Gentle, loving touch helps with bonding, relaxation, digestion (wind, colic), and body awareness. Always massage when baby is calm and awake and not immediately after feeding. Use a mild, food-grade oil. Warm the oil in your palms first.

Here are 8 simple massage moves and how to make them playful:

1.       Warm Hands First
Rub your hands together to warm them, then gently stroke baby’s arms, legs, chest and back to acclimatise their skin to your touch.

2.       Leg & Foot Rub

Gently stroke from hip to ankle, then rub each foot and each to

You can “bike” their legs (gently bend and straighten) and trace circles on the soles.

3.       Arm & Hand Massage

Stroke from shoulder to wrist.

Massage each finger, singing ‘Tommy thumb’.

4.       Chest & Tummy

Use flat palms to stroke from mid-chest outward. For the tummy, use gentle clockwise circles following the direction of the digestive tract.

5.       Back

With baby on tummy, use gentle strokes from neck down to bum.

You can include a little “rain” sprinkle before stroking downward.

6.       Face & Ears

Stroke from forehead to cheeks.

Use your fingertips to trace baby’s lips, cheeks, and ears.

How to play: Cover a toy or your face with a soft cloth of a particular texture, then slowly pull it off saying, “Peekaboo!” Use different fabrics each time. Play Silks are perfect for this activity.

How to play: Use tubes or bottles with different fillings (rice, beans, bells) sealed at ends. Shake and swap, let baby guess which is which. Try hiding the shakers and see if baby can find it.

How to play: Place a safe object in an cloth bag (soft fabric) and let baby reach in to feel and pull it out. Describe and label what they feel.

How to play: Using small cups, drip water over baby’s hands or toes. Let them feel the flow, then pour into a container, letting them play. Sing along to ‘It’s raining it’s pouring.’

How to play: Blow bubbles and guide baby to follow the trails. Let them try to touch or pop. This is great for building tracking skills.

How to play: Sit baby in front of a mirror. Point to areas on their face, name them “nose, eyes, mouth” and let them reach. Can they touch your face when you label different parts?

How to play: Present two objects—one soft (plush toy) and one hard (wooden block). Let baby touch both. Describe: soft, squishy vs hard, smooth.

How to play: Shake a rattle behind baby’s head on one side, then the other. Encourage them to turn toward the sound. As they progress, do it more softly or from farther away.

You could also try with different instruments like drums and bells.

How to play: On the floor, make a “path” of different textured mats or fabrics. Encourage crawling or rolling from one to the other, feeling the change under hands/knees.