What activities do you do with your baby?

Neyite

I have a 9 week old and would like ideas on what activities or age appropriate play /toys/ dvds that would help develop his motor /speech skills. We talk to him lots but apart from that, I dont want to be just plonking him in a bouncer in front of the telly.

I plan on bringing him to mother and baby yoga, and I'd like to bring him swimming, but should I get his vaccinations first? how old should he be for the pool? I heard of Baby Einstien DVD's so might get that.

Are there any DVD's or toys or activities that you had for your child at that age?

Lola92

Swimming is great for babies, I started going weekly with E from 6 weeks. I think come pools require they have their 2 month vaccinations but I was never asked and GP said it was fine.

That age is too young for DVD's or anything like that, how about a baby music class like gymboree? Singing, rhymes etc. are great to help soothe baby too. My girl used to love playing on the floor with a quilt down and some textured toys, mirrors, shakers and so on. Stories are brilliant too, it is so beneficial for children to be read to regularly from a young age to promote literacy.

Other than that I would say sensory play, different textures - sand, water, rice, lentils, pasta (all dry), home made play dough, foam & paint play are all great as they get older.

Hannibal Smith

I found the lamaze stuff great, there are a wealth of toys to chose from but my favourite are the little velcro ones that go on their wrists and feet.

Playmat/jungle gyms are fantastic...the ones with different textiles and sound on them. Really helps with tummy time too.

A mirror. Put a mirror at an angle in front of them and watch how they smile at the 'other' baby.

I can't remember at 9 weeks has he much head control? Because you could roll a little ball, like a tennis ball in front of them and they'll watch it.

I forget how young 9 weeks is, so I could be way off with ideas

liliq

They really dont need much at 9 weeks. They're still so little and the world is still so new that much of their time and energy is spent taking in the world and new things all around them.

Pugins

At that age they don't need lots of activities or too much simulation really. I brought my two to baby massage which they loved. It is supposed to have benefits for the baby but even without yhat they enjoyed the massage and songs. You could also join a mother and baby yoga class or I did post natal pilates which they loved cos they watched you contorting yourself!

Just keep talking to your baby and singing. You can sing nursery rhymes or just sinh whatever you like. Talking can be reading simple books or just doing a running monologue of what you're doing- ' ok now lets get you into your coat, then we're going to pop out to the post office. Oh look its a windy day' etc. they love your voice and hearing the conversation helps them to start understanding speech. And background conversation such as tv and radio will not have the same effect. Turn off the tv!

At that age I wouldn't worry about classes/organised activites too much.

How Strange

I used to put him on my knees facing me and talk to him. I can't remember when he started making sounds, maybe around 3 months, so I'd whisper oooh and aaah and he'd start chatting away in his little noises. I have a few clips saved on my iPhone and they're fantastic. He used to get so animated.

I also got a present of an usborne soft book which opened out like a cot bumper so I'd put him in his crib and let him too at the images. One side was black and white and the other was in colour. It was good for a bit of quiet time.

I also had a Fischer price jungle play mat which was fantastic but from 9 weeks on I'd lie him underneath for a few minutes to look at the shapes.

I think at 9 weeks there's very little you can do to entertain them as such. Bring him for walks in the buggy as fresh air is great for them and put him in a baby carrier or sling if you have one. Other than that cuddles, chatting and singing. He still just wants you all the time at this stage.

How Strange

Oh yeah and enjoy the fact that they need very little entertaining at this stage. Go for coffee, read a magazine, meet friends for lunch because it gets harder to do these things after a certain age. My son is 18 months and he now wants to be constantly entertained which can be exhausting at times.

xzanti

Yeah jungle gyms are great.. also those little music bracelets that you can get in likes of The Early Learning Centers with little chimes on them.. Baby massage.. Swimming is great if they are sturdy enough..

My Son loved the bath, I used to give him a bath every evening.. granted I kind of had to as he had eczema and needed to be bathed regularly with special ointments.. but it really relaxed him and it was good bonding time for us..

Also just going for a nice long walk is great for both of you.. it's so important to get out of the house regularly when you're a new Mother..

