Your baby's first year is filled with many joys, challenges and new experiences. One of the many things that she is going to be learning this first year is the ability to socialize and get along with others. The first place she will star that is home with her own family. Ultimately, you will want to expose her to others outside your family. This is important for her to be able to learn communication skills and be able to interact with others right from the start.

No matter how young your baby is, it is never too soon to let your baby enjoy social activities. The earlier you start to teach her social activities, the better her social skills will become as she gets older. Try to get out with your baby two or three times a week, preferably with mothers of other babies so they can learn to interact with one another. Your child won't really "play"� with other babies in the traditional sense. They won't participate in "playing"� activities until they become toddlers. Babies in general however, will be very interested in watching other babies and at times interacting by touching, hitting or grabbing them. The babies gain a sense of what the world is like and are fascinated to see other babies. It's stimulating for them.

One thing to keep in mind is that babies are very susceptible to colds, so keep her away from others who aren't feeling well; likewise don't expose her to others if she isn't feeling well. You will want to limit her exposure to any illness as much as possible. Having said this, it's still a good idea to get out and about with your baby in a variety of different settings. Take her with you to the grocery store, to parent-baby exercise sessions, to play parks and so on. The more places the better for your child. You can even take your baby to a play group or to the swimming pool. They are very portable and they and you will definitely benefit from getting out and about. It's a great way for both of you to have a change of scenery and vary your daily routine.

She will be stimulated and excited by all the new faces, voices, settings etc. and it'll do you some good too. You need to get out and socialize yourself. The more you expose your babies to different activities, people and social settings, the more broad her world becomes. She will get to where nothing seems strange or frightening to her because she is always being exposed to new environments and it becomes a way of life for her. All of theses interactions with other children and adults will help to stimulate her communication skills as she learns that her smiles and coos work on other people as well as her immediate family. She will learn that she can have a positive impact on others around her as she gets the response that she is looking for.

Another way you can work on socialization at home is to have your baby sit with you at the dinner table whether she has been introduced to solids yet or not. She can sit next to the table in a swing or carrier if they cannot yet sit up on their own. This is a way for your family to spend quality time together and for your baby to watch as others interact around her.

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