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 activities for development and early learning (31–40)

a round egg

Round Little Egg [Fingerplay Song]

a round egg

“Maarui Tamago” is a hand-play song themed around eggs, and the hand movements that match the onomatopoeia and mimetic words give a delightfully fun impression.

First, you put your hands together to represent a round egg.

Then you act out the egg cracking and a chick emerging from inside.

Since it features many onomatopoeic and mimetic expressions that children tend to love, it’s likely to capture their interest even more.

Another fun point is that sometimes a creature that doesn’t exist in real life hatches from the egg.

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Rolling Eggs

[Hand play] Rolling Egg (Marika)

Rolling Eggs

The hand-play song “Korokoro Tamago,” which repeats the same motions, is also recommended.

It depicts an egg rolling, a chick that hatches and walks, and a grown chicken crowing.

You show the egg by making a fist and rolling your arms, the chick by moving your index finger up and down, and the chicken by flapping your hands.

All the motions are simple, so it’s considered easy for children to imitate from an early stage.

Another appeal is that kids can enjoy moving their bodies in big, dynamic ways.

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sensory bag

[Handmade Squishies] Three Types of Educational Toys Babies Can Play With [How to Make & Objectives]

sensory bag

Why not try making a DIY sensory bag and have some fun? Sensory bags are said to stimulate a baby’s sight and hearing and promote brain development, and you can easily make them with items from a 100-yen shop.

First, put an appropriate amount of different textured liquids—such as liquid laundry starch, styling gel, or baby oil—into a zip-top bag.

Next, add color to the liquid with paint, drop in beads or marbles, and seal the bag tightly with tape so nothing leaks out.

The irresistibly squishy feel is surprisingly addictive.

The sparkle of the beads and the slow, gooey movement of the liquid are fascinating, so babies around 0 years old are sure to be captivated! Give it a try.

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smooch smooch cluck cluck

Fabric Play “Chuchu-Kokko”

smooch smooch cluck cluck

“Chuchu-Kokko” is a game where you sway a soft cloth like a scarf up and down to the rhythm of a song, then toss it up at the end and try to catch it.

Will the children be able to catch the gently floating cloth? They can throw it themselves and play, or they can catch a scarf tossed by an adult—either is fine.

It might be fun for preschoolers to increase the number of scarves and try catching two at once.

For infants, lightly draping the scarf over their head so it floats down softly will likely delight them.

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block play

[0-year-olds] Playing with large blocks ♬

block play

Block play that lets you assemble pieces to create various shapes like houses and rooms.

When people hear “blocks,” many may picture small pieces like LEGO bricks, but there are actually large blocks bigger than a child’s face! With larger ones, you don’t have to worry about them ending up in their mouth.

The appeal of blocks is that there are so many ways to enjoy them—assembling, grabbing and tossing, or having a teacher build a house and letting the children go inside.

Let’s have fun playing freely while combining the pieces in all sorts of ways.

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[Childcare] Play and games for 0-year-old babies: Fun developmental and educational activities (41–50)

Eurhythmics play

[0-year-olds] Eurhythmics play in time with music♪

Eurhythmics play

How about trying some eurhythmics play that lets kids move their bodies energetically even indoors? Moving to music or piano is said to promote children’s sense of rhythm, concentration, expressiveness, and thinking skills.

First, the childcare teacher should cheerfully demonstrate in front of the children.

They’ll be drawn in by the teacher’s vibe and will want to imitate! For 0-year-olds, there are large individual differences in physical development, so it’s best to suggest movements and play styles suited to each child—those who are lying down, crawling, or already walking.

Let’s increase their opportunities to engage with music and stimulate all five senses!

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Interactive play “Donguri Korokoro”

[Brain-Boosting Baby-mo] Baby Massage: “Donguri Korokoro”

Interactive play “Donguri Korokoro”

Gently give your baby a massage while singing “Donguri Korokoro”! Baby massage is commonly done by applying oil and touching the bare skin directly, but you can still convey warmth and give your baby a sense of security by touching over their clothes.

While softly singing as if speaking to your baby, enjoy bonding through touch by placing your hands on their tummy or cheeks, or holding their hands and moving them to the rhythm.

There’s no need to sing perfectly! Hum with love and gently touch their whole body evenly.

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