As new parents, it's easy to wonder when your little one will start playing. The truth is, play begins right from the moment your baby enters the world. Let's explore how babies play before they're mobile and why these early interactions are crucial for their development.

In the first weeks of life, babies are drawn to visual stimuli

They'll fixate on faces, follow moving objects with their eyes, and react to contrasting colors. These visual activities are some of the first ways they seek play as they open their eyes to the world around them.

As your newborn adapts, their tolerance for floor time and tummy time increases. Floor play provides valuable opportunities for them to work on crucial skills like batting at objects, grasping toys, and kicking their legs. Free movement isn’t purposeful only when they can crawl; it’s a natural interest and developmental need as their mobility unfolds from the very beginning.

As their vision and mobility increase, they explore uses all of their senses

Babies are sensorial learners. They use their senses to gather information about the world: How does an object feel when touched? What sound does it make? What does it taste like? These sensory experiences are their way of making sense of their surroundings. When they can begin grasping and holding onto objects, their world of play really takes off – well before the crawling and walking days.

To support your non-mobile baby's play, don’t view them as less capable. Your baby is an active learner from day one. Offer plenty of floor time with toys that offer varied sensory feedback, and trust that the smallest movements and discoveries are making a big impact!