Back to the Babes

vacsx2

How are you entertaining your LO these days? 4 months is definitely a time of transition. My babe doesn't even love his Fischer-Price kicky piano mat as much as he used to. What is the next activity du jour? Have you found something new they love to do? His rotation of mats/activity centers seem to be boring him (and our nanny!) We do long walks, water safety and a music class. He does seem to really enjoy book time now. Anything else I should add to the rotation?

I use this forum to get and offer support about our babe. Nothing more, nothing less. I hope for those of you that do the same, you'll stay in the conversation. Clean slate.

SmittyPants

I'm finding its so much easier with the second. I just plop him down to watch his sister run around and play. Try taking LO to a playground to watch older kids. 

nlane0723

Have you tried an Exersaucer? Harper isn't really interested in the piano mat anymore either; she would rather roll around or stand.

We bought the baby einstein reef one from Target and she LOVES it!

cdnmomma

I was wondering the same thing today. M is 4 months and I have no idea how to keep her entertained. We got some sensory toys - nuby balls, o ball, and some musical toys but they only keep her busy for a few minutes. I try to rotate her toys. Take something away and bring our only one new thing a week. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated!

SurpriseAt39

LO is loving watching DS1 (20 months old) or bouncing & spinning in the Baby Einstein play centre bouncer thingy.
He loves the water. He squirms much more at tummy time and tries to get his knees up under himself.
We practice sitting on the floor while I show him toys or DS1 gives him stuff or we read.
He goes in the Jolly Jumper some days while I shower and he loves it.

If he's avoiding naps I put him in the wrap and we go for a walk. He will usually sleep the entire time (1-2 hours).

Sometimes I just lay him on the floor. He loves attention, so I sing to him, squeeze his feet and legs, help him stand. He loves being the centre of attention.

tsmith312

Harper still loves the piano mat, but I think its for the freedom of being able to roll all over the place. I discovered yesterday she really loves the excersaucer, she's finally tall enough her feet reach the bottom. She's still a little small for the jumperoo.  But loves books , I sit her in her frog chair and read to her and she's perfectly content .

cdnmomma

i gotta get an exersaucer!! i have a jolly jumper but m seems a touch small for it…kinda tips over…not just her head but her whole body. now that i think about it, I'm wondering if the excersaucer would be the same...

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

kaking78

We're also on team exersaucer. He's still getting used to it so we only use it for 10-15 minutes at a stretch but he's figuring it out. His favorites are the obnoxiously loud battery operated toys of course.

CruiseGirl28

Exersaucer. Piano mat still. Anywhere she can sit up or put things in her mouth.

Sanibel21

I'm definitely struggling to find more and more new and exciting things for LO. I feel like I'm more bored than she is though. Or I feel bad that I keep having her do the same things. Tummy time in front of the mirror, bouncy chair holding toys, floor mat with overhead toys, sitting on the floor leaning up against me looking at toys. We just put the exersaucer together. And she seems to love it but can't really maneuver and I worry about her little legs and circulation! (I'm crazy, I've accepted it.) Oh and sometimes we go up to her room and watch the mobiles in her crib. But doesn't it seem like a lot of just sitting and laying? 

Pinecone21

Sanibel21 said:

I'm definitely struggling to find more and more new and exciting things for LO. I feel like I'm more bored than she is though. Or I feel bad that I keep having her do the same things. Tummy time in front of the mirror, bouncy chair holding toys, floor mat with overhead toys, sitting on the floor leaning up against me looking at toys. We just put the exersaucer together. And she seems to love it but can't really maneuver and I worry about her little legs and circulation! (I'm crazy, I've accepted it.) Oh and sometimes we go up to her room and watch the mobiles in her crib. But doesn't it seem like a lot of just sitting and laying? 

Well, what do you expect her to do besides sit and lay? Our babies will be up and running before we know it!

My LO loves looking at new things. We were downtown for dinner one night, and she got restless, so I took her on a short walk. She loved looking in all of the store windows. She also likes being walked around and looking at pictures on walls and such. And trees on windy days!

Jessie615

Great ideas ladies!

