The Ultimate Activity List for 3 Month Old Babies

Have you ever looked at the time and wondered “what am I suppose to do with my baby until nap time?” I asked myself the same question so many times with my first baby that it felt like the day kind of dragged until my husband came home from work.

With my second child, I didn’t really asked that question as much. Maybe because I’m busy taking care of two littles or I just know what to do since I’ve already been through this stage once before.

I thought I would share some things I did with Ember (when she was 3 months old) to give you some ideas for what to do with your 3 month old baby.

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Tummy Time

I tried to get both of my girls used to tummy time as much as possible right from the beginning for their awake time. My second born did not like to do tummy time for too long, but I definitely got her to do her tummy time when she was most alert (usually right after her feeding).

Boppy pillows are a great way to prop up baby for tummy time. Put interesting toys in front of baby or simply lay baby down on a colorful blanket for their tummy time. 

Swing or Bouncer

My baby loves her swing and will stay in there happily for a long time. She also likes to look at the mobil hanging from the top of the swing. Another thing she likes to do while she is in the swing is to hold on to a blankie or a rattle.

Neither my oldest or youngest were much of a baby bouncer fan, but I know some moms who swear by them. We did use our bouncer a few times, but we will probably just sell it since both of my girls preferred the swing.

Go Outside

If baby is fussy try going outside for a bit. For my girls, as soon as we go outside the crying usually stopped and seemed to get content right away. We don’t really have a back yard, but we have a small patio where I can sit and enjoy the sunshine for a bit.

Too hot, too cold, or rainy? Put baby in the car seat and let them look out the window. Whenever there are birds or animals going by my baby will watch them curiously.

Talk, Sing, & Read

Imitating sounds that baby makes will sometimes make them laugh. My Ember would get so tickled when I imitated her gurgles and silly noises. It’s really fun to watch them try different sounds and move their lips in different ways.

Mamas singing is another favorite for baby. I sing silly songs in Japanese because I remember really liking them when I was a little girl. I also sing to her before she lays down for every nap and bed time as a routine for her.

Want to see what my 3 month old’s baby schedule is like? Check out 3 Month Old Baby Schedule.

At 3 months old, your baby might not be too interested in regular books yet, but he or she might like books that have silly sounds or have black and white images that are eye-catching for them.

Play Peekaboo

Playing peekaboo is another great way to make your baby giggle. Use a burp cloth to cover baby’s eyes or just use your hands. Either way baby usually loves to play peekaboo!

Activity Mat

Activity mats are a must have for me as a mom and probably my baby’s favorite thing to do.  Both of my girls as babies loved looking at the toys dangling and batting the objects. We used it for a good 5 or 6 months for both girls!

Stroller Indoors

My youngest had acid-reflux and didn’t always like to play laying down. Since she was most comfortable sitting up or laying in the up right position, I found that she really liked it when I put her in her stroller and just move her back and forth with my foot. I’ve done this while reading books and it was pretty nice! Plus, I got to read some books I’ve been wanting to read!

Jumper & Exersaucer (if appropriate)

Both of my girls were born with very strong necks. We didn’t really have to support their heads much because they could hold their head up pretty much from the beginning.

My girls were able to use jumpers towards the end of three months since they could sit up pretty well on their own. If your baby does not have good neck support then I wouldn’t recommend a jumper or jumperoo at this age.

Bumbo Seat, Infant Floor Seat, or High Chair

Personally I don’t have a Bumbo seat but I know my mom friends like to use them for their babies. I just sat my girls in the high chair and put toys like a ball or a noise maker on the tray. This kept them entertained for a good while so I just had them right by me when I did dishes or make dinner.

Just like the jumpers, make sure your baby has good neck support. A lot of my mom friends didn’t use a Bumbo Seat until they were about 5 months old. 

Mirror

Babies love looking at different faces and facial expressions including their own at this age. I used to hang a soft toy mirror on baby’s activity mat or place a mirror in font during tummy time. Mirrors will keep your baby entertained when they are older too 😉

Music

Music is constantly being played at my house. As soon as I go downstairs I’ll turn on some classical music. Music boosts my mood and my girls really enjoy listening to it too. One of our favorite things to do as a family is to have dance parties 😉

Floor Exercises

Another big hit activity with my youngest was to do floor exercises. I would just lay her down on the floor and bring her legs up towards her or do the bicycle. I started this early on because she was a really gassy baby. Not only was this fun for her but it also helps with getting the gas out. It’s a win win!

Bath & Baby Massage

Both of my girls loooove bath time. I give both of my girls baths at the same time most of the time, but I gave just Ember a bath when she was younger and while big sister was napping. I would put the blooming baby bath lotus in the kitchen sink and give her a bath and enjoy some one on one time together.

Socks with Rattles or bells

I got some socks with rattles or bells on them so when baby moved or kicked they would make noises. As soon as my babies noticed that by kicking they could make noises they would kick non-stop. It’s so fun to watch them kick away.

Let me know what you think of the list! Is there an activity your 3 month old loves that I didn’t list above?