What a change! It has been only three months since you gave birth to the little life and she is already eager to learn. Your four-month-old is now keener than before, trying to explore the world around. We know you are amused. But that’s not enough as it is time you helped her to be sharper.
You might ask, “How and what can I do to teach such a tiny baby?”
MomJunction has come up with some fantastic learning activities and games for your four-month-old angel.
However, before you begin to teach anything to your baby, you need to know about her capabilities.
Your Baby Can Study Your Face And Notice Bright Colors Now.
Other Developments At Four Months:
The fourth month is an interesting milestone. It heralds many new developments for the baby.
Cognitive development: Your little munchkin can distinguish shades of orange and red. Bright colors seem to captivate her, and she looks at objects in awe. Her brain development is faster than before.
It depends on her discoveries, interests, experiences and perspectives of the world. If you think it is just too much for a baby, let’s tell you that your baby is big enough to learn new things. She can study faces, expressions, and eyes. She can recognize you and familiar caregivers (1).
Physical development: Babies begin to roll around this time. They pay attention to the touch, texture, and shape of the things they hold, and love to have some tummy time (2).
Social development: Babies try to communicate through babble. They make different sounds when happy and sad. They become more social than before.
In a nutshell, your little darling is now ready for fun learning activities. Here are a few exciting learning activities for a four-month-old baby. Try them to enhance his sensory skills as well as milestone development.
This Is The Time To Read To Her, Talk To Her And Challenge Her:
Developmental Activities For 4-Month-Old
1. Reading For Fun
If you think your baby is too young for you to read her stories, you are wrong. It is never too early to start reading as it is a great opportunity for bonding.
Skills developed: Cognitive skills
You will need: Simple picture books
How to:
- Begin with board books that are sturdy and short.
- Allow her to touch the book.
- She will love touching these books and may taste them too!
- You may find her interests fleeting. Never mind, an interest for a few seconds is enough to create an everlasting impression.
- Make gestures while reading, point to characters or images. Be expressive.
2. Talk To Your Baby
Your baby looks forward to communicating with you. Then why not encourage her in these early attempts at communication? Respond to your baby’s coos to develop her cognitive skills.
Skills developed: cognitive skills, motor skills
You will need: Just you and your baby.
How to:
- Putting a four-month-old on her tummy for short intervals, cumulating up to an hour over the course of the day, would help in the strengthening of her back and neck muscles.
- You can place the baby on her tummy on a blanket and move it gradually around the room. Speak out the names of the items you see as you move.
- If your baby giggles, laughs, and smiles, encourage her by making funny faces.
- Make animal noises, whistles and see if your baby loves these.
- Tickling can be a part of your game anytime. Run your fingers up your darling’s belly!
3. Time To Explore
Toys or objects that help the baby learn about various senses are both magical and educational. Give them to your baby to explore.
Skills developed: senses, cause, and effect
You will need: some toys or objects
How to:
- Make your baby touch fabric with various textures, such as velvet and wool.
- Give her age-appropriate toys, which she can put in her mouth. But toys should not pose a choking hazard and be safe to put in the mouth.
- Your baby will enjoy the toys that make crinkly sounds or rattle whenever she touches them. Also, they help the little one know about the concept of cause and effect.
- Introduce varying sounds by comparing a rattle to a bell or drum.
- Pass a toy back and forth. It is fun!
- An activity gym or plat mat is also a good choice.
4. Hang Mirrors At Her Level
Your baby is learning the tricks of the trade. She smiles at you; she turns at a familiar voice or cries if you are not around. She cannot identify herself in the mirror but enjoys seeing the reflection.
Skills developed: social skills
You will need: toys with mirrors.
How to:
- Attach an unbreakable mirror next to the changing table or her crib.
- Hang or place some toys in such a way that your baby can see their reflections in the mirror.
- Your little one enjoys those visuals in the mirror.
5. Gentle Workout
She makes the first moves. Your baby keeps moving her hands and legs, almost continuously, when she is awake. Probably she is telling you that she is ready for some simple workouts!
