The best things to do with a newborn are simple: your face, your voice, and a few minutes of tummy time.
The first weeks with a newborn can feel like a loop of feeding, changing and rocking, and many parents wonder what they are supposed to do with their baby during the short stretches of awake time. The answer: not much, and that is the beauty of it.
This guide covers how much awake time newborns really have, 15 easy things to do with a newborn, how to do tummy time from the first days, ideas for getting out of the house, activities week by week, and what to do on the hard days.
Key Takeaways
Newborns are awake for about 45 to 60 minutes at a time, mostly for feeding, so play is short and gentle.
Face time, talking, reading, singing and skin-to-skin are the most valuable newborn activities.
Start supervised tummy time from the first days, a few minutes several times a day.
Healthy newborns can go outside; keep babies under 6 months out of direct sun.
Watch for overstimulation cues and stop when your baby turns away, yawns or fusses.
Table of Contents
How Much Awake Time Does a Newborn Have?
Less than you might think. In the first weeks, newborns sleep most of the day and are awake for only about 45 to 60 minutes at a time, and much of that is feeding, burping and diaper changes. That leaves just a few minutes of quiet alert time in each wake window, and that is exactly when these activities fit. See our newborn wake windows guide for age-by-age timing.
Newborn “play” is gentle and short. Watch for engagement cues (bright eyes, looking at your face, calm body) and stop at the first signs of overstimulation: turning away, yawning, hiccups, fussing, or arching. A few minutes of connection several times a day is plenty.
15 Things to Do With a Newborn
1. Face time: Newborns see best at about 8 to 12 inches, roughly the distance to your face during a feed. Hold your baby close, make eye contact, and smile.
2. Talk and narrate: Describe what you are doing: “Now we are changing your diaper.” Hearing language from day one supports later speech.
3. Tummy time: Place your awake baby on their tummy on your chest or a firm blanket on the floor for a few minutes, several times a day, always supervised. See when to start tummy time.
4. Read aloud: Anything works: board books, a novel, the news. The rhythm of your voice is the point.
5. Sing: Lullabies, silly songs, whatever you know. Babies love repetition. Browse our favorite lullabies for babies.
6. High-contrast pictures: Black-and-white cards or books held 8 to 12 inches away are easy for newborn eyes to see.
7. Tracking practice: Move a rattle or your face slowly from side to side and let your baby follow it with their eyes.
8. Skin-to-skin: Holding your baby in just a diaper against your bare chest helps regulate temperature and breathing and is soothing for both of you.
9. Baby massage: Gentle strokes on the legs, arms and back after a bath can calm a fussy baby. Try our baby massage for sleep steps.
10. Go for a walk: Fresh air helps parents as much as babies. Use a stroller or carrier and keep babies under 6 months out of direct sun.
11. Babywearing: A carrier keeps your baby close while your hands are free. Keep their face visible, chin off the chest, and airway clear.
12. Mirror play: Babies do not recognize themselves yet, but they love looking at faces, including their own reflection.
13. Gentle movement: Slow rocking, swaying or “dancing” while holding your baby securely.
14. Bath time: A calm warm bath can be a sensory experience, not just a chore. Keep one hand on your baby at all times.
15. Copycat faces: Stick out your tongue or open your mouth slowly. Some newborns will try to copy you, and it is magical when they do.
Tummy Time for Newborns: How Much and How
The AAP recommends placing babies on their backs for every sleep and giving them supervised tummy time when awake, starting from the first days home. Early tummy time builds neck, shoulder and core strength and helps prevent flat spots on the head.
Start with 1 to 2 minutes, a few times a day, and build up gradually as your baby tolerates it.
Tummy time on your chest while you recline counts, and many newborns prefer it.
Try after a diaper change rather than right after a big feed.
Get down at eye level, sing, or place a high-contrast card in front of your baby.
Never leave a baby on their tummy unsupervised or let them fall asleep there.
