How to Entertain an Unhappy Baby
Talk to the baby., Comfort the baby with touch., Try peekaboo., Read a book together., Play the imitation game., Give the baby a change in scenery.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Talk to the baby.
A simple way to entertain a baby is to just talk about anything in a soft, kind voice.
Babies love being talked to.
Use "parentese" instead of "baby talk." Baby talk is made up of sounds and nonsense words.
Meanwhile, parentese uses actual words in short, simple sentences spoken in a repetitive sing-song manner.
Parentese is more enjoyable to babies than adult talk and will help them learn language, while baby talk may actually delay language development.A baby should get undivided attention several times a day regardless of how unhappy he or she seems. -
Step 2: Comfort the baby with touch.
Touch can be a baby's primary source of entertainment, especially at very young ages.
If the baby starts to fuss more with any of these methods, stop and try a different one.
Hold the baby.
Try to simply pick up and hold the baby and look for a response.
Sometimes babies become upset because they feel insecure, and an adult holding them makes them feel safe again.
Bounce the baby on your knee.
Sit on a chair and carefully sit the baby on your thigh near your knee.
Make sure you and the baby are facing each other and give the baby extra support by holding the baby's torso with your hands.
Slowly bounce the baby up and down by lifting your knee up an inch or two.
If a baby starts to look sick from the up-and-down motion, stop immediately.
He or she is probably getting nauseous and may vomit on you.
Tickle the baby gently.
Brush your fingertips gently against the bottom of the baby's feet and across the tummy.
Tickling generally won't work to entertain babies under four months in any obvious way.
Babies do not start to laugh in response to tickling until they're between four to six months in age., Very young babies don't understand object permanence, meaning that they think when they can no longer see something, it ceases to exist.
To these babies, peekaboo can appear genuinely surprising or even scary. "Looming" where an adult slowly moves his or her face in and out of few is often entertaining at this age.Starting at around six to eight months, babies begin to learn object permanence.
Instead of being surprised, they begin to understand the "joke" and start to love playing peekaboo.
This enjoyment usually lasts until they're about one year in age.
Playing peekaboo is simple:
Start by making your face level with the baby's and maintain eye contact.
Be sure to smile during the whole game.
Place your hands or a blanket in front of your face Try asking: "Where am I?" The baby may point and/or say: "Here!" Show your face and say: "Here I am!" and/or "Peekaboo!" Then start over.
Depending on where the baby is in skill development, the baby may take a turn by covering his or her own face., Select a picture book.
Get eye level to the baby and slowly read the book out loud.
The baby will enjoy the sound of your voice and the pictures on the page.
Be sure to go fairly slowly with young infants and faster with older babies., Try to get the baby to do what you do.
Make an exaggerated expression with your face right in front of the baby's.
Praise the baby when he or she matches you to teach the baby how to play.
With older babies, you can start incorporating body and limb movements into your game.
Remember that very young infants don't yet understand more complicated motions., Just like adults, babies sometimes get bored sitting around looking at the same place all day.
Move the baby to a new place and see how he or she reacts.
Switch rooms.
Very young babies will be amazed by their new surroundings.
Watch them look around, exploring with their developing eyes.
Go for a walk.
As babies mature, they require more novelty.
If an older baby is being fussy, go for a walk with the baby in either a sling or a stroller.
The baby will likely enjoy both the movement and new sensory experiences.
A walk around the neighborhood or down to the coffee shop will also give the baby a chance to interact with new people. -
Step 3: Try peekaboo.
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Step 4: Read a book together.
-
Step 5: Play the imitation game.
-
Step 6: Give the baby a change in scenery.
Detailed Guide
A simple way to entertain a baby is to just talk about anything in a soft, kind voice.
Babies love being talked to.
Use "parentese" instead of "baby talk." Baby talk is made up of sounds and nonsense words.
Meanwhile, parentese uses actual words in short, simple sentences spoken in a repetitive sing-song manner.
Parentese is more enjoyable to babies than adult talk and will help them learn language, while baby talk may actually delay language development.A baby should get undivided attention several times a day regardless of how unhappy he or she seems.
Touch can be a baby's primary source of entertainment, especially at very young ages.
If the baby starts to fuss more with any of these methods, stop and try a different one.
Hold the baby.
Try to simply pick up and hold the baby and look for a response.
Sometimes babies become upset because they feel insecure, and an adult holding them makes them feel safe again.
Bounce the baby on your knee.
Sit on a chair and carefully sit the baby on your thigh near your knee.
Make sure you and the baby are facing each other and give the baby extra support by holding the baby's torso with your hands.
Slowly bounce the baby up and down by lifting your knee up an inch or two.
If a baby starts to look sick from the up-and-down motion, stop immediately.
He or she is probably getting nauseous and may vomit on you.
Tickle the baby gently.
Brush your fingertips gently against the bottom of the baby's feet and across the tummy.
Tickling generally won't work to entertain babies under four months in any obvious way.
Babies do not start to laugh in response to tickling until they're between four to six months in age., Very young babies don't understand object permanence, meaning that they think when they can no longer see something, it ceases to exist.
To these babies, peekaboo can appear genuinely surprising or even scary. "Looming" where an adult slowly moves his or her face in and out of few is often entertaining at this age.Starting at around six to eight months, babies begin to learn object permanence.
Instead of being surprised, they begin to understand the "joke" and start to love playing peekaboo.
This enjoyment usually lasts until they're about one year in age.
Playing peekaboo is simple:
Start by making your face level with the baby's and maintain eye contact.
Be sure to smile during the whole game.
Place your hands or a blanket in front of your face Try asking: "Where am I?" The baby may point and/or say: "Here!" Show your face and say: "Here I am!" and/or "Peekaboo!" Then start over.
Depending on where the baby is in skill development, the baby may take a turn by covering his or her own face., Select a picture book.
Get eye level to the baby and slowly read the book out loud.
The baby will enjoy the sound of your voice and the pictures on the page.
Be sure to go fairly slowly with young infants and faster with older babies., Try to get the baby to do what you do.
Make an exaggerated expression with your face right in front of the baby's.
Praise the baby when he or she matches you to teach the baby how to play.
With older babies, you can start incorporating body and limb movements into your game.
Remember that very young infants don't yet understand more complicated motions., Just like adults, babies sometimes get bored sitting around looking at the same place all day.
Move the baby to a new place and see how he or she reacts.
Switch rooms.
Very young babies will be amazed by their new surroundings.
Watch them look around, exploring with their developing eyes.
Go for a walk.
As babies mature, they require more novelty.
If an older baby is being fussy, go for a walk with the baby in either a sling or a stroller.
The baby will likely enjoy both the movement and new sensory experiences.
A walk around the neighborhood or down to the coffee shop will also give the baby a chance to interact with new people.
About the Author
Teresa Harvey
Committed to making lifestyle accessible and understandable for everyone.
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