Week 13: Why you need to take your baby on a house tour

2 min read

Week 13: Why you need to take your baby on a house tour

Even young babies have an intense desire to understand the world around them and your home can offer an exciting world of discovery to your baby. Every room is filled with different objects that can open and close, switch on and off, or make a noise.

Take your baby on a tour of your home and show him all the things we adults do every day and even help you get some chores done.

Here are some ideas to rediscover the great indoors with baby:

Help your baby switch the lights in each room on and off. Your baby is fascinated with real-life cause and effect.
Show your baby how you pour laundry detergent into a cup and the washing machine. Slow movements will help your baby make sense of what he is seeing*.
Open the curtains in every room. Mimic the sound of the curtains sliding on the rail or say “whoosh” as you open each curtain. Describing your actions will enrich your baby’s language development.
Let your baby look at the microwave when warming up your cup of tea (again) or making lunch. Help him anticipate the “ding” to indicate your food is ready.
Play some music in the living room or playroom. Help your baby understand where the sound is coming from and clap and sing along. Your baby will benefit from hearing the rhythm regardless of the type of music.
Show your baby all the places where you will find water. Open the faucet in the kitchen, the shower, or the bathtub. Let them run their hands under the water for a sensory experience.

Toys with sounds and lights have no relation to the real world, so while they are enjoyable to your baby, he will benefit a lot more from a simple walk through the house with you.

* Just a note on safety. As your baby gets older, you might include him in household chores, such as doing laundry. Unfortunately, the sweet smell of laundry detergent or other household cleaners leads some babies to taste it. It’s best to keep all cleaning products out of reach and never leave your baby unattended near household cleaners.