Activities for Newborn to Meet Friends

Whooooaaaa, Mama! She's an infant! She will have little interest in "friends" at this age! You can look into local library lapsit story times and take her to the park to get fresh air on the weekends or in the evenings.

I have a 7 yo "only" son and believe me, you will be busier than a O.-armed wallpaper hanger in NO time! LOL
As she gets to Nursery school and pre-school she will make plenty of pals for weekend playdates!
Relax....she's just fine.

Great ideas, but save them for when your girl is about 4 yrs old. Right now she needs to eat, sleep, have a clean diaper, adequate burping after meals, and lots of snuggling from you and Dad. Lots of exposure to lots of strangers (and their germs) right now is going to have you experiencing lots of bonding with other parents with sick kids in your pediatricians waiting room.

She reeeeeally doesn't need friends right now. You do. But she doesn't.

She needs warmth, love, and security. Which is learned from getting her needs met (food when she's hungry, comfort and closeness of touch and being held, changed when she's wet, rocked, and loved, and talked to, etc.)

Other babies and small children/toddlers are completely incapable of meeting these needs (in fact, usually, they're counterproductive)...They're interesting... but so is a glass mason jar filled with water... so is singing... so is licking the couch. Those things also don't scream in her ears, pass diseases, pull her hair, pinch, scrape, gouge eyeballs, hit, kick, bruise each other up, knock each other over, and in other ways cause physical and emotional pain (ask any mum with twins or siblings)... all the things that infants and toddlers do to each other. She isn't capable of making friends right now. She IS capable of forming bonds with people... but those take hours and hours and hours over days and weeks and months. Even then... she'll still pitch a fit and want nothing to do with mommy or daddy or nana for awhile and only want ONE of them. (Those are hard phases whether you're the person needed or the person rejected).

You sound like a very caring mum. So keep those ideas in the wings for a couple years. Even at 2-3yo she'll mostly be doing "parallel play" and "copying".

Our kiddo's an only as well. And he's SUPER social. So don't sweat it just yet. Just love on her and provide that foundation of trust that friendships can be built upon later. Like Denise P... we're busier than a one legged man in a bum kicking contest. I have to look weeks ahead for playdates. Kiddo (7 going ong 8)has 6 really really good friends. And these were all made in the past 18mo (after moving). Which is another thing to keep in mind. Unless you're from a very very small town... she won't go to the same preschool with probably any of the babies you know or toddlers you'll meet later. And then they'll split up again when it's time for school. Not to mention people moving. So it's not like sibs... where she's going to be with them for years and years. People will be coming and going out of her life. There is no instant sibling option. So now is the time to form a rock solid foundation of love and trust with the people who WILL be in her life. You, your partner, grandparents, etc. People who will love her unconditionally so that she can weather the hitting, kicking, biting, and "I'm not your friend anymore!!!!"s in her future.

I am in agreement with Dana W. who posted below. I am a Child Development Specialist and I can tell you that until your child reaches about a year old, the best social interaction that they could have is YOU! Babies are fascinated by their parents, siblings, and family. That is their "social network" and that is what they need. Everything from rocking your baby, holding her, speaking to her, bathing her, reading and playing with her....this is what she wants and needs. Friends and outside social interactions come later. Even then, children do what is called "parallel play" until they understand the concept of sharing and can grasp a "give and take" connection to another child in their age range. Most of this forms during the toddler years and is solidified by age 3. Children will pick friends or have favorite playmates that they gravitate to or bond with by age 3. There is no real need for your baby to be going to a social affair, Baby Gym, or anything like that unless she is with YOU. Those things are great bonding efforts if she has you or someone close to her sharing the experience with her. Otherwise, do not waste your time and money on these things thinking that she NEEDS them. She does not. If she has to be placed in childcare while you work, that is fine. You need to do what you have to do. Make it only when you are working and not for any other reason. The best time spent for your daughter right now is with her parents and extended family. Love her, cuddle her, talk to her, and be with her as much as you can. Have baby....will travel! This is the best and most solid advice I can give you as a professional and also as a mother of two. I hope this helps.

