Nine 3 Month Old Baby Activities

They’re finding their rhythm, grabbing at everything, and maybe they’re even on a roll. Where did the time go? At three months, you’re probably feeling more confident about the basics--feeding, baths, sleep--so maybe you’ve found yourself searching for new “activities for 3 month old baby” for some inspiration. Time to have some fun!

Let’s take a look at what’s going on with your 3-month-old and talk about some activities to do with 3 month old babies.

What can babies do at 3 months?

Three month olds have got a lot going on. Here are some milestones to look forward to:

Their neck muscles are getting stronger every day (thanks, tummy time), and they might even think about rolling over.

Their legs and core are also developing nicely. Walking might be a long way off, but they’ll probably be happy to sit up on your lap and look around the room.

And even if coordinated isn’t quite the word you’d use to describe it, their hand-eye coordination is improving too. Their main goals? Hitting stuff, grabbing stuff, and putting things straight into their mouths.

Three month olds still need a lot of sleep and a lot of feeds every day, but you might notice that they’re getting into a more predictable routine (even if there are still days when it all feels like chaos).

At the very least, you should hopefully notice that when they’re awake, they’re very awake. And some of the less pleasant newborn phases (like cluster feeding) should be in the rear-view mirror. This means you can hopefully plan your daily activities around the times when your little one is usually content and alert.

So, as for how to entertain a 3 month old? Here, you’ll find baby activities for 3 month olds that align with the milestones they’re hitting right now.

And the best news? These activities don’t come with a long list of supplies, and you don’t need any time to set them up. That’s the beauty of hanging out with someone for whom everything in the world is still new.

What do you do with a 3 month old all day?

1. Tummy time

Even if they’ve mastered the art of rolling, tummy time is a great activity to continue because it lets them see things from a different perspective. If your little one is still a little reluctant to hang out on the floor, you can make things interesting by:

• Propping up their favorite picture book in front of them.
• Using a water mat, either home-made or from the toy store.
• Holding them on a yoga ball and letting them feel their changing center of balance.
• Getting down on their level and making funny faces.

2. Touch your toes

Your little one’s neck muscles are really important for supporting their big, beautiful baby head. Baby’s neck gets stronger everyday, and this is also the age where “neck flexion” (the ability to look down at their tummy and their toes in a controlled way) also develops. You can encourage this important skill by putting something interesting, like a rattle, on their feet and encouraging them to notice where the sound is coming from.

Top tip: If you place a rolled-up towel under their chubby little calves, it makes it easier for them to find their feet.

3. Stand tall

Three month olds are just learning to “bear weight” on their legs, and they think it’s the best game ever. It’s fun to face them towards you and hold their hands while they stand up on your knees. They’ll probably bump down on their bottom after a few seconds, but if you laugh and tell them how great they’re doing, the bumps become the best part of the game.

4. Have a ball

Your baby can punch and grab things now (your hair might have noticed). Balls are a great toy for developing these early ideas of cause-and-effect – that they can have an impact on the world around them through the way they move their bodies.

If you’re picking out a ball, make sure that it’s soft and light. Bonus points if it also has bright contrasting colors.

5. Here’s looking at you

Babies don’t quite realize that they’re looking at their own reflection, but they love trying to figure out mirrors. So look for toys or books that include a mirror, put a mirror in front of them at tummy time, or even just say hello and do a dance in front of the mirrors in your home. The best moments to do this are often after bathtime or as you’re getting dressed in the morning.

6. Hit the baby gym

In the last few months, a play mat might just have been a safe place for you to leave your baby while you did something that required two hands. At three months, though, it becomes something that they can really engage with. Gyms with different textures to explore are fantastic, and no three month old can resist a hanging toy.

7. Hit the lights

Three month old babies still can’t focus more than a few feet in front of them, and their depth perception isn’t particularly strong. What they can definitely see, though, is lights.

Playing shadow puppets on the wall, or even turning out the lights and putting a rope light on the floor around their play mat, can be fascinating for them. (It goes without saying, anything electrical should be played with under supervision, and they shouldn’t put anything that’s not for babies in their mouths.)

8. Find your groove

We say this for every different developmental stage, but babies love music. Even better, by three months, they can get more involved. Help them to clap (they don’t care whether you’re singing Pat-A-Cake or We Will Rock You, by the way), or move their arms or legs to the actions in a song. The Wheels on the Bus is a crowd-pleaser here.

9. Change the scenery

This activity is also great for you, mama. Fresh air makes everything seem better, especially if it’s one of those days when you’d planned a whole program and your baby just wasn’t feeling it.

So take a walk together with the stroller or a baby carrier, time your errands so you can take some extra time to look at the trees or cars, or take a picnic blanket somewhere green and do your thing in the sunshine.

You’ve got this, mama. And don’t forget, to your baby, you’re the most entertaining thing in the world.