Easy at-home activities to support your baby’s creativity

From birth, your baby is creative. 

Before they can even speak, draw or sing, they are already experimenting with sound, movement, light, rhythm and expression. 

At this stage, creativity is all about exploring. They are discovering how things feel, sound, move and respond, helping them understand cause and effect and create joyful experiences.  

They are drawn to faces, music, movement, contrast, and repetition, but most of all to their trusted adult. They watch how you watch, respond, and join in. This helps build shared experiences and a deeper relational sense, creating an environment where your little one can flourish.   

At Goodstart, we know creativity in the early years builds strong foundations for communication, confidence, physical development, early literacy and numeracy.  

You can nurture your baby’s creative development at home using things you might find around the house. Below are some fun, easy activities you and your little one can engage in together.  

1. Move to the music

Babies naturally respond to rhythm and beat. You might notice your baby kick their legs, bounce up and down, wiggle or shake their arms when music plays.  

This is a simple activity, but so crucial to supporting your babies' gross motor skills, balance and coordination while helping them creatively express themselves.  

Activity: Basically, dance with your baby. If they are younger, hold them close against your chest or on your hip and gently sway. If they can sit or stand with support, hold their hands and bounce together. 

It’s important to name what is happening as you move - ‘Up and down’, ‘Let’s spin around’, ‘Can you wiggle your arms?’ Smile, laugh and follow their lead. 

This helps your baby to feel patterns in their bodies long before they understand them in words and helps them connect language to movement.  

Dance with your baby! If they can sit or stand with support, hold their hands and bounce together

2. Experiment with sound and rhythm

Babies love to explore sound – loud, soft, fast, slow. It engages their senses, encouraging them to recognise patterns and begin to understand cause and effect. 

This simple activity helps cultivate that curiosity and supports their early learning.  

Activity: Sit together with your baby and offer them a wooden spoon and an upside-down pot. This creates a simple drumming experience that encourages experimentation.  

To further encourage your baby, you might try describing what is happening to them, such as ‘that was loud’, ‘now it's soft’, ‘can you copy me?’.  

Recognising and repeating patterns is an early building block for literacy and numeracy. More importantly, it gives your baby a sense of agency – ‘When I tap, it makes a sound’ building confidence and curiosity.  

3. Explore light and shadow

Shadow play introduces early science concepts such as light and dark, while also encouraging curiosity

Very young babies are fascinated by contrast, light and movement. Using a torch and a clear wall, you can create gentle shadow play that builds visual awareness and wonder. 

Activity: Lay your baby on a mat or sit beside them. Shine the torch towards the wall and hold different household objects in front of the light. Watch the shadow grow bigger, smaller, move side to side or shake. 

Talk about what you see – ‘It’s getting bigger’, ‘It’s moving’, ‘What do you see?’ Even if your baby cannot answer with words, your voice helps them connect language to experience. 

Shadow play introduces early science concepts such as light and dark, while also encouraging curiosity and creative thinking. 

Why creativity matters in the early years

Creative play in infancy supports: 

• Brain development through sensory exploration
• Physical development through movement and coordination
• Early communication through shared language and rhythm
• Emotional security through responsive relationships

For babies, creativity is relational, and they need your support and guidance as they navigate all these new, exciting things. You can help them feel safe to explore by following their interests and responding to cues.  

Supporting creativity with Goodstart

At Goodstart, our educators understand that creativity begins in the earliest months of life. Through music, movement, sensory experiences and responsive relationships, we support babies to explore, experiment and express themselves in ways that feel joyful and meaningful. 

If you would like to see how we nurture creativity and development in our nursery learning environments, we would love to welcome you and your little one.

Discover how we can nurture your baby's creativity to help them grow, thrive and create at your local Goodstart. 

To book a nursery tour, find your nearest centre or call 1800 222 543.