Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Play and games for 0-year-old babies: Fun developmental and educational activities

9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

Just looking at tiny, adorable babies makes you feel happy, doesn’t it?

We tend to think that newborns spend most of their time sleeping, but it’s also a period of remarkable growth.

Interacting closely and playing together with familiar people provides babies with plenty of stimulation and has very positive effects on their physical and mental development, as well as on attachment formation.

Let’s actively incorporate lots of play not only at daycare but at home, too.

In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of activities you can enjoy together with your baby.

From bonding games and sensory play to activities using educational toys, a wide variety of play ideas are gathered here!

Find the perfect activities that match your baby’s age in months and developmental stage.

[Childcare] Play and games for 0-year-old babies: Fun developmental and educational activities (21–30)

Interactive play: “Pop the Egg”

Hand-play and touch interaction song “Tamago o Pon” [Shufunotomo Co., Ltd.]

Interactive play: “Pop the Egg”

Hold the baby’s hands and bring them together as if cracking an egg.

From there, to the rhythm of the song, gently touch their face, neck, and body—this interactive play is called “Tamagowo Pon.” Raw egg, fried egg, boiled egg… the cute lyrics are delightful, aren’t they? And of course, zero-year-olds are as adorable as little jewels.

If you see a smile during this touch-time, it will make you happy too.

Talking to the baby while touching their body supports their emotional development and helps with stress care.

It’s also known as “touch care.”

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Finger play: From Inside the Cabbage

[With vocals] From Inside the Cabbage – Children’s Song / Hand Play Song

Finger play: From Inside the Cabbage

“From inside the cabbage” is a fingerplay song you can enjoy while teaching the names of the fingers.

With the hand in a fist, you pop one finger up and learn names like Daddy finger and Mommy finger.

However, for infants around 0 years old, distinguishing finger names is difficult, so there’s no need to try to teach them yet.

Instead, think of ways to show it so the baby finds it amusing to see a finger sprout out from the fist.

First and foremost, focus on capturing their interest.

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[Children’s Song] From Above, From Below

A nursery rhyme kids will love: “From Above and Below”

[Children's Song] From Above, From Below

Perfect for infants, “Ue kara Shita kara” is sung at a gentle tempo while you sway a scarf.

Moving the scarf in time with the song will draw the children’s attention as they watch it sway.

At the end, softly drape the scarf over the child’s face, call the child’s name, and say “Peekaboo!” as you lift the scarf away.

Reactions vary depending on the child’s age in months and personality.

It’s also an activity teachers can enjoy, as they may see new responses that didn’t appear before.

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ring play

What kinds of ring games are there for 0-year-olds?

ring play

Let’s play using rings like the ones used for ring toss! You can play in a ring-toss style by throwing rings onto targets, or simply use the rings on their own for a variety of fun activities.

Even if the 0-year-old children don’t touch the rings directly, it can be enjoyable for the teacher to spin the rings and show them, or to demonstrate how ring toss works.

If you have large rings like hula hoops, it might be nice to have the children crawl into the ring, or crawl through it like a tunnel.

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Newspaper play

[Ages 0–2] Newspaper Play in the Infant Class

Newspaper play

Endless ways to play! Try all kinds of activities using newspaper.

Enjoy the crinkly texture and sound, tear it up with a satisfying rip, or crumple it into a ball and toss it—newspaper is perfect for indoor play with countless possibilities.

Because kids use their hands a lot, it’s also great for developing fine motor skills.

Flexibly follow children’s free ideas and interests, and keep expanding the play together.

When you’re done, gather the torn pieces into a big bag to make a ball, or try crafting teru-teru bozu (little weather charms) or fish—it’s lots of fun, too.

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material play

“First Play with Materials” [0-Year-Olds] | Minami Senri Oka Yūiku-en [Nursery/Kindergarten Event]

material play

How about some material play using a variety of items? Things that are familiar to adults are all new and intriguing to babies.

Since you can use easily prepared items like raffia tape, aluminum foil, and bubble wrap, it’s great for daycares and easy to try at home too.

Babies explore in many ways—touching the materials to enjoy their textures, gripping them tightly, crumpling them to make sounds—and each child plays differently.

They might even discover a favorite material! Be sure to choose safe materials and play together, as small pieces or easily torn items can pose a choking hazard.

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[Children’s song] Nigiri Pacchiri

[Cloth Play] Nursery Rhymes [From Up and Down / Nigiri Pacchiri / 3 Other Picks]

[Children’s song] Nigiri Pacchiri

“Nigiri Pacchiri” is a game where you roll a cloth into a ball in your hands to the rhythm of a song, then let it fluff open at the end, imagining it as a living creature.

The basic version is a chick, but there’s also a sparrow variation.

Because the cloth stays hidden in your hands until the very end, children get excited, wondering, “What’s going to happen?” and “What will come out?” You can also ask the kids, “What should come out next?” and then reveal the creature they choose.

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