Two fun games to play with your 2 week old baby:
What a sensation
There's a reason newborns reach out and grab for things: They want to be active participants in their world. It's not enough for you to show her things your baby wants to experience everything up close and personal, and she does that through all five senses, particularly the sense of touch. Encourage her curiosity and tactile talents with this soothing touch-fest.
Skills developed: hand-eye coordination, touch sensitivity
What you'll need: a variety of soft-textured items, such as a silk scarf, a clean feather duster or boa, a piece of satin or velvet, and something furry like a stuffed animal.
Collect an assortment of soft, touchable household objects. With your baby lying on her back on a blanket or on the changing table, take off her shirt, and give her tummy a sampling of the different textures. One at a time, brush each item ever so gently across her skin, describing the sensation as you go. "Feel the silky scarf? It's very slippery. Feel the lamb? It's fuzzy, isn't it?" If she tries to grab the items, go ahead and let her hold them, or (if you're sure they're clean and don't pose a choking risk) even put them in her mouth.
Gentle Rubdown
It's never too soon to give a baby his first brush with the healing power of human contact. Your baby was born with a fully developed sense of touch, and it's one of the primary ways he experiences the outside world.
Skills developed: sensory stimulation
What you'll need: some nice-smelling massage oil such as sweet almond oil, or plain vegetable oil Let your baby roll around naked on a layer of cloth nappies or a bath towel (if it's cool in the room, leave his T-shirt on). Warm a tiny squirt of oil in your hands by rubbing it between your palms, then very gently rub it into his skin, starting with his soft little feet. Rotate each toe, then use your thumbs to press the soles. Work your way up the legs, squeezing his calves and thighs gently as if you were molding clay. (The first few times it's probably best just to do his feet and legs until he gets used to the sensation.) For the chest and tummy, gently place both hands flat against the centre of your baby's body, then spread them to the sides, as if flattening the pages of a book. With your hands still flat, use your fingertips to stroke outward in small circles. Keep rubbing for as long as he seems to be enjoying it; stop as soon as he starts to get restless.