6 – 12 months
Having fun with your baby doesn’t require anything fancy, says Greg Bishop, founder of Boot Camp for New Dads.
“Research has shown that babies benefit from time spent with dad, doing what comes naturally to dads, such as roughhousing, playing and simply showing him/her the world,” says Bishop.
Try these ideas:
•Sing songs together. It doesn’t matter if it’s a lullaby or rock ‘n’ roll as long as it’s repetitive and sung with enthusiasm.
•Start a kitchen band with pots and pans and spoons and really make some noise.
•Build an indoor obstacle course with pillows and sheets for tunnels that baby will enjoy crawling through.
•Make funny faces together while looking in a mirror. Use shaving cream to give baby a mirror beard and moustache.
•Make baby an instant sports fan. Watch your favorite team together on TV and practice doing the wave.
Excerpt from Crash Course for New Dads: Tools, Checklists and Cheat Sheets by Greg Bishop, founder of Boot Camp for New Dads, which is held in 21 locations in Illinois. To find a location nearest you, go online at www.dads
adventure.com.