Simple Baby Activities That Build Connection and Healthy Development

The baby years can feel both beautiful and overwhelming. Between endless parenting advice, developmental milestones, and pressure to do more, many mothers wonder if they're doing enough for their little ones.

In this guest post, Beautiful Babies creator Beth Ann Menger shares her journey through early motherhood and the lessons she learned about what babies truly need to thrive. 

Discover how simple daily rhythms, meaningful connection, and intentional time together can nurture your child's development while bringing more peace and joy to your days.

In This Post

• Why the transition to motherhood can feel overwhelming

• The myth that babies need constant entertainment and enrichment

• What babies actually need to thrive emotionally and developmentally
• How slowing down transformed our family life

• Simple ways to connect with your baby throughout the day

• A gentle approach to nurturing babies and toddlers

• An introduction to the Beautiful Babies resource

The entry into motherhood for me was so intense, physically and emotionally, and I found myself a bit unmoored with the new identity, demands, and responsibilities. I returned to work too quickly and painfully made a lot of desperate attempts to return to my previous normal. In short, I have a lot of regrets from that time. 

When my daughter was a year old, I transitioned to staying at home and I did what every parent living in a big, urban city did: I signed her up for daily enrichment classes. We hustled out the door every morning for story times, play places, art classes, gym sessions, and any activity that was offered because I felt very unequipped to entertain her myself. I remember searching the internet with prompts such as “How to spend a full day with a one-year old.” It was a desperate time where I mostly fumbled along. 

Soon after we added a second baby and moved to a more rural area of the country. The endless array of enrichment options didn’t exist in our small town setting. I had to figure out how to entertain two little girls without the crutch of outside resources. 

I felt overwhelmed and started simply. We blew bubbles in the backyard. We decorated the patio with sidewalk chalk. We took popsicle walks, went to the Farmer’s Market and swung on swings at the park. 

Life slowed way down and for the first time I began to enjoy spending time with a toddler and baby. The days became immensely beautiful in their simplicity. 

During that time, I became a present mother who learned that babies don’t need enrichment classes, noisy contraptions, learning toys, or a lot of gear. They need eye contact and small, intentional moments of connection throughout the day. 

We’ve since added three additional children, and each one has deepened the perspective that, alas, babies don’t keep. My youngest children have reaped the benefits of my hard earned experience in those early years. They were sung to, read to, and prayed over from day one. I now have a long list of nursery rhymes and hand rhymes committed to memory. 

Beautiful Babies is the guide I wished I had had as a new mother. It is designed to support mothers through the entire year. Categorized by season, there are sweet prayers, monthly lullabies and hand rhymes. Each season has a curated list of favorite quality board books, and seasonal activities to bring delight into your day. 

This is not a pressurized, overwhelming parenting checklist with elaborate prep work. It will not leave you exhausted, wondering if you’re doing enough, or if you’re a good mom. 

Beautiful Babies is a gentle guide for mothers who want to purposefully and joyfully spend time with their babies and young toddlers. The guide is designed to be folded easily into your day with beautiful printables to display near the changing table or on your refrigerator. As you move through your routine, you will seamlessly be able to add meaningful moments of joy with your baby. 

Beautiful Babies helps you savor the early years with:

• Board book suggestions
• Recipes
• Activities
• Hand rhymes
• Prayers
• At a glance charts
• Encouragement for mothers

These early years are fast and fleeting. They also lay the foundation for a rich relationship between you and your child. It is not always easy work, but it is deeply beautiful and worthy work to carry a little baby into the world and establish their very first years with an abundance of love and connection. How lucky we are as mothers to be able to have this privilege. 

- Guest Post by Beth Ann Menger, creator of our new Beautiful Babies resource