5 Ideas for Fun Things to Do with Babies When You’re Bored at Home

Curb boredom with our fun activity ideas for things to do with babies both at home and out and about!

The first year of motherhood can be a foggy daze and filled with moments of bliss all at the same time – from the life-changing first few weeks to the moment our babies start sitting up, crawling and taking their first steps… Gaaah I already have tears in my eyes! So now that you’re hopefully out of the challenging fourth trimester and your baby’s getting more alert and playful, what do you do? There are still large pockets of time outside of the routine feeding, diaper changing and bathing schedule.

If you ever run out of ideas (and we know we do all the time!), click through our slideshow for more inspo!

COVID-19 advisory: As the coronavirus situation continues to intensify, we urge you to stay at home with your baby and keep the outdoor ideas for future use. Stay safe and wash your hands, mama!

Lead image by Irina Nilsson

• Play with Montessori-inspired or open-ended toys. They encourage lots of imaginative play and have more mileage beyond just babyhood. Check out a list of our faves here!
• Have a list of nursery rhymes on rotation and sing and dance to them with your baby. Studies have repeatedly shown that babies learn much more from human interaction than from a screen, so do away with playing songs in the background and instead encourage music and movement using your own voice and instruments at home!
• Build a mini fort! Grab a thin blanket (a swaddle could work too!) and create a little tent over yourself and bub for some sensory stimulation.
• Make oobleck. It’s a slimy substance made of just corn starch or corn flour with water, and will give babies some sensory stimulation! Make sure to do this in the bathroom or have a waterproof play mat laid out for easier clean-up afterwards – it can get messy!
• Make sensory bags. They make great toys for little ones discovering different sensations – squishy, crunchy, liquidy… This mama shares some tips on how to easily make them at home.
• Print out family photos or make a baby board book. I’ve noticed my bub getting interested in the family portraits we’ve hung around the house, and fellow mama friends have also shared the benefits of looking through family albums so babies can recognise the faces of their family members. There are so many fuss-free online printing services now that let you have your favourite photos in handy little polaroid-sized prints! Here at Sassy we’re also huge fans of baby board books, which are more durable and can last as family mementos for years down the road.

Image by Irina Nilsson

When everyone in the house starts to get a little stir-crazy, a little fresh air can do wonders! Babies can go from super restless to super chill the moment they step out the front door (speaking from experience).

• Go for a stroll if it’s not too hot. There’s always something to see when you’re in the neighbourhoods of SG. Whether you live near monkeys or have lots of friendly stray cats in the area, chances are you can give your baby plenty of entertainment with minimal effort!
• Play with bubbles! We recently got a bubble gun and it’s been a fun addition to my daughter’s toy collection for outdoors and bath time. Click here for more fun water play ideas.
• Take mealtimes outside. If you’re not exclusively practising baby-led weaning, you can easily bring out a thermos of your little one’s puree and feed them while they’re in the stroller or carrier. This is also a good one for helpers to do!

Image by Irina Nilsson

Step out and head to the park! Walking through the lush trees and cool air will be great for both you and baby, and when it’s time to take a break, laying a mat out and sitting under some shade will be equally stimulating. Check out this mama’s tips on outdoor sensory play ideas (including fun stuff for older kids to do!).

I’ve also brought my little one to the Marina Barrage on a weekend where plenty of families were playing with kites. She loved kicking back and watching all the kites in the sky! Tip: 4pm – 6pm grants the perfect whether for this.

Read more: Our Favourite Family Parks in Singapore

Image by Kate McFarlane

Of course not recommended in the current period of social distancing, but if your bub is still little and sleeping long stretches, pop them in a carrier and take them to the museum or mall for a nice [air-conditioned] change of scenery. This probably benefits you more than your baby, but babies do tend to enjoy hearing ambient noise and can even sleep longer when out and about (especially when held close to mama!). It would be a nice change from the usual routine at home and a chance for you to admire some art or window shop. Bonus: go where the nursing rooms take you!

Image by Soul Singapore

There’s nothing quite as comforting as going out with a fellow mama for some mum-and-bubs time. I remember my first outing with a mama friend (whose baby was just 3 weeks older than mine!) was the most stress-free and relaxed I’ve felt in weeks! The chill nursing sessions, multiple trips to the mothers’ room without a complaint, no judgement when either of our babies cried… So hit up a mama friend for a playdate! You could even try doing it virtually over Google Hangouts or Zoom during these #StayHome days!

 

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Just a couple of millennial moms in hats and their unimpressed kids. Had a chill afternoon at @dutchcolony with @fatihafaulzi and baby Anas and even continued staying there after we ate as the babies napped 😂 Love this cosy cafe! If only it doesn’t take us 30 mins to get to by car (and probably almost 2h by public transport) #northiethings #sigh #eastsidereallybestsidelah

A post shared by Nur Syazana H. (@n.syz) on Jan 31, 2020 at 8:11pm PST

Image by Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group

There are loads of baby classes and playgroups throughout the island! Currently many have been suspended, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for the situation to get better and for classes to reopen again when it’s safe in the coming months. Check if your condo has any vendors that come in to conduct fun lessons, or any available playgroups at your nearby mall!

Read more: The Best Baby Classes in Singapore: All New and Updated to Keep You Busy, Mama

Image by Muckypups

I found a lot of inspiration for stimulating activities while watching docuseries like The Beginning of Life and Babies on Netflix. And when all else fails, YouTube is a lifesaver! There are tons of of videos out there, some even specific to your baby’s age and capabilities. Check out Hapa Family, Taylor Raine or Emily Norris for fun ideas!