“Oh, how I wish I were a baby?” is a statement many of us adults utter when the chaos and responsibilities of adulthood are just too much to handle. We all wish at some point that we had an easy few days like a baby where we had nothing to worry about. We can just lay around and sleep all day. But do babies get bored lying around all day? This is something to ponder about.
How do babies actually while away all that time they are awake? Do they sleep and just observe a lot, leaving them with not much time, or are they bored and doing all this to kill time? Have you ever wondered if a baby’s life of “eat, poop, sleep, and repeat” can be boring?
In This Article
- Do Babies Get Bored?
- How to Tell If Babies Are Bored?
- Top 5 Tips to Keep Your Baby Engaged
- How Much Play Time is Good For Babies?
- FAQ’s
Do Babies Get Bored?
Yes, just like adults, babies get bored too. Babies have a lot of learning to do and they are constantly learning something or the other. Despite all this, they do get bored by staying in the same room, playing with the same toys, or even playing the same game with you.
No matter how much a baby loves to play peek-a-boo or get tickled, after a point, you can visibly see them losing interest in it. The same happens with toys and surroundings too.
How to Tell If Babies Are Bored?
Babies learn to communicate quickly as they grow. Initially, your newborn might just cry. As they get older, your baby will cry, coo differently, try to look around for you or a familiar face, make sudden cute noises, or just squirm.
If you are sitting next to them and keeping them occupied with the same game or toy, they may just look away and stop responding to show their boredom. When they stop actively interacting, it can mean they are either bored or tired.
When their grip gets better, they may throw toys they find boring and grab toys that are interesting.
[Read : Baby Crying – Causes And Tips to Calm Your Baby]
Top 5 Tips to Keep Your Baby Engaged
Is your baby easily bored? Are you struggling to keep them engaged as they grow and become more alert? Try these 5 tips.
- Put them near the window or a different room with a different view at least during one of the wake times between naps. When they have different surroundings to look at, especially moving trees, clouds, birds, or just the noise of the world going by, they will take more time to get bored.
- Have different sets of toys for different parts of the day. Split the toys into batches and store them accordingly. Label the box if necessary, of others who are taking care of the baby. If they have different toys after each nap, they will explore more. Try different shapes, sizes, and textures.
- Hand a cot mobile above their head. Rotating toys with music can keep a baby occupied for a very long time. it can also encourage them to reach out and improve both gross and fine motor skills.
- Take them on a walk outside. Fresh air and nature can do both you and your baby a lot of good.
- If there is another child in the house, let them bond and play together. You will have to stay close by and keep a close watch to ensure safety.
[Read : 8 Learning And Engaging Activities For 3-Month-Old Baby]
How Much Play Time is Good For Babies?
As babies grow, their sleep time decreases and awake time increases. Initially, they may be content with just holding your finger or looking at your face. As they grow, they need interactive playtime to help them improve their skills – both cognitively and physically.
It can be as little as 30 -60 minutes of playtime for an infant. For toddlers, doctors recommend a good 60 minutes a day of unstructured yet supervised play time in addition to minimum 30 minutes of active playtime where an adult teaches or engages them.
You can increase this time as they grow and awake windows increase.
We all get bored and do something on our own. It is important to let your baby develop this from day 1. Paying them too much attention and constantly keeping them engaged may seem like a good idea for their cognitive development. On the contrary, you may make your baby overly dependent on others’ attention, which can become very difficult as they grow and sleep time reduces.
FAQ’s
1. Is Crying a Sign of Boredom in Babies?
Crying is the only way babies can communicate. It can mean many things and boredom is one of them. A baby can even coo differently or throw things to show their displeasure and need for attention.
2. Does a Baby Benefit From Being Bored?
Yes, when a baby is bored due to the absence of attention from a caregiver, they learn to think and look around on their own. They learn to self-soothe and be content with their surroundings.
3. Is Boredom Bad For a Baby’s Cognitive Development?
On the contrary, it does good for them. When a baby is bored, they learn to observe their surroundings and absorb more. They learn independent play and thought instead of being stimulated at all times by an adult or a sibling.
Read Also: Guide To Buying Age Appropriate Toys – Newborns To 1 Year