Check out meetup.com. That's where I found my playgroup and many of them have specific focuses (I'm sure there is a working mom one in the area). Most good ones have waiting lists so check it out now, no need to wait! I agree that your baby does NOT need any interaction from anyone but you but YOU need to find some other mom friends and a network too...can't recommend meetup.com enough! It was a lifesaver for me!!

Kids at her age do not socialized. Kids start socializing when the get to be around 3 years of age. However, if you want to socialize with other moms with kids of your daughter's age, you can search for a Meetup group close to you or having a music class or Saturdays. I had my 4 months old in music classes that had family classes on Saturday for the working parents. Likewise, go for a walk with you child to your community park, there, you will probably meet other moms with kids as young as yours.

My son's an only child. Now 2 yrs old. I'm at SAHM, so a little different, but I take/took him everywhere - the pet store, the library, the grocery store, and yes, church is the best place for kids his age. But socializing with adults and kids we see at the store is great too. We went to the park before he was old enough to play on the playground. I'd hold him and he'd watch the kids run around and play. I think just allowing your daughter multiple varieties of exposure to different ages of people, she'll be well socialized.

I'm a big believer in socializing kids, but keep in mind that babies really don't learn how to play together until they're past ~18 months. Until then, they really play side-by-side.

Regardless, without knowing a lot of other families with kids your's age, I'd think trying out different churches for the time being is a great idea or ask the pediatrician's office if they know of any groups/activities that fall into your schedules well.

We were fortunate to have several friends/neighbors with babies around the same age. At 4 months, the socialization is much more for you than it is for your child. You may even be able to find local working mom organizations and meet people with kids the same age as yours through that.

Good luck!

It sounds like maybe you need to get out and socialize more than your baby does, which is totally normal by the way! I would suggest that you find some social outlets for yourself for the next month or two until your baby can enroll in kindermusik or little gym, and then you can go do stuff together. At this age, babies are usually pretty easy to tote around, so you could take her with you to whatever you're doing if you're worried about missing out on your time with the baby since you work during the week. Otherwise, even little things like going to the zoo or aquarium is something that you could get out and do, and she could just come along for the ride. She won't be ready to actually interact with anyone else or anything else for a couple of months anyway.

When my daughter was 3 months old, we started Gymboree. It was better for ME than it was for her! As a SAHM, I was going crazy because of a lack of social interaction during the day! I had a fun time with my daugher and met some great new friends in the process. Give it a try!

At this age, check out The Music Class or Kindermusik. They usually have some weekend classes. Area YMCAs also usually have toddler and swim tot classes w/parents on the weekends. Also, when she's a year (she's REALLY not going to get into socializing right now, but it's nice to expose her to some music), check out Mom's Morning Out and 1/2 day preschool options in your area. My oldest son went to a half day preschool two-three times per week from age 1-4, and it was great for him to socialize, play and make friends. Our neighborhood also has a great playgroup situation for all ages -you should see if your area has anything like that -and we do have meetings sometime on weekends and evenings so working parents can come.

I highly recommend Kindermusik! I've been doing that with my kids since my oldest was 5 months old (he's now 4 1/2 years old). It's a wonderful program - very enriching. The teacher we use is Claudia Spinney, and my kids adore her. Her classes meet in south Arlington. She just wrapped up the spring semester, and I don't think she has evening classes for her summer camps, but check her out for the fall semester - you and your daughter will love it! www.kindermusikwithclaudia.com

You got great advice about your daugher, but thought I would give you a church option! I can't recommend my church home of Turning Point Church in S. Fort Worth. www.tpcfamily.org. We have an AMAZING and WONDERFUL pastor who is the best bible teacher there is! You can check out the website and listen to one of his sermons if you'd like. Its located on the corner of I-35 and Garden Acres Dr. Right on the service road. They have many many classes and great nursery and childens church & activities. Love it there! It's worth the drive from Arlington My parents live off 287 and Ken-Sublett and they attend regularly! It's an all-denominational church by the way! Hope you can come and visit sometime!