Afraid of toys?

[graced]

My five month old hates toys. I don't expect her to be able to sit and play with toys yet, but when I so much as show her a little stuffed toy or rattle, she starts to stiffen up and her eyes open wide. If I give it to her, she'll grab it and I can pretty much count down about 15 seconds to meltdown. It's not a big deal, as she's happy enough to watch me do the dishes or something. Just curious why this might be. Too stimulating at this age?

[becky1969]

Yes, probably too stimulating.  I had a child like this! He's got some touchy qualities and now that he's older I know that he's a sensitive kid.  Does your LO startle at noises pretty easily? Does she get upset when you take her into new or noise situations like restaurants?  That might be touchiness.

I bought so many toys hoping I'd find ONE he would play with LOL.  I wish  would have saved my money! My son was happiest when going for a walk so that he could watch the scenery pass by, or driving in the car for the same reason.  He loved watching both parents do stuff.  One of my best ideas was giving him a 'nature basket'.  That's just a basket I filled with (safe) things from the outdoors for him to touch and feel.  Nothing made noise or was too bright or scary, very low key.  He loved that!

[graced]

Thanks for your reply. I figured it was just too stimulating. Yes, she is startles easily at sounds and situations. I guess she has a bit of touchiness in her. Not surprising though, since I myself am like that too!

[vacamex]

There is a test posted somewhere here that helps you find out your LO's style... someone must have the link, I don't right now.
I did it for my DD and it was right on the spot. After you do it, you can find some suggestions for your LO based on her style.
HTH
CC

[*Becky*]

Hi there,
My DS is 7 months now and is a little less touchy but he was very much like your LO. We still introduce new toys gradually and slowly as he can get scared of them - bless him!!! Once he has got used to them he is fine but anything that makes a noise we have to be particularly careful of! He is happiest playing with us or wtaching us, going for walks, being in the garden etc. I like the idea of a nature basket - will try that.
Becky

[skatty]

My DD was the same, I remember all the other babies at the mother group sitting under those play gyms and reading about other babies loving their activity centres and my dd could only handle 5 mins with her Lamaze frog at 5 months and then she'd get really angry and start hitting it and turning her head away  MY DD didn't like the cot mobile, hated the vibrating chair and countless other things we wasted money on before she was born! She did love being with me in the sling as part of the action or to be sat at the window or in the garden. Actually now I think about it I think it wasn't until she was 12 months or older before she really started liking toys, before that she liked to play with things she shouldn't, it was only when some imagination came into it that she has really liked toys and now she can play with them for hours. Once she was sitting up she liked to be surrounded with picture books, I would much rather spend money on books than loud plastic anyway 

[graced]

OK, good to see it's not just my LO! Good to know I can stop trying to entertain her with toys. She just seems to like hanging out. Thanks for the replies.