Pregnant mothers are bombarded with resources like classes and books that tell them what to expect when they’re expecting. However, resources dwindle once the baby is born, and parents can quickly become overwhelmed. Neonatologists at ChristianaCare’s Baby Steps Clinic see it daily in the facility that provides specialized care focused on babies' health and development needs after they leave the NICU. 

“Parents become fixated on milestones and feel pressure if their child isn’t walking at 12 months when really walking between 10-15 months is normal,” said Amy Mackley, a neonatal nurse of 28 years.

While milestones are important, a growing focus on play could help parents build connections with their babies and support development. However, many parents don’t know how to play with their babies.

“It’s not an intuitive part of parenthood,” explained Dr. Rula Nassar, a neonatologist at ChristianaCare. 

Early parenthood can quickly become task-oriented. 

“They change their baby’s diaper, feed them, change them, bathe them, cuddle them, and that routine is repeated daily,” Mackley said. “Parents are not always aware that they can alter how they do these routine activities and can play with their babies to help their babies develop”  

But simple things, such as carrying babies in different positions and letting them hold and play with safe toys early on, can jump-start their learning. 

“In utero, babies are already learning things in ways we can’t imagine,” said Michele Lobo, associate professor of physical therapy at the University of Delaware College of Health Sciences. “When you read a baby a book in utero every day, they will recognize that book over other books when they’re born; they recognize their parent’s voices and change the force of their grasp for objects with different textures. So much is happening early on while parents wait for bigger things to happen — like their baby’s first steps — and those early happenings are the building blocks that make the bigger future things possible.”

Babies Excelling Strategically Through Play

Lobo wants to empower parents to capitalize on these early learning opportunities for their infants. She’s devised a new curriculum, “Babies Excelling Strategically Through (BEST) Play.” The intervention aims to help parents understand how to make small changes in what they intuitively do every day to support their baby’s development.

“BEST Play teaches parents ways they can provide opportunities for infants to learn when parents are carrying their baby, playing with their baby, and even putting their baby down safely so they can get things done while baby’s alone time is still enriching,” Lobo said. 

The curriculum, featuring videos and photographs, shows parents how to interact socially with their babies and play with toys and items around the house to promote their baby’s development. 

“Things like letting your baby touch a picture of an apple in a book you are reading together and telling them: ‘The apple is round and red,’” Mackley said. “Taking turns in conversations with babies even before they can say words impacts their development.”

While parenthood can be stressful, Nassar said this curriculum is easy to follow. 

“BEST Play empowers parents to feel confident in supporting their baby,” Nassar said. 

The need for BEST Play

Lobo emphasized the importance of early play with babies. 

Play isn’t just about fun — it’s a key way babies learn about their world, develop motor skills, and build essential neural connections. 

“Play teaches babies about things like gravity — things fall downward, social rules — we share and take turns, and cause and effect – when I bang two hard things, they make noise,” explained Lobo. “Babies are like scientists, always exploring and experimenting to learn about their bodies and the world around them.”