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Play ideas for 3 to 6 months

Here are 17 screen-free play ideas for 3 to 6 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

  • Reach for the scarf4 min · you need a light scarf or dish towel · It gives your baby a reason to reach, swipe and grab on purpose.
  • Raspberry trade3 min · nothing to get · Silly sounds and laughs are your baby's early practice at making and sharing sounds.
  • Roll to the toy4 min · you need a favorite toy, a blanket on the floor · A toy just out of reach gives your baby a reason to twist and practice rolling.
  • Tummy time over a rolled towel4 min · you need a small towel, a blanket on the floor · The towel props your baby up a little so pushing up on their arms is easier.
  • Pat the pot3 min · you need a pot or a plastic bowl · Your baby finds out that their hands can make a sound happen.
  • Peekaboo with your hands3 min · nothing to get · Peekaboo is a happy little surprise that teaches your baby people come back.
  • Who's that baby?3 min · you need a mirror · Babies love faces, and the mirror gives them two to look at.
  • This Little Piggy2 min · nothing to get · A rhyme with a tickle at the end teaches your baby to listen for what comes next.
  • Gentle airplane3 min · you need a soft rug or bed · Your baby feels new movements while looking right at your face.
  • Bright sock on a foot3 min · you need a bright, clean sock · Finding and grabbing their own feet is a big discovery for a baby this age.
  • Say what they feel2 min · nothing to get · Naming feelings early gives your child words for them later.
  • Listen outside10 min · you need a stroller or baby carrier · The world outside is full of sounds, and each one can come with a word.
  • Splash at bath time5 min · you need your baby's usual bath · Bath time turns into a game of cause and effect: kick, and the water moves.
  • Point and name in a board book4 min · you need a board book · Board books are sturdy enough for a baby to handle, and every page is a new word.
  • Washcloth tug2 min · you need a washcloth · Holding on and pulling helps your baby practice gripping.
  • Kicks on a blanket outside5 min · you need a blanket, a shady spot · A change of place gives your baby new things to see, hear and feel while they kick.
  • Dance in your arms4 min · nothing to get · Rhythm and closeness make music something you share.

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