Your baby has reached a significant milestone of 10 months already. They could be louder, and you may be unable to control them at times. Your 10-month-old has now started engaging in sensory play and developing the ability to grasp things between their forefinger and thumb, asserting and moving around, knocking down things, and banging doors, pots, and pans. Your baby may have developed words like “no” and “ah.” As infants’ language skills are still developing, they primarily communicate through babbling and making simple sounds rather than using actual words. During this stage, infants begin to develop their socializing abilities as well. You may observe that they respond differently in various social settings.
At this stage, you find yourself running around them and worrying that they don’t trip and fall in all the excitement. Your baby could also be fussy and energized like never before. This is the time when you should start interacting with your baby in a positive manner, helping them develop the balancing act.
Engaging in activities such as speaking, singing, reading aloud, playing together, and encouraging physical movement can benefit your baby’s growth and development.
4 Activities For 10 Months Old Baby
Your 10-month-old may start playing games with you. Engage in playing with them. Here we have mentioned few activities for a 10-month-old baby:
- They will love exploring the environment around them. You can bring a bucket full of twigs, stones, and leaves and let your baby know about the things you find. Let them pour out things and put them back. At the age of 10 months, engaging in sensory play is crucial for babies as it introduces them to new textures.
Kyla, a mother, suggests engaging activities suitable for 8-10-month-old babies, including the discovery baskets that she incorporates into her routine for her son, Buddy. She shares, “Discovery baskets are containers filled with normal household objects for baby to explore. I set up a discovery basket every evening before going to bed and it is the first thing Buddy crawls to in the morning. He will play quietly, investigating the contents and examining items for up to 30 minutes at a time and it is something he enjoys going back to throughout the day (i).”
- You and your toddler can enjoy the activity of finding shoes on a rainy day. You can hold up one and ask them to get the other one. They will need help in the initial stages, but this will help them identify similarities.
- Peek-a-boo can be an exciting game. This helps in developing “object performances”. Clap when they find their favorite toy. This helps improve language skills and makes them aware of object permanence.
Besides the above activities, tummy time, mirror play, plastic or sensory ball play, or finger painting activity are engaging and beneficial for your baby.
4. Reading aloud to your baby offers several benefits. It is often considered to be one of the most well-loved cognitive activities for infants. They may not be able to understand all that you read. However, it can serve as a great bonding time with your baby. Also, it enhances their communication as they hear you express different emotions through various sounds. Gradually they may start to recognize images and look forward to their regular reading time. This activity may also help develop an interest in reading and learning early on (6).
Toys For A 10 Months Old Baby Activities
Since your baby has just learned to crawl, you can get them some exciting toys now. Here are a few toy options for 10th month baby activities. Check them out.
- Push toys can be a great option. You can place some books in the wagon to make the toy suitable for them.
- Shape sorters and stacking blocks can be great fun for them. They can now tower down and figure the cup that should be placed on which.
- Your baby may be thrilled to get a toy phone. Get a phone that makes sounds and lights up as well.
- Children love playing with balloons. Balloon play will keep your baby engaged and entertained for an extended period. However, supervise them throughout to avoid any untoward incident.
The most important thing to remember is that all babies are special. While some babies may reach a particular milestone at a certain age, others may reach it earlier or later. Avoid comparing babies and the age in which they reach milestones. Let your baby develop at their own pace, and remember never to rush them to learn anything.
Create your own treasure baskets and make playtime fun like never before. Go ahead and have the best moments with your little angel of joy and cherish the memories all through your life.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What DIY toys are safe for a 10-month-old baby to play with?
A 10-month-old baby may love to play with DIY rattles by keeping pulses inside colorful plastic bottles, tunnels made of cardboard boxes, wool balls, bowls and spoons or wooden spatula, or origami toys made with old newspapers.
2. How can I incorporate music and movement into playtime with a 10-month-old baby?
You may incorporate music and movement into playtime by singing to your baby while swaying them in your arms, using musical toys which the baby may operate by pushing, pulling, or squeezing, and using rattles to grab their attention.
3. How can I incorporate water play into activities for a 10-month-old baby?
You may incorporate water play during bath time by keeping bath toys in your baby’s bathtub. Use cups and containers to pour water on your child’s body. Alternatively, you may allow your baby to have supervised water play in your sink with less water.
By now these little ones have their own personalities and love to explore. Watching them explore, fail and them learn is the best way for them to gain confidence and to get ready for the next step of development.
Infographic: Gross Motor Activities For A 10-month-old
As your baby learns to crawl and explore the world around them, provide them with age-appropriate challenging activities to make crawling fun while improving their strength and skills. Find interesting indoor and outdoor crawling activity ideas for your 10-month-old in this infographic. Save it for some ideas and inspiration.
Key Pointers
- At ten months, the baby is already moving around and crawling. Babies are very active and agile at this age.
- Channeling this energy into the right activities helps the baby’s growth and development.
- Activities that involve finding and identifying things, like peek-a-boo or searching for pairs, can boost their language and cognitive development.
- Getting toys for pushing boxes, sorting shapes and colors, and toys that make noise can improve their attention.
- By this age, babies have their own personalities, and these activities can help them explore and enhance their skills.
Illustration: Learning Activities For Your 10-Month-Old Baby
A 10-month-old is learning many new things. In this video, get some amazing ideas to keep them engaged and help them learn new skills!
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. 10 fun things to do with your 8-10 month old baby.https://thetraindriverswife.com/2014/06/16/10-things-to-do-with-a-8-10-month-old/
References
- Your baby’s growth and development – 10 months old.
https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/babys-growth-and-development-10-months-old - 9-10 months: baby development.
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/development/development-tracker-3-12-months/9-10-months - Peek-A-Boo.
https://thegeniusofplay.org/genius/play-ideas-tips/play-ideas/peek-a-boo.aspx#.YiXUPHpBzIU - Good Toys for Young Children by Age and Stage.
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/play/toys - 10–12 Months Milestones.
https://pathways.org/growth-development/10-12-months/milestones/ - The Many Benefits of Reading with Infants.
https://good2knownetwork.org/the-benefits-of-reading-with-infants/
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our nurturing community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with fellow parents.
Read full bio of Dr. Tashawna Stokes
Read full bio of Jessica Albert
Read full bio of Rohit Garoo
Read full bio of Vibha Navarathna