Hannibal Smith

xzanti wrote: »

Also just going for a nice long walk is great for both of you.. it's so important to get out of the house regularly when you're a new Mother..

Yes! This is so so important, no matter what the weather. As long as you have good rain cover for the buggy and a good rain jacket for you, get out for a walk as much as you can. You really do feel the better for it and so does baby.

Neyite

Thanks all!

It seems like we are doing pretty much most of that - we talk to him all the time when he is awake and he "talks" back to us, cooing and gurgling and happy squeals. We goe on lots of walks when weather permits, but I need to get a raincoat for me and step up our outings.

I'm going to introduce bath time nightly, and sign up to mum and baby mornings that are held locally, and swimming. I do think he is too young for TV - not a fan of children being glued to it so thats why I wanted other ideas.

And you are right, I should cherish the time I get right now while he is less demanding of my attention

liliq

Neyite wrote: »

Thanks all!

It seems like we are doing pretty much most of that - we talk to him all the time when he is awake and he "talks" back to us, cooing and gurgling and happy squeals. We goe on lots of walks when weather permits, but I need to get a raincoat for me and step up our outings.

I'm going to introduce bath time nightly, and sign up to mum and baby mornings that are held locally, and swimming. I do think he is too young for TV - not a fan of children being glued to it so thats why I wanted other ideas.

And you are right, I should cherish the time I get right now while he is less demanding of my attention

There are some fab mum and baby groups around... If I'm not dreaming I've spotted you on the breastfeeding support thread? Friends of Breastfeeding run lovely groups. All the mums are so nice.
Cuidiu are a great one as well

Yipee

I have three kids two of which were girls who were quite happy to do the Tv thing and jsut follow me round the house but my little boy is a bag of energy and he just wants to be rough and tumble palyed with all the time. he never follows me and often walks in the other direction. he is constantly climbing and refuses to watch the TV even when the best dora program is on.

Well I found this new class which I have registered on. Its called Mumba Dance and its basically dancing with your baby. I hope its not going to be a slow yoga type thing because i can picture him walking off and jumping on the other babies. Its a 5 week course and only cost me a E29 over plum deals can't go too wrong.

Does anyone have any other activities to do with an active daredevil baby/toddler besides the park!

KGLady

There are some wonderful suggestions here, this thread is great so far.

9wks they are still developing their eyesight, body co-ordination and coming to terms with the world around them. I too LOVE the Lamaze stuff for newbies especially the wrist and foot sets, they are a default now in every gift I give to our friends on their first baby, and each and every pair of parents have raved about them as much as I do Lying in a baby gym is great but only for a very short time at such a tender age as they can get overstimulated very quickly and it makes them agitated and weepy. Giving baby space and time to explore does wonders for their development.

And good on you for talking to baby a lot - hang in there as it works! I felt such a goon talking to my first all the time when we were alone at home and she'd give me that blank baby stare but I kept at it and she spoke very early, by 14mths was using complete sentences. Now she's an absolute chatterbox with a vocabulary well beyond her almost 5yrs and bilingual with irish too - tbh at times I wish I'd talked less to her as a baby, if it would only give me a few minutes of quiet now

Kash

My baby is only 8 weeks old, so we're learning as we go, but at the moment she seems to be entertained by us singing, dancing and a few Lamaze toys (the caterpillar and the dragonfly in particular). She also loves to splash in the bath and is fascinated when her daddy takes out the guitar!

I want to do some baby massage as part of her nightime routine but can't afford a class right now. But I'm sure YouTube will help me out!

staker

Kash wrote: »

I want to do some baby massage as part of her nightime routine but can't afford a class right now. But I'm sure YouTube will help me out!

We used a dvd called "yoga for you and your baby" with Tara Lee for our little girl. It really relaxed her before bed time,tiring her out and building up her body strength at the same time.

At 9 weeks all I used do were little rhymes and songs with some animations and general cooing and smiling-she had a walk most days with her mama and as someone suggested-a mirror.

Kash

Weird, I already have that DVD I'll give it a go ASAP