Toys in the crib?

JM712 · January 2012

Now that our LO's are a bit older and there is much less risk of SIDS, do any of you put toys in the crib so that LO can pay and put themselves to sleep? I experimented with this today during a nap and it went really well. She usually fights me big time about going to sleep unless I nurse her, which I have been trying to get out of the habit of, and today she just played until she was tired and rolled over and went to sleep! No crying! I only put soft toys in there of course. Thoughts?

ThePolishHammer · January 2012

We have two little stuffed animals in LO's crib. She also falls asleep better when she plays with them in the crib for a couple minutes. I usually take them out of the crib when I go check on her before I go to sleep.

sw_in_kc · January 2012

About a week ago, she took a stuffed caterpillar with her to bed, so I let her keep it in there. Then a few days ago, she took her seahorse https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Ocean-Wonders-Soothe-Seahorse/dp/B000W3XEQM in there too. It's funny to listen to the monitor - every once and a while, the seahorse will start playing.

alisonemma · January 2012

I did put a burp cloth in with her when I took her to my mom's. I just wanted her to have something that smelled familiar. But I don't put toys in with her at home, because I don't think she needs them.

mhaas28 · January 2012

My son has a piano that hangs on the side of the crib. The light and music help lull him into dream world. And in the morning I get like 15 extra minutes of sleep while he plays with it!

Wufroggy79 · January 2012

I've always made sure to keep play time and sleep time separate. She doesn't even hang out in her crib if awake more than five minutes so that she associates the crib with sleep. They had that advice in our baby book, and it has worked out really well so far.

thatgirl2478 · January 2012

DD has a ridiculous number of toys in her crib. But she doesn't like to play in there unless shes' waking up from a nap or sleeping. If we put her in there when she's awake she screams bloody murder!

tmm140 · January 2012

sw_in_kc:
About a week ago, she took a stuffed caterpillar with her to bed, so I let her keep it in there. Then a few days ago, she took her seahorse https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Ocean-Wonders-Soothe-Seahorse/dp/B000W3XEQM in there too. It's funny to listen to the monitor - every once and a while, the seahorse will start playing.

DS has the blue seahorse and will ALWAYS take naps with it. He just started going to bed with it too. I also love hearing silence for a bit, and then looking at the monitor and seeing him push the seahorse's belly.