Skills developed: cognitive skills, motor skills
You will need: you and your baby
How to:
- Lift your baby gently put her down. Make her play in different positions for her to balance while trying to move.
- Encourage her to practice rolling from her back to tummy.
- By placing toys around, you can encourage pivoting.
- Developmental Games For 4-Month-Old
6. Playing With Bubbles
Bubbles are amazing and it’s one of the fun games to play with a 4 month old. When a grown-up cannot resist playing with them, how would a baby control herself? Your child will not only have fun but also learn through them.
Skills developed: Hand-eye coordination, cognitive skills
You will need:
- A tube that you can use to blow bubbles
- Soapy water
How to:
- Place your baby in a chair.
- Dip the tube in soapy water. Blow out some bubbles in the baby’s direction. But careful, don’t blow them into her eyes or mouth.
- Blow them near her so that she can touch them.
- As you keep blowing, your baby will realize what she needs to do. She touches and tries to burst those funny bubbles.
- Gradually, start blowing the bubbles in such a way that they land on the baby’s hands, tummy, legs, etc. For instance, blow some bubbles on her legs and say the name of the body part out loud. It will help her identify the parts.
7. The Rock And Row Game
Your baby is slowly getting bored to rest on her back throughout the day. Help her sit and see how she loves to see the world from a different angle. The rock and row game will help your baby get used to sitting and strengthen those delicate back muscles.
Skills developed: gross motor skills
You will need:
- Now, you have to learn some rhymes. Get the lyrics of the nursery rhyme ‘Row Row Row Your Boat’. We help you in your endeavor:
- “Row row row your boat, gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is just a dream.”
How to:
- Sit down on the floor and fold your legs in front of, as if you are about to start a stretching exercise.
- Get your baby to sit facing towards you. Keep a cushion or pillow behind your baby’s back so that she can maintain balance.
- Now hold your baby’s hands firmly yet gently and lean backward slowly. Do it in such a way that your baby comes towards you without losing balance.
- Then come forward slowly, so that your baby moves backward towards the pillow, and you lean in towards your baby.
- Keep singing the song as you do so and help your baby learn to balance and get steady in a sitting position.
8. Singing Game
You are your baby’s favorite singer. She not only loves to hear your voice but also picks up words from what you talk. The more often she hears those words, the better she can remember them. So just sing for her, no matter what the others at home feel.
Skills developed: baby’s hearing, cognitive, verbal skills
You will need: Just you and your baby.
How to:
- Be seated in a comfortable position and make your little one comfortable.
- Sing her favorite lullaby.
- Create a simple song to include the names of all the dear ones of the baby like mommy, daddy, granny, and so on.
- Maintain dynamics and bring in some facial expressions while singing. Your expressions will lock your baby.
- Play with rhymes and songs. Sing nursery rhymes like “Hey Diddle Diddle”, “Baa, Baa Black Sheep”.
9. Play With Balls
Balls games are fascinating and is a great fun activity for 4 month old babies. They wonder how a thing can simply roll like that!
Skills developed: sensory skills, cause, and effect, motor skills
You will need: Colorful balls
How to:
- Take balls of different textures and colors.
- Show how to roll the ball. Drop the ball and bounce it.
- Your little one would love to explore the object.
- Lay the baby on her tummy and allow her to push or grab the ball.
10. Playdate
Your baby is socializing. She may even get bored seeing just a few familiar faces always. Why not bring in some excitement by arranging a playdate?
Skills developed: social skills, communication
You will need: A good place with some interesting toys.
How to:
- Invite some of your friends with their babies.
- Put them on the floor with some toys. You would be amused to see your darling hanging out with her new friends.
- You can even play peek-a-boo.
Each baby has her pace. Do not force her to do something just because that activity is mentioned in her growth chart. It doesn’t matter if your child rolls in the fourth or the fifth month, as the dividing lines between the months are quite fuzzy.
Just see your baby grow, and enjoy each day. Do not compare her to other babies. However, if she is way behind the milestones, talk to her doctor.
Hope you liked our ideas! Moms, what activities did you play with your 4 month baby? Share your favorite ones here.
