We read and talk a lot about baby poop (smells like apricots, looks like scrambled eggs) and baby sleep (they usually aren’t letting us get enough) but what about baby fun? There are so many fun games to play with babies, even before they are old enough to play catch or go on a pretend African Safari. You already know about peek-a-boo played with a scarf. Here are some of our other favorites:

Kiss This Toe: Take a baby toe and say, “kiss this toe,” then kiss it. Then kiss the next one and the next one, until you’ve kissed all ten toes. Do this every day until your baby starts to walk. Toe jam, yuck. But baby toes, delicious.

Baby Gymnastics:  With the baby lying on his back, take his right arm and left leg and touch them together in the air. Then take the left arm and right leg and touch those. Bend his knees and elbows gently. It helps to count, “One! Two! One! Two!,” as you do this vigorous exercising.

Toes in Face: A variant of my husband’s game, called Toes in Beard. Rub the bottoms of your baby’s feet on your cheeks while saying, “toes in face, toes in face.” It will tickle both of you.

Tummy Tickle: When your baby’s small you do this while she is lying down on her back. Put the top of your head on your baby’s tummy and shake your head back and forth so you are tickling her with your hair. When your baby gets a little older do this by lifting the baby up and positioning her tummy on top of your head (so you are wearing her like a hat). Guaranteed to give squeals of delight.

Flying Baby: Motion is good for a baby’s vestibular system (the part of the brain that contributes to balance and spatial orientation). Fly your baby through the air while saying, “Flying baby! Flying baby!” It’s great to have fun with babies and play fun baby games but it’s also important to remember that very small babies easily get over-stimulated and need a break. If your baby starts to fuss while you’re playing together, stops making eye contact, or abruptly becomes disengaged, that’s probably his way of telling you he’s had enough playing. For now, anyway.

What are your favorite fun baby games?

Jennifer Margulis, Ph.D., is a professional writer, mother of four, and a senior fellow at the Schuster Institute of Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and on the cover of Smithsonian magazine. Read more about babies in her new book, The Business of Baby: What Doctors Don’t Tell You, What Corporations Try to Sell You, and How to Put Your Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Before Their Bottom Line.