I also try to do an outing/errand daily and talk about what I'm doing/what I see and really let my LO take in his surroundings.

Oh, I also stand up some board books during tummy time too that are bright, busy or have lots to look at. He usually talks more and doesn't seem to get as bored.

Sanibel21

Pinecone21 said:

I'm definitely struggling to find more and more new and exciting things for LO. I feel like I'm more bored than she is though. Or I feel bad that I keep having her do the same things. Tummy time in front of the mirror, bouncy chair holding toys, floor mat with overhead toys, sitting on the floor leaning up against me looking at toys. We just put the exersaucer together. And she seems to love it but can't really maneuver and I worry about her little legs and circulation! (I'm crazy, I've accepted it.) Oh and sometimes we go up to her room and watch the mobiles in her crib. But doesn't it seem like a lot of just sitting and laying? 

Well, what do you expect her to do besides sit and lay? Our babies will be up and running before we know it! My LO loves looking at new things. We were downtown for dinner one night, and she got restless, so I took her on a short walk. She loved looking in all of the store windows. She also likes being walked around and looking at pictures on walls and such. And trees on windy days!

Hah! This is true. I'll be longing for these days I'm sure. 

kimberpoo

my lo gets bored so easy! It's tough keeping him entertained. We did the exersaucer for a few days and he loved it for about 10 mins at a time, but he hasn't been into it since the weekend. I think maybe because he's constipated so it's uncomfortable?

His all-time favorite activity is going on walks outside. we can walk for hours and he loves it! even just putting him in his chair outside on the porch with me is a winner.

he loves the Lamaze brand toys, especially the moose and giraffe. they will keep him entertained for a good bit.

if all else fails, I just pick him up and walk him around with me. that's really all he ever wants - to be picked up so he can see everything.

Bltbear82

Anything with a mirror/reflective surface is a big hit. Also if DS is crying or starting to fuss, lifting him up and playing airplane or peek-a-boo are the best ways to entertain him lately. He responds with the best giggles!

LittlePigeon

Also in the jumperoo and stroller camp here. We go to the park to walk a few days a week. We have a pool and LO loves it, but we can (at the very most) do an hour in there.

She loves going to the store, so I just wander around Target with her sometimes with a Starbucks drink.

She loves bounding on my legs too, I lay on my back, lift my legs I am sitting in a chair, and put her tummy on my shins. If I could bounce her like that all day she would be happy!

wearallthebabies

My LO likes it when I sing and read to him- we read stories for about an hour last Sunday and he watches as we turn pages and touches the book and "reads aloud" with us Also, like PP said going outside is always a winner He also loves the link toys because they are easy to grab and move around/put in his mouth. We also lay on the ground and rotate toys a ton which keeps him interested. We tried the exersaucer/jumper with a blanket, but he still needs a few more weeks to really enjoy it I think.

At DC they give him crayons and he like to draw on paper plates. They also use paint, but for at home we stick with crayons it also gives you some artwork to display! We prop him on the Boppy with his arms over the front with a crayon in his hand and he moves it all around and makes a nice little "picture". Another thing they do at DC is sensory stimulation with different textures- cool whip, foil, jello, etc. If LO is in the mood, he really likes this too even though it can get messy! We do it naked with a diaper.

 

When I need to get ready in the AM for work we put him in the swing and put on Baby Einstein and it keeps him entertained just long enough for me to get ready, but that is the only "tv" he gets.

kstar83

wow, my LO clearly needs more stimulation. Ya'll are impressive. Mine still mostly sleeps during the week. When she is awake she still likes the frog chair and just laying on her back playing with toys, She like the lamaze dog toy that vibrates when you pull it. She puts the rings in her mouth all the time!

vacsx2

Thanks for sharing such great ideas! I'm going to hit the garage sales this week and then head to Target. I'm in awe of what the kiddos are already doing in daycare, totally using those ideas.

myfriendscallmemeg

We watch Big Brother. #sorrynotsorry

ProudMommy030614

We take the exersaucer outside and we have instant happy baby

Missfunball

The Johnny jump up is his favorite, super cheap ($20) though I got mine free via craigslist, score!

I only recommend this supervised and with good trunk and head control