Easy Ways To Play With Your 5 Month Old Baby From a Mom of Two

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When my babies were five months old, it would feel like they would stare at me expecting entertainment all of the sudden. And honestly, they weren’t wrong.

The newborn phase where they just slept and ate is gone. Before you know it, you find yourself trying to find ways to entertain tiny humans for three hour stretches, grabbing everything in sight. As a new mom, this really left me struggling some days.

After all, tummy time only lasts so long before they start to plant their faces into the mat and scream. I needed a real list of things to do that didn’t require another trip to the store.

Something that worked for me was keeping some type of routine in place. It filled the day and gave it some structure. So here are nine activities that worked for us, kept both my babies happy, and didn’t make me feel like I needed a degree in early childhood education:

1. Fabric Texture Exploration

At this stage, your baby is probably grabbing everything because their sense of touch is exploding.

So, grabbing a bunch of random fabric around the house is a great sensory experience. Think: a fleece blanket, a silk scarf, a kitchen towel, some corduroy pants, or a scratchy mesh laundry bag. I laid them out on the floor during tummy time and let them touch, grab, and mouth each one. One of my babies spent 20 minutes just running her fingers over the different textures, which in baby time is basically a full day.

Fabrics that worked best: Fleece kept her attention the longest. Silk confused her in a good way.

You don’t need to buy anything. Just raid your closet and give her variety.

2. Supported Sitting With Toy Rotation

At this stage, baby likely can’t sit on their own yet, but I used to prop mine up with a Boppy or keep them between my legs.

Then, I would sit them up and rotate toys in front of them. It’s helpful to keep little baskets on rotation, which is what I would do. Find items like a rattle, a soft block, a teething ring, or small stuffed animal. The key is swapping them out before she gets bored.

• Start with something she can grab easily
• Swap it for something that makes noise
• Finish with something she can chew on

Both of them loved the control of holding something and deciding what to do with it!

3. Singing With Hand Motions

I’m not a good singer, but the babies don’t know that yet.

I would sing “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “Wheels on the Bus,” and “Head Shoulders Knees and Toes” with exaggerated hand motions.

Why this works: Baby is learning that sounds match actions. Her brain is connecting your voice, your hands, and the rhythm, which builds language and motor skills at the same time.

Even if you butcher the tune, just commit to the motions.

4. Mirror Play on the Floor

Babies are obsessed with faces. It’s believed that at 5 months, they don’t know the baby in the mirror is them.

I put a baby-safe floor mirror in front of her during tummy time. This worked well for both of mine, who would love to smile at themselves. With my first, she’d lean in, pull back, kick her legs, and coo like she just made a new friend. It’s the easiest win I’ve had as a parent.

This one keeps her entertained while also strengthening her neck and arm muscles.

5. Crinkle Paper and Safe Household Sounds

Babies are obsessed with sounds they can control.

I gave them a piece of crinkle paper from a gift bag and let them grab, shake, and crunch it (with supervision). The crinkling sound would keep them entertained for a long time I also let them hold a wooden spoon and bang it on a plastic container.

These cost nothing and keep them way more engaged than half the toys we own.

6. Baby Massage With Lotion

This one’s great right after a bath or before a nap when the fussiness begins.

I put a little baby lotion on my hands and gently massage arms, legs, belly, and back while talking to them. I say what I’m doing, name her body parts, and keep my voice calm. Sometimes, they would be too tired and fussy at this point to enjoy the relaxation. But, if we get the timing just right, I think it often would help with sleep.

It’s calming for the little ones and honestly calming for me too. I also set our Hatch to play the same lullaby every night, which can be a great signal that sleep time is coming.

7. Reading Books With High Contrast Images

At five months old, your baby won’t quite connect with a story yet. But they will still benefit from hearing you read and seeing the images.

Board books with big, bold, high-contrast images work best. Black and white patterns, bright reds, deep blues. Hold the book close to their face, point at the pictures, and make up voices for the animals.

Books she actually looks at: Anything with faces, animals, or geometric patterns. The simpler the image, the longer she focuses.

I would read the same three books on repeat, and the babies won’t care.

8. Bouncing on Your Lap With Songs

This is my go-to when the babies were fussy and I need to turn their mood around fast.

I sit one of them on my lap facing me, hold her under her arms, and bounce her gently while singing or even just coutning. The rhythm and movement combo makes her giggle, and I get a mini arm workout.

My second especially loves the up and down motion. I change the speed, pause for suspense, then bounce her again. She squeals every time. This one saves me during the witching hour.

I personally prefer to do this activity with a yoga ball.

9. Exploring Safe Kitchen Items

Some of the girls’ favorite “toys” are things from the kitchen. After I baby proofed my kitchen, I kept one baby-safe drawer unlocked.

This often saved me when I had to cook a meal. Both of mine loved playing with items like a small whisk, a plastic measuring cup, or a wooden spoon. The babies hold them, bang them together, and chew on the handles. They’re way more interesting than her actual toys because they’re new and different.

Safe kitchen items she loves: Silicone spatulas work great because they’re bendy and soft. Plastic measuring cups are also wonderful because they nest and make noise. Wooden spoons work because they are smooth and easy to hold.

Just make sure everything is clean and baby-safe, and supervise them too.

Remember, your baby doesn’t need expensive gear to hit milestones or stay entertained. Most of the time, they just want your attention, some variety, and the chance to touch and explore new things.

What do you do to entertain your five month old? Let us know in the comments.

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