Simple Activities for a Three-Month-Old Baby

Inside: Learn exciting ways to assist your three-month-old baby’s growth and encourage bonding through these delightful activities. From tummy time to sensory exploration, our recommendations will help you create precious moments with your child. Start exploring now!

“Every baby is different.” That is something I often hear!

Regardless of how unique each baby is, the American Academy of Pediatrics still recommends that you set aside a few minutes each day for them to engage in active play.

We all notice significant changes in our babies’ behavior and abilities as early as the neonatal stage. They rapidly accomplish new developmental milestones with each passing month.

That is why, at this stage in their lives, it is critical to expose them to a variety of stimuli.

These learning activities are most effective when introduced between the ages of three and four months because tiny babies absorb a lot of information through their senses.

The list of activities below is a great way to support your baby’s development, so stay tuned to learn some fun-filled developmental sensory activities for your three-month-old.

“Children have real understanding only of that which they invent themselves.”

~Jean Piaget

Developmental Milestones for three-month-old-babies

I believe you should first understand how your baby grows before diving into these activities.

Babies are constantly developing at their own pace in many ways, at different rates, including physically, emotionally, and socially.

It is critical for you, as a mother, to monitor all of these developmental areas to ensure that your baby has the best environment and stimulation to learn and grow.

First, let’s talk about the key developmental milestones for infants between the ages of three and four months. There are four that we need to highlight:

• Physical/Movement
• Cognitive
• Language and Communication
• Social and Emotional

Physical/Movement

Physical development includes your babies’ fine and gross motor skills.

Fine motor skills involve the use of small muscles in the hands, while gross motor movements are mainly focused on the development and strengthening of the baby’s neck and back muscles.

These motor skills are critical for your baby’s smooth development of future milestones.

A 3-month-old baby will develop the following motor skills by then:

• They start to make eye contact.
• They fix their gaze on bright objects and track them with their eyes as they move.
• They turn their heads toward sounds.
• They bring their hands together.
• They push up on their arms at tummy time.
• They lift their heads up while on the stomach.
• They grab a hold of a toy and shake it briefly like a rattle.
• They move their arms and legs randomly.

Cognitive

Your 3-month-old babies begin to learn, think, and try to solve issues during the cognitive phase.

This phase is when you begin to notice your little ones becoming engrossed in objects and people.

They will start tracking people and toys with their eyes and pass a smile when something entertains them.

Language and Communication

Babies begin copying sounds and making facial expressions during the language and communication phase.

It’s when they respond to the sound of your voice and begin a conversation by gurgling.

Social and Emotional

The social and emotional phase is where my heart completely melts—the stage when our 3-month-old babies develop social skills.

This is when your baby starts smiling at you.

Try making silly, funny noises. Wait for them to respond with a big, toothless smile. You surely will feel the happiness that is something out of this world.

This phase of development is what I love to refer to as the “sweetest stage.”

During these four developmental milestones, remember that a three-month-old baby has a lot to learn.

Sensory games and emergent literacy activities relevant to these areas are best introduced to this age group. They are much fun and an excellent opportunity for you and your baby to form strong bonds as well.

Learning is a lifelong process, and starting it at a young age can reap so many benefits for your child.

So make sure to design the right start for your little one.

Best activities for a three-month-old to encourage your baby’s development

The perfect time to help boost your baby’s development is at this stage of their life.

So, how do you entertain your three-month-old? Hold on tight because I’ve got incredibly simple developmental learning activities for your three-month-old!

I guarantee that your three-month-old baby will benefit from the many activities described below as they help them acquire the necessary behavioral and language skills.

These fun activities have undoubtedly endured for generations, but definitely for good reasons.

1. The grabbing game

Place your three-month-old on a play mat or activity gym, and bring a lightweight, colorful toy closer to their face so they can see and grab it.

They should be able to perfect this grasping skill with a lot of practice.

This can be a fun game for your little one and will be highly beneficial to improving their senses, motor development, hand-eye coordination, and cognitive skills.

2. The Imitation game

Make silly faces and sounds with your three-month-old in front of a mirror.

You can prop them up with an infant car seat next to you so they can see your exaggerated facial expressions and eventually copy them.

One key component of your three-month-old’s skill development is imitation. It enables them to pick up new skills quickly and effectively by observing people around them. In this case, their mama!

3. Tummy time

Indulging in tummy time is important, as it plays a significant role in improving the baby’s gross motor skills.

Tummy time activities are excellent for strengthening your baby’s neck, arms, and shoulder muscles.

This activity will teach them how to move their limbs more effectively, so it should be a part of your three-month-old’s daily routine.

Place a colorful, eye-catching toy on the floor to get their attention. They will be unable to resist it and will begin to extend their arms and hands in an attempt to grab it.

4. Talk to your baby

Mention your 3-month-old baby’s name every time you talk to them. Chat with them every chance you get.

Their name is probably one of the first terms with which they will associate.

5. Sing to your three-month-old

It is always a good idea to sing sweet nursery rhymes to your three-month-old baby.

Singing to your child has numerous sensory and cognitive advantages.

Hearing you sing stimulates your baby’s brain, improves his or her hearing, aids in language development, and fosters listening skills.

Through your singing, they will also learn about different tones and rhythms.

6. Dance with your baby

Put on some music and dance with your little one.

Swing your 3-month-old in different directions. The sensation they get as they are gently moved through different positions while dancing aids in the development of their muscle tone, spatial and bodily awareness, vision, hearing, and touch.

As you dance with your baby, they will also discover rhythm, form, time, and flow.

7. Read to your baby

Reading bedtime stories together is a wonderful way to bond with your baby. It is a meaningful activity that begins in early childhood and continues until the teen years.

Reading a board book with high-contrast illustrations like this can also stimulate your three-month-old baby’s vision.

There are also many soft books like this one available that can help them experiment with different textures, colors, and pictures.

8. Blow bubbles

Playing with bubbles is a great baby play activity. Babies learn to recognize shapes and patterns by watching bubbles.

They may also attempt to reach out and pop the bubbles, which could help them develop their motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

PRO TIP: You can make homemade bubbles with basic household ingredients. Just mix 4 tbsp of dish soap, 2 tbsp of sugar, and a cup of warm water. Store leftover bubbles in a store-bought cylindrical plastic container for future use!

9. Play peek-a-boo with your three-month-old

Another great activity to incorporate into your little learner’s daily activities is playing peek-a-boo.

You can play it the traditional way, or you can sit in front of a mirror with your baby on your lap and place their hands over their eyes, then remove them and say “peek-a-boo.”

This will gradually introduce the concept of object permanence to them.

Mirrors can also be used to show your infant their own reflection. They also help to improve visual tracking, which is the ability to follow a target without turning the entire head.

Conclusion to Activities for Three-month-old Babies

Remember that introducing the best baby activities is most effective between the ages of three and four months. It is also important to note that your little one learns a variety of important skills by playing with you.

Engaging in different activities with your baby can also be a great way to bond and connect.

This post should provide a super busy new mommy with a wide range of developmental learning activities for your three-month-old.

You can always tweak these activities according to your priorities. Just remember to keep nurturing your baby’s senses, body, and mind.

There you have it, Mama! Remember to start these activities with your three-month-old as soon as possible.

I hope you learned something valuable from this article. Have an awesome playdate with your pint-sized playmate!

Talk soon,

Do you have any activities for a three-month-old you can share with the group?

Please don’t forget to leave them in the comment section below! It will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!