13 Simply Wonderful Activities For 3 Month Old Babies

Author Image By Paula McLaren - Norland Nurse NNEB RSH •  Updated: 06/21/23 •  Development / Games & Toys

As your baby grows, playing becomes more important than ever.

Discover the best stimulating activities for 3 month old babies that will help them interact with the world around them, promote cognitive and motor development and most importantly, have fun!

5 Wonderful Sensory Activities For 3 Month Old

These baby activities will help your little one interact with their world and understand how they fit into it as well as help their cognitive development.

Sensory Play Mats and Blankets
Why Do I Recommend It?: A sensory mat or blanket is a great addition to tummy time play and has the added bonus of not only strengthening your baby's upper body but allowing them to explore different textures and patterns while on their tummy.
How: Place your baby on a sensory play mat such as a water mat or brightly coloured and boldly patterned textured mat and let them enjoy the experience of how different things feel.
Mirror Mirror
Why Do I Recommend It?: All babies love mirrors and as your little one reaches 3 months of age they will find mirrors mesmerising. They can be used in so many settings: during tummy time, in their crib, in books or while you are holding them in front of a large mirror.
How: Place your baby in front of a mirror during tummy time, or attach one to the side of their crib and let them get to know their reflection.
Our Pick
Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror | Developmental Baby Toy

We all know the importance of tummy time and there is no better way to keep your baby engaged during this essential activity than with a tummy time mirror. This one from Sassy is sturdy but soft and has a large good quality mirror that is guaranteed to grab baby's attention. It also comes in a black and white colourway.

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Foot and Wrist Rattles
Why Do I Recommend It?: I love this relatively new innovation as it allows your baby to experiment with movement and sound as well as touch different textures without the frustration of dropping their rattle. These attachable rattles are ideal activities for 3 month old babies.
How: Attach the rattles to either the feet or wrists of your little one and let them have fun with the sounds and textures.
Bloobloomax Wrist Rattles and Foot Finder Rattle Socks For Baby

The Bloobloomax Wrist and Foot Rattles provide a colourful and engaging way to stimulate your baby's senses and promote cognitive development. With their high-contrast colours and textures, these rattles are designed to capture your baby's attention and encourage exploration. Suitable for babies from 0-12 months, these rattles are made from safe, non-toxic materials and are easy to clean making them the perfect playtime companions.

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Take Them Outside
Why Do I Recommend It?: Whilst not strictly an “activity for 3 month old babies”, it is never too early to introduce your little one to the joys of being outside in nature! Show them all you can and as long as they're appropriately dressed, try to get them outside in all weathers too.
How: When you can take your baby outside to play, put a blanket on the grass and let them look at nature. Walk them around the garden and talk to them about what you see. Lay them on their tummy and let them feel the grass, lay them on their back and look up at the trees.
Sensory Development Bumpy Ball
Why Do I Recommend It?: Now that your baby is able to grasp and hold things, offering them textured objects like Developmental Bumpy Balls are a great way to stimulate their sense of touch and inspire their minds.
How: Offer your little one this sensory ball to hold and feel. They may need you to hold it for them to begin with… but as their grasp and dexterity improve, they will love to feel all the different textures of this great first toy.
Sassy Developmental Sensory Ball

This is a great sensory ball from Sassy which I am sure will become a firm favourite. Ideal for little hands and offering lots of different textures and sounds, this is a great little ball.

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4 Stimulating Cognitive Activities For 3 Month Old

These daily activities will ensure baby’s brain is learning as much as it possibly can during the early years whilst ensuring they’re still having fun.

The Art of Conversation
Why Do I Recommend It?: Like so many activities for 3 month old babies, talking to your baby and holding their gaze is a hugely bonding experience. There is nothing more wonderful than hearing your baby coo back at you as they try to communicate.
How: Chat to your baby face to face. Talk to them and then pause to allow them time to respond. Over time your little one will respond with vocal sounds and then wait for you to talk back.
Read Books Together
Why Do I Recommend It?: I love all types of books and it is never too early to introduce your little one to the world of books. There are some wonderful age-appropriate books to choose from which are ideal for 3 month olds that have bright colours, bold patterns and mirrors. Cloth books that crinkle are especially good for this age group and they will love to snuggle up and listen to your voice.
How: Find age-appropriate books and a cosy, calm corner to cuddle up in. Talk about the colours and textures and encourage your baby to feel the books too. Use different voices, and expressions and generally have a fun time together.

