Games for Building Baby Bonding and Trust

Tender, loving touch (building trust, 0-3 months)

* Babies learn about relationship and their sense of trust by the way they are touched and held.
* Hold your baby close to you and talk to him softly.
* Stroke his face gently and tell him how much you love him, use as many loving words as you can.
* Remember to include his name in the words you speak. This is important as this provides him with an identity.
* Whenever you hold your baby and speak to him, try to keep your voice at the same tone so that he will recognize your voice means good things.
 

Sweet dream (trust, 0-3 months)

* Caring tenderly for your baby makes him feel loved and accepted. Select one lullaby, sing or say it to your baby as you rock him to sleep.
* Hold him close to you. Sing the lullaby while swaying with the baby in your arms is a wonderful way to develop trust.
 

Reinforcing trust (trust, 0-3 months)

* You baby likes to be touched and respond to sounds well. Each time you cuddle and stroke your baby while speaking softly to him, you are reassuring him the trust between the two of you.
* Your baby will get use to your voice and your gentle strokes if you are consistent in the way you hold him, the things that you say to him, and the tone of your voice.
* Do not be surprise to find your baby ‘cooing’ and ‘smiling’ at you. This is his way of communicating love to you.
 

Sleep tight (bonding, 0-3 months)

* You will notice that your baby always look for something to cuddle or suck when he tried to sleep. Help him along the process and make it more comfortable for him to sleep.
* Put a soft fabric stuffed animal (one that is safe for infants) next to him. Take his hand and put it on to the toy. Select a lullaby and play it or sing it softly.
* Say “Good night, (baby’s name), sweet dreams and sleep tight” softly.
* Soon, he will learn that when he feels that toy and hear that song as well as your soft voice, he will be comforted. This makes him easier to fall asleep.
 

I Love You (bonding, 0-3 months)

* Massage your baby’s fingers and toes while breast- or bottle-feeding him.
* Softly sing songs such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, little star” and say “I love you” alternately to him.
* Keep repeating this as you massage his little fingers and toes.
* This will help the baby associate feeding with love.
 

Touching game (bonding, 0-3 months)

* Hold and cuddle your baby when feeding him. Make sure his arms and hands are free to let him touch and explore as he likes.
* Bring your baby’s hands to your face and let him touch your face. Move his hands across your nose, mouth, chin and neck.
* Stroke his arms and speak to him all the loving words softly.
 

Soft stroking (bonding, 0-3 months)

* This game is excellent to encourage loving interaction between you and your baby. Find a variety of materials or objects to stroke your baby, for example, handkerchief, blanket, cotton ball, feather, silk are all good choices.
* Hum softly as you stroke your baby’s fingers and toes one at a time with each object.
 

Splashing time (bonding, 0-3 months)

* After your baby has learned to enjoy his bath, for a change, consider taking a warm bath with your baby.
* Hold your baby as you rock him back and forth in your arms, gently splash water onto his tummy and sing to him.
* You can make up songs like “Mummy and (baby’s name) are taking a bath together” “I love (baby’s name), my little baby” and so on. The song is not important, but the bonding is.
 

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