Ah, gone are the days of plopping baby down in their lounger and scrolling through Instagram. My baby is 5 months old and she is BUSY. With so many changes going on in her little brain, it’s important for me to facilitate activities to help her practice all her new skills!
I spent the first two months of my daughter’s life on the living room couch. I stuck her in her Snuggle Me Organic (highly recommend), put on Bravo and would only move every two hours when she needed a feed or a change.
I never understood why people would say that they love the newborn phase. As a first time mom, I found it overwhelming, exhausting, and it was nearly impossible to get anything else done.
Now, looking back I wish I enjoyed it while it lasted! The older my daughter gets, the more creative I have to be with our time.
With a background in early education and support group of fellow moms willing to offer endless suggestions, I have an understanding of the needs of growing babes.
I wrote a post on 4 month old activities explaining how crucial it is to hit all areas of development. The purpose of this list is to assist in creating a type of daily routine with your 5 month old. It’s especially helpful on those days when no amount of coffee will get you going and you can’t think of a single thing to do. Or, when you’ve read Where’s Spot 500 times and you’re sick of acting surprised at the snake in the clock (iykyk).
In that post I break development down into 5 categories:
- Fine Motor (small body movements)
- Gross Motor (big body movements)
- Sensory
- Language
- Music
Many of the listed activities overlap, which is a good thing. We’ve been reading a book while doing tummy time or we’ll sing while we’re in the bath.
We want to work all areas of the body and brain. They can all be adjusted based on your babies needs and where they’re at developmentally.
For example, my daughter has not yet rolled from belly to back, so that’s something we’re really working on.
I have found that when I’m engaged in true play with my baby, I’m talking no distractions and nothing else pulling me away, I feel like a better mom.
I feel like I’m meeting her needs beyond food and bathing and changing and a place to sleep. We’re strengthening the bond between us and learning along the way.
I encourage you to turn the TV off, put the phone down, and engage with your baby. They’ll never be smaller than they are today, and the time sure does fly by.
What did you do or are doing now to keep your 5 month old busy?
Let me know below. I’m always looking for new things to do with my little one.
O.
