for each activity is an approximation.
Remember that each child develops at his or her own pace.
Use your knowledge of each individual child as the best judg-
ment as to whether an activity is appropriate.

Games to Play with Babies

10

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 Guidelines for Growth

Birth to Six Months

Motor, auditory, and visual skills

Holds up her head
Grasps a rattle or a toy
Rolls from her back to her side
Sits with hand support
Pulls to a sitting position while holding an adult’s finger
Follows moving objects with his eyes
Focuses her eyes on small objects
Begins to reach for objects
Picks up blocks
Transfers objects from hand to hand
Reacts with a start to loud noises
Turns his head in the direction of a bell
Turns her head toward the sound of a voice
Responds to a voice with activity

Language and cognitive skills

Babbles and coos
Gurgles upon seeing others
Makes simple sounds like “ahhh” and “oooh”
Says one sound repeatedly
Smiles, giggles, and laughs
Attempts to make a variety of sounds
Makes sounds when attended to
Smiles in response to attention
Shows eagerness by making sounds
Fusses when a favorite toy is removed
Responds differently to handling
Reacts to the sight of a toy

Games to Play with Babies

11

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Shows awareness of a change in routine
Attempts to repeat motions
Reacts to strangers

Self-concept skills
Inspects her own hands
Brings things to his mouth
Focuses her eyes on her moving hands
Smiles at a mirror image
Makes sounds to mirror images
Anticipates feeding time
Plays unattended for ten minutes or more
Picks up a spoon
Feeds himself crackers
Holds a bottle part of the time
Lifts a cup with a handle
Looks directly at a person’s face
Recognizes parents and other familiar people
Reaches for familiar people
Responds to “peek-a-boo”
Smiles in response to facial expressions

Six to Twelve Months

Motor, auditory, and visual skills

Bounces up and down in a standing position
Sits unsupported
Pulls pegs from a pegboard
Rolls a ball while sitting
Crawls rapidly
Climbs on stairs
Stands unaided
Moves her hand to follow what her eyes focus upon
Picks up small objects with his thumb and finger
Puts a few blocks in a cup
Bangs two blocks together

Games to Play with Babies

12

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Looks at pictures in a book
Drops small objects into containers
Responds to tones and inflections in voices
Recognizes familiar words and responds accordingly
Shakes a bell in imitation
Stops an activity after hearing “no”
Shows interest in certain words and gestures

Language and cognitive skills

Imitates speech sounds
Babbles rhythmically
Combines two syllables like “Dada” or “Mama”
Imitates the sounds of animals
Says the first real words other than “Mama” and “Dada”
Attracts attention by making noises
Imitates clapping hands
Waves “bye-bye”
Follows simple directions
Understands “no”
Shakes head to indicate “no”
Pulls strings to obtain a toy
Finds a block hidden under a cup
Knows the meaning of “Dada” and “Mama”
Removes a block from a cup when shown how
Squeezes toys to make a squeak
Looks to find toys no longer in sight

Self-concept skills
Seeks or demands attention
Pushes away another’s hands to keep a toy
Holds her arms in front of her face to avoid being washed
Holds his arms out to be picked up
Sucks on soft foods from a spoon
Holds, bites, and chews a cracker or a biscuit
Feeds herself with her fingers
Drinks from a cup with help

Games to Play with Babies

13

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Controls drooling
Responds to gestures
Plays and enjoys “patty cake”
Repeats a performance when laughed at
Encourages an audience
Cooperates in dressing by holding out his arms

Games to Play with Babies

14

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0–3 months

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