How to play with your baby, 11 months old

Isn’t it crazy how the days can seem so long, yet the months seem to fly by? I bet you still remember the day you brought your baby home like it was yesterday. The first year is a magical one. While your baby’s body visibly grows every day, her brain is also developing at lightning speed! It always amazes me how a baby can go from a helpless newborn to an inquisitive toddler in a matter of months!!

With all that development going on, it’s hard to hold your baby’s attention for more than a couple of minutes. And that’s okay! Prolonged focus isn’t a milestone they’ve mastered just yet. But I know it can be a bit exhausting when you just need a few minutes to go to the restroom, work, or prepare a meal. This is real life, and it’s unrealistic to expect a mom – or dad – to play with baby  every  second they’re awake. 

So, to give you a chance to breathe or check something off your list, here are a few activities to keep your baby engaged for a while (with your nearby supervision, of course).

But first, let’s take a look at some exciting new 11-month-old milestones!

*And remember, these are just guidelines. Children develop at different rates. If you’re concerned about your baby’s development, get in touch with your pediatrician.

Motor Skills

·      Sitting without support

·      Crawling – (who knew babies could crawl so fast?!)

·      Cruising or taking first steps

·      Mastering the pincer grasp (great for picking up cereal!)

·      Poking, pulling, pinching, grabbing (busy little hands!)

·      Stacking and sorting objects

Social & Cognitive Skills

·      Defiance & attention-seeking

·      Repeating an activity or behavior that brings joy

·      Understanding  object permanence

·      Understanding cause and effect 

·      Having favorite toys or blankets

·      Babbling with inflection – you may get a few basic words this month

·      Asking for things through gestures or sounds

·      Ability to understand language (even if he’s not talking, he can understand quite a bit)

·      Mischievousness (Okay, so this one isn’t on the “official” milestone list, but it deserves a spot. Time to babyproof if you haven’t yet! Also, after the fourth flung spoonful of bananas, you might want to invest in the Calm app. ;))

Source:  Mayo Clinic

1.     LARGE Magnets on a Cookie Sheet or Refrigerator

Magnets are a fascinating concept at this stage. Just make sure to get some large enough that they don’t pose a choking risk. I love these fun, colorful shapes by  Mudpuppy. Your baby is not quite old enough for extending independent play just yet, but she probably enjoys  side-by-side play. Let her sit on the floor and add these to the fridge while you cook or bring a cookie sheet into the office while you work.

2.     Soft Climbers

I try to keep activities as low-cost and simple as possible, but I like to share a few solid staple toys as well. An  indoor climbing set  is one of them. Your baby can safely expend some energy and develop their large motor skills by climbing over and under these rearrangeable blocks. They’re geared toward young toddlers, but I know families who still get lots of use from them even through the preschool years. As they get older, they can create obstacle courses, practice their balance and somersault skills, or build forts from the blocks. I love these things – especially on bad-weather days when you can’t get outside!

3.     Hay There Sensory Bin

Fill a large bin with straw and hide toys for your baby to find. If you already have some farm animal toys on hand, the box becomes a miniature barnyard. You baby will have fun digging through the straw and finding and hiding the toys. Plus, straw is super easy to clean up afterward. For some fresh air, you could also take this outside and do a sandbox treasure hunt. 

4.     Toy Box Swap

 This isn’t so much an activity as it is a playtime strategy. Have you noticed that your little one is starting to get bored with the same toys? She wants something new to explore and experience, and she already knows what’s in the toybox. 

But what if she didn’t? I heard this from an experienced mom a few years ago, and I thought it was genius: instead of keeping all of the toys out and available, put them on a rotation. It only takes a tiny bit of prep upfront:

Split the household toys into 4-5 boxes, and store them out of sight. Whenever you need a few minutes, pull one out for your baby to explore. Rotate them as needed so your little one never knows what to expect. They will feel new to her. 

5.     Baby Bowling

Set up some empty water bottles, paper towel rolls, or something similar to create bowling pins. (Alternately, make a tower from plastic cups.) Then, see if your baby can roll a ball to knock them all down. I’ll admit, the concept wears off eventually, but most babies usually mosey on down to play with the bottles, cups, or rolls for a while after.

You can also tape the empty paper towel rolls to the wall with painter’s tape and let your baby try dropping items through them.

6.     Bracelet Stacking

Have you noticed that your baby likes playing with your things more than his own toys? In place of stacking rings, try this DIY option:

Get a standing paper towel holder or tape an empty paper towel roll to the floor or high chair tray. Then, have your baby stack your bracelets (or any circular items – such as hair scrunchies or large rubber bands ) onto the roll.

The key here is to switch up activities as often as you can. No single activity will keep your baby engaged day after day, so use your creativity to help your baby explore his or her world a little more each day.