Jumperoo/exersaucer- do your kids like it? What age?

Haven1

Confession: my boys aren't particuarlly interested in toys and every mile stone seems to involve using toys as incentive.  (Interested in people, yes.  Toys, no.)  I, of course, am convinced that their little brains are mush because I didn't shake enough stuff at them while on maternity leave and daycare Julie doesn't have time to play with just my kids all day.  You can imagine the amount of googling I've done to assess the damage I've created.  

Anyway, they now stare at the mirror hanging on the bouncy seat and the animals hanging from their car seats.  Not much reaching though, but at least they notice it.  I'm thinking surrounding them with toys with a jumperoo or exersaucer might be good.  I know they're strong enough for at least a little bit.  Plus, if we're being honestly, I'd love anything to entertain them that doesn't require being held constantly. 

So, did your kids like them?  How old were they when you used them?  Have I totally failed as a mother by not already owning one?

I see Craigslist has quite a few, but I wanted advice from the experts before I contacted anyone.  TIA.

macchiatto

Mine loved their Jumperoos. My pedi said 4m is the very youngest age that jumperoos or exersaucers are OK, so we started at that age and limited it to 20 minutes at a time/30 minutes a day.

Man I miss the Jumperoo days.

dulcinea03

At 3-5 months, my girls' favorite toy/entertainer was our play mats with the arches that you can attach toys to. They loved the hanging toys that they could bat at and chew on. We ended up with one upstairs and one down because they were used so much. J still enjoys it sometimes.  They both also loved the mobile projector in their room and it still works for 5 minutes of entertainment while I run to the bathroom.

I think they were around 6 months before they really got into the exersaucer and jumparoo. 

janjag

Our ped is not a big fan.  Nor was the woman who did the girls' 6mos developmental follow-up.  Girls were born at 33w4d, and that may play a part in their advice.  Audrey had a little high muscle tone.

Ped said not to put them in toys like that until they could pull up on their own.  For us that was like 9mos.  And by that point they were having enough fun on their own rolling/crawling all over the place.

Not saying you shouldn't use them, but just don't overdo it.  If they're in too long I hear it interferes with learning to walk properly.

I never got a playmat for mine, and that's one thing I wished I'd had at that age! 

Don't worry, they WILL reach for the things hanging in their faces!

kaitley44

My babies started using the exersaucer at about 4 months. They love it! Their play gym is also still a big hit. Have you tried a playgym? I attach a whole bunch of extra toys to it to keep them interested.

finallyreilly

They loved both.  They played constantly in both from about 6-11 months.    They really don't like them much now because they don't want to be confined.  It was great though because they would jump until they wore themselves out.

Temp159135562506975

mine all loved them.... we had one jumperoo and one exersaucer for the twins - so they could switch it up and enjoy them more.... i also miss those days - so nice to have them playing in ONE place

Temp159135562506975

oh- and started using at 3mos (they don't jump then- just stand for a few minutes and look).... and took them away at 11mos.  With Griffin we had it out for longer -but with TWO of them out we needed the room so 11mos was all i could take

kimarino13

Sophia loved the Rainforest Jumperoo and Lily loved the 123 Tear For Me Exersaucer.  I am glad we got one of each.  Now that they are mobile, they don't want to be in them at all, but we got a good 4 months out of them!

ETA bought them at 3.5 months and are retiring them at 8.5 months.

ethansbride2b

We have one exersaucer (Evenflo) that they take turns in it.  I don't keep them in it for long periods of time, like 15 minutes.  About 30 minutes a day and some days we don't use it at all.  My kids still enjoy it and they are 10 months (8 months adjusted).

We don't have a jumperoo.

BeccaLandes

We have a jumperoo and an exersaucer.  We started the boys in them at about 4 or 4.5 months.  They enjoy them, and I love having them in one place while I do things like pee, or eat breakfast.  I don't watch the clock, but they do get tired of them, so they probably spend about 30-45 minutes in them in the morning and then a few minutes here and there later in the day. 

Putting them in those toys changed my life, I'm not going to lie-- up until then, my son Benjamin wanted to be held constantly.

But you have absolutely not failed them as a mother by not having them!  I never had one and I managed to grow up just fine.

LakeGenevaBride

Fortunately we were able to borrow two exersaucers and 1 jumperoo.  I started using the exersaucers at 3 months with a towel wrapped around them to keep them stable (they had good head control).  They weren't really grabbing at stuff yet, but I would "play" with all the toys in front of them and they would watch.  Now at 4months they are just starting to hit the stuff in front of them.  I just started putting them in the jumperoo, they aren't really jumping yet, just playing with the toys in front of them.  They still like the activity mat. 

Chickandtaco

DS LOVE LOVE LOVED the jumperoo!  He started in it at 3-4 months and used it until 14 months!  He jumped his little heart out and would squeal and just had a great time, and he'd turn himself around and play with all the toys.  Some days, it was the only reason I got to eat (in peace anyway).