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Play ideas for 0 to 3 months

Here are 17 screen-free play ideas for 0 to 3 months, each using things from around the house. The American Academy of Pediatrics says infants under 18 months learn best from real-world interactions, so these are about you and your child, a few minutes at a time. Stay close, and follow each safety line.

Checked October 29, 2026.

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17 things to do

  • Face-to-face chat3 min · nothing to get · Back-and-forth chats teach your baby that their sounds get an answer, long before they have words.
  • Stick out your tongue3 min · nothing to get · Watching and copying faces is one of the first games a baby can play with you.
  • Tummy time on your chest3 min · you need a couch or bed, a pillow behind you · It gives your baby practice lifting their head while they're snuggled close to you.
  • Tummy time nose to nose3 min · you need a blanket on the floor · Your face is the best reason for a baby to work at lifting their head.
  • Black-and-white pictures3 min · you need white paper, a black marker · Bold, high-contrast shapes give your baby something easy to look at and practice following with their eyes.
  • Where's that sound?2 min · you need a sheet of paper or a set of keys, kept in your hand · It's a gentle way to notice your baby listening and turning toward sounds.
  • Tell your baby what you're doing5 min · nothing to get · Everyday care becomes a stream of words in your voice, which is how babies start to learn language.
  • Gentle arm and leg strokes4 min · you need a towel or blanket, warm hands · Calm touch and soft words help your baby feel safe and learn the names of their body.
  • One song every day2 min · nothing to get · A song that comes back every day becomes something your baby knows and looks forward to.
  • Bicycle legs2 min · you need a blanket · Your baby feels their legs move and hears a rhythm that matches the movement.
  • Coo conversations3 min · nothing to get · Taking turns with sounds is the first step toward taking turns in a conversation.
  • Window walk5 min · nothing to get · New things to look at, with a name for each one, fill a rainy day with words.
  • Leaf shadows5 min · you need a blanket, a shady tree · Moving light and shadow give your baby something calm and interesting to watch.
  • Stroller stop-and-show10 min · you need a stroller or baby carrier · A walk becomes a string of new sights, each with its own word.
  • Soft and smooth3 min · you need a soft washcloth, a smooth spoon, held by you · Different textures, each with a word, help your baby start to make sense of what they feel.
  • Read your own book aloud10 min · you need anything you like to read · At this age it's your voice that matters, and reading aloud fills a quiet hour with words.
  • Big kid show-and-tell3 min · you need a favorite toy of the older child's · The baby gets something to look at, and the big brother or sister gets a proud, gentle job.

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