Hands and feet Jane Kemp Young babies are fascinated by their own hands and feet - and those tiny fingers and toes make great playthings, too.

Finger games

Little fingers - if your baby's hands are still tightly curled into a fist, gently uncurl them. Stroke the palm and rub gently along each finger, one at a time.

Hold fast - put one of your fingers in your baby's palm and enjoy his reflex response as he grips it tightly. Tell him what a clever baby he is. This grasping reflex only lasts for around three months.

Kissy-county - cuddle your baby and kiss his fingers one at a time, counting aloud as you go: "One little finger - kiss! Two little fingers - kiss!" and so on.

Stretch up - as your baby lies on his back, hold his hands at his side and slowly bring them together over his tummy, then back out to the side, saying something like: "Up, up, up we go... and down, down, down again." If his palms are open, carefully bring them together to make his first clapping sounds.

Gripper - from around four months, give your baby a rattle so he can practise grasping. From six months he'll be able to pass a brick from one hand to the other.

Feet games

Rub-a-dub - your baby will enjoy a gentle foot massage. Caress the soles of his feet with smooth movements and gently rub each of his toes. Little feet often have dry skin, so soften them with a little baby oil.

Up-and-away - if you hold your new baby up securely with his feet touching your lap, he'll lift them as though he's trying to walk (although you should make sure he's not putting any weight on his legs). This is a reflex that disappears by around eight weeks.

Little Piggy - play this classic toes game, touching each toe in turn, starting with the big toe: "This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home. This little piggy had roast beef, this little piggy had none. And this little piggy cried 'Wee, wee, wee!' all the way home." End with a big kiss and cuddle.

Let's ride - play bike rides with your baby. Lie him on his back, hold his feet gently and move them so he's making small, slow cycling movements.

Scrunch, scrunch - babies enjoy different noise and textures. Get an old sock and fill it with crumbled paper. Your baby will enjoy scrunching it and if placed close to his feet he'll enjoy hearing it crackle as he kicks it.

Leave your baby's feet bare whenever possible

Fresh air feet - leave your baby's feet bare whenever possible so he can enjoy discovering them. Between five and six months he'll have enough coordination to see, reach for and grab his feet and, like most other things, he may even try to pop them in his mouth.

Keep talking to your baby in a happy voice as you play these games and give lots of praise. Be guided by your baby's reactions and always stop a game if he doesn't seem happy.

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