Baby Games: The Joyful Guide to Child's Play from Birth to Three Years

by Elaine Martin

Baby Games provides hundreds of rhymes, songs, finger plays, and games to create magical playtime as a baby grows from infant to toddler to preschooler.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1988

Reviews

[Sally Edsall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I very rarely referred to this book, or felt the need for it, BUT - on one or two occasions when the weather was wet for several days on end, I got it off the shelf looking for some "inspiration" in order to inspire the pre-schooler.

It is a bit mundane though, and you wonder whether anyone really needs a book to pint out that "zoos are marvellous for the whole family". If they do, perhaps they won't be reading the book. There are some titles of good books for young children, and they suggest asking the children's librarian at the local library for other suggestions.

I suppose there are parents out there who need taking by the hand and shown pretty obvious things, but somehow I don't think they will have wandered into the bookshop and chosen this title! It might be useful in parenting classes and high school child development classes. As a parent, I have NOT found myself poring over it looking for inspiration!

[Mavis Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indispensible. Needs to come back in print!

[Jenny GB · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book especially if you like songs/nursery rhymes because that appears to be a big focus. My favorite chapter was the last one about all sorts of holidays and other ways to celebrate.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between depressing manuals that bewail how terrible parenting can be (I'm looking at you "What to Expect the First Year"), I like to return to "Baby Games" for some encouragement. There isn't a single mention of how dreary your parenting experience will be or a single mandate about how important some particular agenda is, lest your child turn out as obnoxious and damaged as those who went without. Instead, ideas for things to do with your baby that will actually be fun for you, too. Martin suggests developmentally appropriate games for every age, so you don't end up trying to peek-a-boo your newborn.