How to Get Babies to Like You

Giving Them Attention

Meet their basic needs. The first and most essential way to earn a baby’s trust and get into their good graces is by meeting their basic needs. This means making sure they are fed, clean, and well rested. If the baby you are spending time with is in a sour mood, try feeding them, changing their diaper, or rocking them to sleep.

Talk to them. Babies love the sound of people talking. You can talk about anything! Tell them your life story, read them a book, or describe what is happening around you. The sound of your voice is very soothing to the baby. Additionally, if they grow accustomed to your voice, they will be more likely to remember you the next time you come by.

Give them your undivided focus. To be honest, hanging out with a baby can be a little boring. It may be tempting to look at your phone, watch television, or take on some other task while you are spending time with the baby. But if you can give the baby your undivided focus, even for a little while, they will respond to it and grow to love your company. Rather than giving them half of your attention all of the time, it is better to give them complete focus some of the time. Then at other moments, you can let someone else take the baby while you complete a task.

Visit them often. Babies do not have very developed memories. As they work to build foundational life skills, they will actually recall very little about the details. As a result, they can only remember people who they see often. If you want to win over a particular baby, try to spend as much time around them as possible.

Make eye contact. After babies are about eight weeks old, they will begin making eye contact. Babies love looking into your eyes. They do not experience the same self-consciousness that adults sometimes do during extended eye contact. Instead they feel a connection with the person looking at them.

Playing with Them

Play peek-a-boo. Peek-a-boo is a classic baby game that requires nothing but your own two hands. Cover your eyes to disappear and then reappear with an exuberant “peek-a-boo!” The baby will almost certainly smile and laugh, and as a result grow to like you. Babies seven months or older will begin to play peek-a-boo by themselves.

Make funny faces. Babies also respond well to silly faces. Even very little babies will find joy in the funny faces you can make. Be creative and weird with the faces you make, and see if you can make them laugh. Very soon, the baby will be love having you around.

Bring a puppy. There are few things that a baby loves as much as a puppy. If you have a puppy (or any gentle family pet) that you can bring over to play with the baby, you are sure to brighten the baby’s day. Always be careful and alert when bringing animals around babies. Select an animal that could cause little harm and/or one that has been adequately trained. Make sure animals have their required shots before bringing one around a baby. Make sure the baby's parents approve any pets you bring over.

Sing. Babies are naturally drawn to rhythms and melodies. You can win a baby’s affection by singing to them. You can choose simple children’s songs, popular songs that you know, or make up any old melody, and the baby will love to spend time with you.

Take them outside. Fresh air and sunshine can do wonders for a baby’s mood. Take a baby outside to score points with them. The vitamin D in sunlight can make a baby very happy, and the wonderful colors and smells of the outdoors can provide myriad sensory experiences. Make sure to talk to the baby's parents on what protective clothing or sunscreen may be used to keep the baby safe from sunburn.

Sharing Things

Bring them toys. Every body loves to receive gifts, and babies are no exception. Bring a baby an age appropriate toy to get them to like you. Search for fun, non-electronic, interactive toys for that baby’s age group. Then use that toy to play with them!

Share your food. If the baby in question is over six months old, and if their parents have already introduced solid foods, sharing a little bit of what you are eating can be a fun and easy way to make the baby happy and get them to like you. Excellent foods for sharing with a little baby are bananas or other very soft fruit. Always check with the parents to see which foods are allowed and what size bites are safe.

Mirror their mood. Babies are surprisingly adept at accessing a person’s mood. You can foster a connection with the baby by taking on whatever mood they seem to be in. If they seem fussy, you may want to make fussy faces back at them. If they are cheerful, respond in kind. These small gestures of empathy can lead to the baby enjoying your company.

Teach them. Babies love to learn. Anytime you play with them, it can be a great opportunity for learning. You can teach them about the ABCs while playing with blocks, you can practice new words as you walk through the garden, or you can teach them the sounds of different animals when you play with stuffed animals. If you make an effort to teach them, babies will grow to love you.

Let them help you. Babies as young as eight months old can start to be helpful around the house. If a baby is able to hold small objects, they can begin helping you clean up their toys. If they are mobile (crawling or walking), they can help even more. Even though a task will almost certainly take longer with a baby’s help, allowing a baby to help gives them a sense of belonging and pride. It is building a good foundation for them, and as a result, it will encourage them to like you.