Baby game to play: Row, Row, Row your boat

The HOW and Why of  playing this traditional song as a game with your baby.

 

Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream. 

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily,  
Life is but a dream.

AGE: From when your baby is 4 months

old.

Lullabies





Lullaby painted by 
William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1875)

Libraries have a lot to offer

Libraries are a free source of wonderful learning materials and now, in Australia and many other countries, they are a way for parents of young children to connect and learn.

You can borrow great baby books, for free, from your local library and there is usually a specific section of board books which are the absolute best for babies.

This means you can have lots of books in your home for your baby to explore and you can change books regularly. If one or two become favourites then you know which ones to purchase or request for birthday gifts.

Songs for babies

As requested, here are some song and rhyme ideas to do with your baby.

I always find that children love to hear others singing, rather than listening to a CD. So try and remember some rhymes from when you were growing up or learn a few new ones. Don't worry about whether you think you have a good singing voice - your baby will love it.

Singing songs with your child has many benefits but the main ones are connection and fun. Click on the underlined links to find the full rhyme.

This little froggy - a toe tickling rhyme like three little pigs.

Little Arabella Miller found a fuzzy caterpillar - creep fingers on childs arm or leg

One potato, two potato, - hold their hands like fists and help them do actions

I'm a little teapot - sway child from side to side and tip to side

Like a leaf or a feather, in the windy, windy, weather - stand, holding child and gently twirl around and bend down to ground.

FOR OLDER BABIES:  When they have good head control

There were four fat sausages sizzling in a pan ... - on sizzle give them a little shake, on 'Pop' and 'bang' lift them up and down

Humpty Dumpty - sit them high on your knees facing you, then knees fall down then jig up and down for "horses"

Jack, be nimble, Jack, be quick - adult sits with legs out straight, child on floor to side and lift them over your legs from side to side

See-saw, Margery Daw - Do the same as Row, row, row your boat

Have fun. More songs? go to Kidsongs.

Top 10 baby play activities

In no particular order:
1. Baby massage
2. Finding Faces
3. Talking with your baby
4. Tummy Time and Floor Time
5. Outdoors
6. Singing songs
7. Dancing
8. Stories and books
9. Meditation
10. Make a mobile

What else would you add to the list for playing with babies?