Peek-A-Boo!
Why Do I Recommend It?: Peek-A-Boo is a great game for all ages but, at this early age, your baby will still love the anticipation of you saying peek-a-boo as they first discover the concept of object permanence.
How: Cover your baby's face with a soft muslin cloth then pull it away and say peek-a-boo! Or cover your face with your hands and then reveal your face to them with a beaming smile!
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Track and Follow
Why Do I Recommend It?: This is another simple activity for 3 month olds that will greatly improve your baby's concentration and focus and is something that you can do a little of every day. You, your partner, friends and family can all play this game and you'll be helping to develop baby's vision, cognitive abilities and neck muscle strength.
How: Hold a rattle or a brightly coloured object in front of your baby and move it from side to side and watch as they track its movement.

4 Effective Motor Activities For 3 Month Old

These fun activities will be firm favourites for your 3 month old time and time again. From helping them to refine both their fine motor skills and gross motor skills, your baby will be developing at a rapid rate.

Reach and Grab
Why Do I Recommend It?: Reach and grab activities for 3 month old babies are fantastic to play as it improves your baby's hand-eye coordination and they will not tire of you handing them their rattle again and again!
How: Hold a rattle out for your baby to reach and grab at. When they drop it, repeat! They will gradually start to hold onto their toys for longer periods as their grasp and dexterity improves.
Lying Under A Play Gym
Why Do I Recommend It?: Play and activity gyms are perfect for 3 month old babies. They allow them to play independently, reach out, grab and swipe at the toys dangling above them. They the perfect toy for mastering hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
How: Lay your baby on their back under an activity gym and let them swipe, gaze and play with the dangling toys.
Our Pick
The Lovevery Play Gym | Stage-Based Developmental Activity Gym & Play Mat for Baby to Toddler

This play gym is designed by experts for baby's developing brain and body. Winner of multiple awards it includes everything you need in an activity gym-from batting to teething to learning to focus-for a whole year of play.

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Change Position
Why Do I Recommend It?: Changing the position you carry your baby in will help to strengthen their muscles in a comfortable and interesting way. This keeps them engaged and interested in the world around them.
How: Carry your baby around the room or garden in different positions, sometimes facing forward and sometimes over your shoulder.
Tummy Time
Why Do I Recommend It?: By 3 months, your baby should be enjoying tummy time a lot more and it is a great opportunity to put different objects around them for them to experience and explore. From tummy time books to mirrors and play mats or just an interesting toy there is so much you can now offer your little one during tummy time to entertain them and develop their all-important neck, shoulder and upper body muscles.
How: Lay your baby on their tummy and place toys or tummy time books just within their reach to keep them occupied.
Baby's First Tummy Time Mat
Bright Starts Tummy Time Prop & Play Activity Mat - Polar Bear

With this cushioned tummy time mat, your little one will have the cosiest space to support all their wiggles and kicks. Including a cute prop-up pillow, plush seal, baby-safe mirror and silk tags, this adorable mat will help every newborn love tummy time!

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Looking to get your little one to sleep quickly and effortlessly? Check out my Bedtime and Nap Cheat Sheet and master the art of making daytime naps and bedtimes as seamless as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions About Activities For 3 Month Old Babies

Looking for more information about activities for 3 month old babies? Here are the answers to the most common questions.

What Development Milestones Should A 3 Month Old Be Reaching?

Your 3 month old baby will now be able to do more physically and to be more visibly engaged both cognitively and emotionally.

Expected developmental milestones for this age are:

For some more information about 3 month old milestones, check out this post from E Medicine Health.

How Do You Entertain A 3 Month Old?

Entertaining a 3 month old can be joyous, as you’re finally getting a true response.

In addition to that first heart-melting smile, you will now notice that they are so much more aware of what is going on around them and they will start showing an interest in wanting to reach for objects and study new things more intently.

So now is the perfect time to entertain a 3 month old baby by introducing them to as much of their new world as possible and talking to them all the time to help develop their language skills and motor skills.

The Importance Of Learning Through Play

Play is hugely important for all age groups as it is the cornerstone of how children begin to learn about the world around them.

Playing allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength.

Play is also important for healthy brain development and in early childhood, playing is how children explore, investigate and interpret the world around them and begin to understand human emotions and relationships.

It helps to promote language development as well as social, communication and cognitive skills.

And as they grow, play nurtures your child’s imagination and teaches them how to share, work with others and solve problems.

In addition to all this, a child’s sense of self-worth and faith in their abilities are greatly influenced by play and how we interact with them.

So, the importance of play in child development cannot be underestimated and it is up to us, as parents and carers, to provide a safe and nourishing play environment in which children can best play and flourish.

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Author Image Bio
Paula McLaren is the founder of Teething to Tantrums and a highly qualified childcare expert with over 40 years of experience as a Norland Nanny. She holds a BA (Hons) in Early Years Development & Learning (0-6 Years) and the prestigious Norland Diploma. Paula has worked as a night nanny, run a successful daycare center in London, and helped raise countless children using her tried and tested developmental and guidance methods.

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