When August was born, I made myself frantic trying to pack his newborn days with exciting activities. Playmats! Books! Songs! Pictures!

But then, a wise friend pointed out that even a nappy change constitutes an activity for a two-week-old. And so I started lingering for half-hour stretches at the changing table. Dispensing vitamins in the dropper counted as entertainment too. And of course there was the matter of getting dressed which could take an entire day. While a pediatrician visit could keep us in conversation for an entire week.

Five months on, these everyday activities tick along more swiftly. We can toss on an outfit in two-and-a-half minutes, suck down vitamins like Coca-Cola up a straw and do a nappy change one-handed while making up our own clever verses to Kumbayah.

All of which means that once the vitamins are dispensed and the outfits selected and we’ve made up several songs, there’s quite a bit of time in the day remaining. To do what? Well, that is the question.

Given that it’s an appalling naught point naught degrees outside, the park is obviously OUT. But my child being my child tends gets fed up easily which means that laying in the crib and staring up at the ceiling is also OUT. And so, before you can say, “yawn” we find ourselves packing into the stroller and bustling about to various classes on the Upper West Side.

Monday’s class is “Story Pirates” at the JCC — a campfire-esque singalong involving a guitar and various shakable instruments. Even though Pirates bumps up against feeding hour (11 a.m. SHARP) it’s worth it just for the music. Plus, today the group leaders employed a parachute and that’s always win-win with August.

On Wednesday, we have “Hands On” — an utterly precious music class for precocious babies in which piano is played, instruments are examined and songs are sung. It’s a festival of aural deliciousness which August adores.

On Thursday, there is “Mummy and Baby Yoga” — one glorious hour during which August lays on his mat and watches mummy do triangle pose. If he were older, he’d have a good chuckle at how inflexible mummy is, but right now he still thinks she’s perfect. (Ha! That’s a good one.) And after mummy has had her yoga, there is baby yoga comprising songs and tummy time and toes-to-the-nose full-body stretches.

That leaves Tuesday and Friday: long days on which we yearn to escape our wintry cabin. Shall we sign up for more music? Gym? Are we old enough for arts and crafts yet? (OK, even this Type A mummy admits: No!) Maybe we just need to CHILL OUT. It is winter, after all, and hibernation has its plus points.

Tags: Activities, Playing, Singing