Staying busy in isolation is hard for all of us but is especially difficult for parents with babies. Here are some of our suggestions to help plan your day and also wonderful bonding activities.
Keep yourself busy. If we are feeling antsy as parents, our babies will pick up on that and be fussy. Invest in self care for yourself to keep you mentally healthy.
Keep a routine. Routines are focused on doing things in a similar way, not at a specific time. Routines are important for our babies but they are always really helpful for us as parents. If we have an idea of the activities we are going to do with our baby, it takes away the stress of having to come up with ideas all day.
Get outside. Go for walks with your baby and think about doing it with a baby in a carrier. This way you can narrate the things you see around you. Walks are way more exciting for your baby if you talk to them.
Learn sign language:. Baby sign language is a great way for your baby to communicate with you before they have the ability to use words. There are lots of songs and games you can do with your baby.
Activity mats and exersaucers. These can be a life saver for parents with busy babies. One trick is to add the attachments slowly over time. You can have one today attached and then add another one when your baby starts to get bored. You can also add toys over days or weeks to extend the interest of the toy.
Exercise with your baby. Right now there are so many online classes that you can connect into and some of them are even free. Zumbini, yoga, salsa babies, and belly boot camp are just a few. You can also do a regular class and have your baby in a baby seat so that they can watch you move. They find you very entertaining and if they start to get bored you can talk to them or add toys to their seat. Want to keep it super simple? Put on your favourite music, pick up your baby and dance around your house.
Read books and sing songs. Your voice is one of the most entertaining and soothing sounds your baby knows.
Get creative with tummy time. This does not need to be limited to just putting your baby down on a blanket on the floor. You can use play mats with textures, lie on the floor with them and talk to them so they have to look at you. Play airplane and lift them up over your head or walk them around your house in a football position so they can see all different types of sights.
Stay connected to family and friends. Use any type of video to connect and have your loved ones talk, sing, read or anything else they want to your baby. Loosely schedule these times with different people throughout the week. Monday morning with Grandma Jane, Tuesday evening with Grandpa Jack etc. This helps to make sure that these “visits” actually take place.
Narrate the world to your baby. Sit on the porch and just tell your baby everything you see. Don’t have a porch? Sit in front of a big window and do the same thing. Hearing your voice is very entertaining for your baby. The problem is we don’t always know what to say. This is a nice trick to keep us entertained as well.
What has been your favourite way to connect at home? Let us know in the comments below
Don’t forget we are still here if you need us. Connect with us today to find our how we can help you.
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