Games Babies Play

This is SO much fun!

I don't know how many of you have had the pleasure of watching babies play with other babies. I don't know how social babies are if they aren't surrounded by other babies all the time. Other people's babies seem to always be a little overwhelmed when in the presence of mine because they aren't used to being with so many other babies, or so much constant noise! It's not quite the same as babies laughing at the antics of older children. Older kids entertain on purpose. Babies don't really know what they're doing, they just know it's fun on some weird baby level. So for those of you who have never had this pleasure, here are some games my kids like to play.

1. The Laughing Game

This is a very easy game and a personal favorite of mine. It involves two or more babies laughing with complete glee at each other for no apparent reason. I have no idea what gets them started. Just out of the blue, one will bust out laughing and another will laugh back and they'll just sit and laugh at each other. Laugh and laugh and squeal and laugh!

Squealy-squeal, laugh, laugh, squeal!

2. Chase

That's right, believe it or not, my kids sometimes chase each other. Usually this game starts out as the laughing game, and then one baby will turn and start crawling away. Then he stops, turns around and laughs at the other player(s), and then begins crawling away again. The other player(s) then squeal with laughter and crawl after the first one.

3. Snatch

This game involves usually just two babies. The first baby is playing happily with a toy, minding his own business, when the second baby crawls up and snatches it away while squealing with laughter. Baby A then snatches it back and squeals himself. baby B snatches and laughs, baby B snatches back and laughs, and on and on it goes back and forth.

Another variation on the game is when Baby A has a toy, crawls up to Baby B, waves the toy in Baby A's face and then squeals. Let the snatching begin.

Come and get it!

Unfortunately, this game is often confused with evil snatching which involves no laughing at all, only crying, or laughter on only one side. Jonathan thinks all snatching is evil, unless he's the one doing it. Reagan and Thomas think all snatching is a laugh riot.

4. Dogpile
This game involves one baby deciding that a particular area of the room is a fun place to be. Then all the other babies realize that Baby A is having an awfully good time over there and they want to be a part of the fun, so all babies then converge on the same spot and crawl all over each other, laughing all the while. You have to keep an eye on this game, however, as it goes bad really quickly and babies get all tangled up and stuck under one another and tears are shed.

Dogpile on Cris!

5. Copycat
This is another easy game and a relatively safe one. Baby A starts clapping for no real reason, so other babies start clapping. Or baby A starts waving her arms around and saying ah-ah-ah, so someone else starts doing it too, although the sounds aren't always the same. The most often played version of this game, and the least popular with Mommy, involves baby A realizing Mommy has left the room, so he flings himself dramatically against the gate and wails his heart out. The other babies who had been perfectly content, realize that A is wailing at the gate and mommy must be gone, so they all fling themselves upon the gate and wail in unison. I really don't like that version.

So there you go...games babies play with other babies, for all you poor people out there who only had one baby at a time. I can't imagine what you did all day with just one baby. Left the house probably...went to the store...the mall...a restaurant...a friend's house...the bank...the post office...the library...McDonald's...