Healthy full-term babies can go outside from the start. Walks, a coffee with a friend, or a trip to the park can do wonders for a new parent’s mood. A few guidelines:
Keep babies under 6 months out of direct sunlight. Use shade, a stroller canopy, a wide-brimmed hat and light clothing. The AAP says a small amount of sunscreen on small areas is okay when shade is not available.
Dress your baby in one more layer than you are wearing in cool weather, and avoid overheating in warm weather.
In the first couple of months, avoid crowded indoor spaces and anyone who is sick, and ask visitors to wash their hands.
Never leave your baby alone in the car, even for a minute.
Take the car seat out of the car only for travel, not naps. Move a sleeping baby to a flat, bare crib or bassinet when you arrive.
Things to Do With a Newborn at Home on a Hard Day
Some days, the best activity is surviving. On those days:
Put on music or an audiobook for you and let your baby listen.
Hold your baby skin-to-skin on the couch while you rest (awake, and on a surface where you will not fall asleep holding them).
Step outside for five minutes of fresh air.
Take a warm shower while a partner holds the baby, or with baby safely in a bassinet nearby.
Call a friend and let your baby hear the conversation.
Many cultures practice a slower postpartum period, sometimes described online as the “5-5-5 rule”: five days in bed, five days on the bed, and five days around the bed. It is not a medical guideline, but the idea behind it, that recovery deserves real rest, is a good one. Our guide to the 4th trimester covers what those first weeks feel like, and how long the newborn stage lasts explains what comes next.
Newborn Activities by Week
Age
What your baby can do
Try this
Weeks 1 to 2
Sees faces up close, recognizes your voice, sleeps a lot
Skin-to-skin, face time, talking, brief chest tummy time
Weeks 3 to 4
Longer alert periods, may follow a face briefly
High-contrast cards, tracking a rattle, short floor tummy time
Weeks 5 to 6
First social smiles often appear
Smile back, copycat faces, singing, walks
Weeks 7 to 12
Coos, lifts head more, follows objects
Mirror play, reading, longer tummy time, reaching for toys
Newborn activities by age. Every baby develops at their own pace.
As your baby grows, the activities grow with them. Our infant activities by age guide picks up from here through the first year.
Do You Need to Entertain a Newborn All Day?
No. Newborns do not need constant entertainment, special classes or expensive toys. Your face, voice and touch are the best developmental tools there are. Everyday care, like feeding, bathing and diaper changes, is full of learning when you talk and make eye contact. Quiet time looking around, being held, or lying on a play mat is valuable too.
It is also completely normal to feel bored, lonely or unsure what to do with a newborn. That does not mean you are doing it wrong. Getting out of the house, connecting with other new parents, and asking for help all make the early weeks easier.
Mention it at your baby’s next visit if your baby rarely seems alert, does not respond to loud sounds, does not seem to look at faces by about 2 months, is very floppy or very stiff, strongly prefers turning their head to one side, or develops a flat spot. Call sooner if your newborn is unusually sleepy or hard to wake for feeds, feeds poorly, or has a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. For parents, talk to your own doctor if low mood, anxiety or exhaustion lasts more than two weeks or feels overwhelming.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you do with a newborn all day?
Mostly feed, change, soothe and help your baby sleep. In the short awake windows, try face time, talking, singing, reading, skin-to-skin and a few minutes of tummy time. Newborns do not need constant entertainment.
How can I entertain my newborn?
Hold your baby 8 to 12 inches from your face, talk and sing, show black-and-white pictures, slowly move a rattle for them to track, and try gentle massage or a walk outside.
When should I start tummy time with my newborn?
From the first days home, as long as your baby is awake and supervised. Start with 1 to 2 minutes a few times a day, including on your chest, and build up gradually.
Can I take my newborn outside?
Yes. Healthy full-term newborns can go for walks. Keep them out of direct sun, dress them for the weather, and avoid crowded indoor places and sick people in the first couple of months.
What is the 5-5-5 rule for newborns?
It is a postpartum rest idea shared online: five days in bed, five days on the bed and five days around the bed. It is not a medical rule, but it reflects the value of rest while you recover and bond.
Calmer days, better nights.
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