There are so many activities to try with your baby during their first year. It might take a bit of research, but it’s worth taking time to find out what kind of baby-friendly activities are on offer in your local area as these are things that you can enjoy together as a family.
Read on for tips on what activities you could try. There are even a few things on this list that can be done from the comfort of your home!
Create family memories
There are a lot of great benefits that can come from taking part in these fun activities. Not the least that the more active your baby is during the day, the more likely they are to sleep at night (right?). Plus, by getting out and trying new things as a family, you’ll have many amazing memories to look back on from years to come.
If you’re looking for some ideas, here is a guide to some fun activities you can do with your baby during their first year.
1. Baby Swimming Classes
Taking your baby for their first swimming experience is a great way to build trust at this early stage. It’s also a great way to stimulate your child and allows them to learn something new while having fun too! Taking your baby to the swimming pool at an early stage works to build their confidence in the water.
Contact your local swimming pool to get an idea about what they offer for young ones. Whether you choose to take your baby to a class, or just visit during baby-friendly times for some free play, this is a great way to spend a few hours together.
2. Baby massage
Baby massage is another beautiful way to bond with your baby. The soothing techniques involved in baby massage are a beautiful way to enjoy some quiet time together and there are also plenty of other benefits. Baby massage can help to increase your awareness of your baby’s needs, and even improve their sleep (and who doesn’t want that!)
For more information about the science and techniques behind baby massage, visit the National Childbirth Trust (NCT) website.
3. Enjoy a day at the beach
It might not be the first thing you think of, but here in the UK we really do have some incredibly beautiful beaches. Take along a bucket and shovel or some other sand-friendly toys and let your child explore!
Do you live in Aberdeen City or Shire? We have a whole article dedicated to all the fun things you can do as a family in the Aberdeen area. Make sure to give it a read to get even more ideas!
4. Attend a music or dance class
Music classes or other physical play classes such as tumble tots can help develop coordination and agility. These classes also give your child the chance to interact with other children their own age. Whether you choose a regular class or opt to just try them out a couple of times, they are a great way to add in some fun social time to your child’s routine.
5. Share nightly storytime
This might seem unnecessary when your baby is at such a young age, but reading to your baby actually plays an important role in their early development.
As well as introducing them to new concepts such as colours, letters and shapes, reading to your baby builds important listening skills. It also helps build a foundation for the communication skills they will continue to develop as they grow.
6. Go berry picking
At first, this might sound like your worst nightmare. Who wants to drive out to some field to spend the day picking berries, and end up muddy and tired? However, this is actually a super fun way to spend some time outdoors with the whole family. Visit a local farm and spend the day picking some delicious fruit to bring home with you. Strawberries are a particularly easy choice for younger children since they grow close to the ground. This is a great way to familiarise your child with new textures.
7. Finger painting
Spark some creativity by letting your child go wild with some messy play. Studies have shown that messy play, such as finger painting, is a great way to develop your child’s sensory skills.
If it’s nice outdoors, you could even do this outside. Just make sure to relax into the mess – there’ll be plenty of time to clean it up once your child has created their masterpiece.
Layout some paper and some newspaper to contain the mess, and let them play!
8. Capture this important stage of your child’s life in beautiful pictures
There are so many important milestones to document within your child’s first year. These changes happen so fast, making it all the more important to capture each stage in a way you can look back on forever. To help with this, we offer a number of different options when it comes to photographing your child at this important first stage.
From beautiful newborn portraits, capturing every gorgeous detail of your baby, to super cute Little Sitter sessions, capturing the amazing changes in your baby and marking this important milestone. Then, to celebrate their first birthday, a fun session where they can really let their personality shine.
These incredibly important stages in your child’s life are often gone before you know it, so making sure to capture them properly is so important. Even better when you’re able to display beautiful images of your child as artwork around your home.
If you want to find out more information, contact us using our online form or give us a call. We’d love to chat with you about how we can help capture these special moments for you and your baby!
Fun activities to do in your child’s first year
Your child’s first year is equally exhausting and incredibly exciting. There are so many amazing “firsts” packed into such a short period – it’s a time unlike any other! These are just a few ideas for fun ways to spend time together, and creating memories you can look back on forever. Do you have any more activities you’d like to share? Let us know!
Make sure to fill out our contact form to book your visit to Kingshill Studios!
