Activity Ideas

[Mom to M&M]

Just wondering what you all do for A time with you 3-4 month olds... Marisa is 14 weeks today. She is generally awake for 1.5-2 hours (including wind down time). We tend to eat of course, change diaper, sing songs, look at toys, look at books, go for walks, etc. Always looking for new ideas to keep her awake and interested though!

[GabrielleD]

We do "Dancing with Mommy" (thank God no one can see me dance :wink: ), bicycling with his legs on the play mat, putting him on the play mat so he can look at the flashing star, sing songs, read books (ok, he gets bored about halfway through a short book), look at himself in the mirror (this seems to provide endless fascination for him). We also got him a Jumperoo recently, so he is happy for 15-20 minutes in that. I'd love to hear what others are doing, as well, since it seems  like I have days when I keep repeating the same things over and over again.

[annasmommy]

Yes, I've had the same problem as my days look pretty much the same.  I do some of the things you've done, and have started putting my LO in the exersaucer.  She's 3.5 months, so the seat it a little big, but I put a rolled blanket behind her to keep her propped forward.

My LO also seems to enjoy mirrors alot.  We spend a good deal of the day in the bathrooms in our house as I make faces and smile at her in the mirror.  She enjoys changing her views as she looks at me in the large mirror and in the side mirror (medicine cabinet).  We also do exercises (like the bicycling mentioned above), and stretching arms, legs, then opposing arms and legs.  We also try to have some tummy time, usually with a rolled up towel or blanket for her to prop her upper body arm for added support.

[galaxie81]

I don't have a child yet but work in a childcare centre plus with our endless supplies of books and such I hope I can help with some ideas 

-Blowing bubbles
-Stretching out (great for if your baby still curls up like in the womb).  Just do gentle stretching exercises-arms over head and then down, bring one arm up while gently stretching opposite leg, etc.
-Swat the Toy- attach a small cuddly toy or teething ring to a brightly coloured ribbon.  Dangle the toy in front of LO and make it sway from side to side, encouraging LO to reach across it's body.
-Rolling over-To help LO roll over place LO on their stomach or back on one side of a towel or blanket and gently lift it a bit, so LO rolls onto their side.  Or gently push her back and forth so they learn how to swing their weight correctly.
-Grab out the family photo albums and show baby their relatives.
-Sing some nursery rhymes together
-To help with some crucial tummy time lie on your stomach facing baby and have a good old conversation.  It will help baby to become more comfortable on their stomach even though some babies object loudly.
-Pinwheel magic.  Grab a colourful windmill and have some fun blowing it while baby watches.
-Paint some footprints also a great keepsake for babies box
-Grab different objects so baby can feel the different textures
-Heaps of verbal stimulation-reading, talking, singing, etc
-Take a walk in the garden, play with the dog or watch the birds
-Play a sit-up game: Pull him up gently and slowly by his arms and then lower him back down. This strengthens his stomach and lets him see the world from different points of view. 
-Exercise his legs by lifting them up and then letting them flop down. Try this rhyme to go with the game: "Hippety hippety hippety hop, hippety hippety and then we flop." 
-Put him on his stomach and place the palms of your hands on the soles of his feet so he can push against them and slide forward. This will help ready him for crawling. 

Hope these help 

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Galaxie, that's an awesome list! 

[galaxie81]

Galaxie, that's an awesome list! 

Shows you how clucky I am if I already have my own baby play books  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:   (but they do come in handy for my childcare studies  )

When I used to work at a all ages long hours childcare centre we did a few of these things and the rest I just picked up along the way and through the centre experimenting and workshops 

[Ennypen]

Thanks Galaxie - your list is going to really help me!!!

I was only commenting to DH yesterday that now the weather is getting really cold and wet and dark its hard to know how to fill up the days with DS, espcially now hes staying awake for up to 2 hours at a time and demands constant entertainment.

The things I tend to do include;
Sitting William in the kitchen and showing him all of the clothes as I take them from the drier and folding them (lol boring eh but at least it gets the job done!)

Watching a Baby Einstein DVD together - he loves them. (He also watches the fimbles on TV and laughs away at that).

Chatting and pulling faces at each other..

Playing with toys - he loves peek a blocks and his new inflatable play nest as there are lots of bright toys.

Tummy time, exercises and rolling..

And lots of cuddles and massage.

I shall certainly be using some of your ideas though to fill out the days!

Helen xxx

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

I'm going to make this an announcement, it's got some great suggestions in it.   I think most of these activities are good right from newborn through to toddlerhood.  They just need adapting so the stimulation level is appropriate for each age group and some of the exercises will need to be a more gentle movement with young babies until neck control is developed.

[Rooster]

My dauther is 2 months and 1 week. I find that activity time with her is difficult - I tend to put her under her mobile for a short time and she likes that for a little while, I also sing to her, play music, sit her on my lap, and talk to her, started to do some excercies with her arms and legs, she has an activity gym and I lay her there - I find that her attention span doesn't last that long - is it because of her age? Her awake time varies during the day -

Can you tell me what you did with your child for activity time when they were 2 months old?

[zayandme]

What to do with a 2 month old? Not very much

I know it can be very hard to NOT be active together- My son and I read books, sung songs, etc. all the time, almost from day one until he was 4 months old. What ended up happening is that my son began taking 45 minute naps due to overstimulation. This may not happen to your lo, but don't forget your daughter already has much to absorb every day.

I truly enjoyed those moments with him, but I was beyond exhausted and after reading Tracy's book, I realized he was, too. 

Try sitting your little one in front of a window. Drape a colorful towel over the couch and lay her next to it. Sing a song or two a day (yup, I know it doesn't sound like much...). Lay her next to you while you read a magazine so she can watch you turn pages. If she squawks or seems restless, turn her and face her a different direction without upping the activity level.

I promise (promise!) that as the months pass you and your beautiful new daughter will share more and more activites together.
For now, just rest and let her take in this brand new world.



Please feel free to PM me!  :arrow:

[Lan]

Try and let them amuse themselves for longer and longer periods of time! I spent way too much time playing with my baby and he is now 22 months and still expects me to interact with him all the time. So while it's good to play with your baby some of the time, give them lots of different textured objects to feel and grab and put in their mouths. Once they start mouthing everything it will fascinate them! If they like being on their tummies let them practise trying to push up and move. Don't feel like you need to be at their side stimulating them for every waking moment. The best stimulation you can give them at this age is cuddling them and talking to them.

Just another perspective.

[camila´s mom]

this is my first post. I just want to share with you my 7 weeks old baby best activity: dancing together. I play the music, carry her in my arms and start moving... she seems to enjoy this activity so much.
there´s another good thing about it... it wors like exercise for me too.

 :lol:

[annapark]

Thanks for the great ideas Galaxie - my 12 wo was diagnosed with reflux at 7 weeks and only now is in the mood for some 'real' activity time - I'm going to definately go through your list and try them out.

Cheers

[mmmmchoc]

I put my 3.5 month old son in the front pack or sling facing out and he loves looking at everything, sometimes i will do housework or we will go for a walk round the garden , or stand in frount of the mirror jigging up and down, i find this help full when im sick of trying to entertain him as he loves looking around and this way my arms get a rest!!!

[ynoterica]

I've been using 2 books with my lo and both are great!  The first is called "Itsy Bitsy Yoga".  It has a number of exercises to do with you babies from newborns all the way through toddlers.  The second is called, "Games to play with Babies".  This one is great because it focuses on activities based on age and also talks about activities that developmentally based.  Hope this helps!
Erica
mother to Parker!