This may sound simple, but a lot of parents have no idea how to play with their little ones. According to a recent report, one in five parents said they have forgotten how to play. One in three parents said that games with their children were boring. If playing with your child does not come naturally to you, don’t worry. This guide will help you figure out exactly how to play with your child. 

Playing with Babies

• To play with a baby, all you have to do is respond to her. When your baby babbles, talk back. Start labeling her emotions from an early age to help her with her early language acquisition. 
• Be enthusiastic in your feedback. Smile, clap, and laugh to encourage her to stay focused. This is the key to helping her become interested in learning as she grows. 
• Timing is everything. Your child will let you know she wants to play by looking at you, which typically happens after feedings or after a nap. 
• Move your baby around as you play and expose her to different textures and surfaces. This will help her learn to regulate her movements while also becoming sensitized to touching different things. 
• Include your baby in your activities. For example, you can give her a spoon and a pot to bang on as you go about your daily activities. 
• During tummy time, get down with her and engage with her in a fun way at her level. 

• While your toddler might be becoming more independent, you still need to stay close by because toddlers love showing off what they have learned. 
• Play puzzles with them. Get puzzles with large chunky pieces to start introducing more advanced problem-solving skills. 
• Get active with them. Run around, dance, and engage in gentle roughhousing, such as flying around like superman. 
• Level up their current games. For example, if your toddler likes driving toy cars in the sand, you can level the game up by showing her how to make a road by dragging her foot through the sand. You can then level this up by turning the road into a maze. Leveling games up like this will make your child a curious and engaged learner. 
• Let her imitate you. If you are gardening, get her some toy tools. If you love cooking, set up her play kitchen in your kitchen. 
• Draw and color together. A great way to do this is to trace your hands with crayons and color them in together. 

• Take part in your child’s imaginative play. Dress up or participate in the scenarios they create, always letting them take the lead. 
• Play with playdough and make animals, shapes, and pretend food to exercise her fine motor skills. 
• Give her chores to do to make her feel like a valued part of the family. Simple tasks like matching socks will go a long way in helping her feel fulfilled. 
• Take an interest in her life and learn the names of her favorite stuff, such as the names of cartoon characters to give you something to talk about. 
• Level up the roughhousing and do things like play wrestling to help them let go of bottled-up feelings. 

• Teach them new games with more complicated rules, such as board games or cards. 
• Play with open-ended toys like Legos to exercise their imaginative skills
• If your child is into video games, hang out as she plays, You can even join in the fun by playing a bit yourself!
• Introduce her to physical activities that you enjoy, such as skating or basketball, or tennis. 
• Share your hobbies with her as she grows. For example, you can introduce her to baking, knitting, or fixing cars. 

Final Thoughts

Playing with your child gives you the opportunity to focus on your child and build a strong, nurturing relationship with her. Use this time to actively listen to her. Praise her and encourage her and let her take the lead in things when she wants to. Above all else, ensure that she’s having the time of her life every time you play together!