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tenderhearts 09:17 PM 07-13-2010
I will be starting a new baby, she is 3 1/2 mo. old. I haven't had an infant in my care for 4 1/2 years so what are the best useful items I can have for entertaining? thanks
DBug 03:22 AM 07-14-2010
For that age, I find a bouncy seat with the dangly toys to be indispensable. You can move it around easily, indoors and outdoors, and the baby can sleep or play and be in a semi-upright position to interact with everyone else. You can even place the baby in the circle with the other kids during circle time.
boysx5 03:31 AM 07-14-2010
I have the bouncy seat I also have one of those tummy time blankets and also a swing
momma2girls 05:17 AM 07-14-2010
I have a jumperoo, bouncer seat, playtime tummy mat, bumbo seat, and a travel swing for the infants-
MarinaVanessa 08:24 AM 07-14-2010
I bought an awsome play mat with the hanging toys and the 6mo DCB loved it and he didn't like ANYTHING!! lol. It was the Baby Einstein Baby Neptune Ocean Adventure Gym. You get it for $60 but I feel super lucky because I got mine at Target on clearance for $30. Something similar would work fine I'm sure.
I also bought extra links and a few infant toys to hang on them and leave a few single, link two or three together and place them around the baby some within reach and some just out of reach so that they'll try to go after them.
Soft & colorful toys (with lots of red, black & white for that age) that make noise and are easy to grasp are also musts. Soft books made of material that have plastic ribbed corners (for teething & feeling texture), have plastic inside so that they crinkle etc are a big hit here with my infants.
Baby mirrors are also great, babies love looking at themselves and most can be velcroed to the gym, stroller, carseat etc.
Large spongy blocks so they learn to grasp large objects. Cardboard books (small & large). Foam toys (I bought foam alphabet tub toys for the infants that are sturdy from target that even my toddlers with teeth can't munch on and pull apart). Teething toys (designate one for each infant).
Check and make sure that bouncers, excersaucers, walkers etc are ok for you to have. I live in one of the lame states that doesn't allow these because apparently kids were being left in them for too long and they were getting floppy baby syndrom
. But a swing is also a good idea (why I can have a swing but not an excersaucer, I have no idea). Especially for a 3mo old which wouldn't use an excersaucer for another month or so.
I also bought extra links and a few infant toys to hang on them and leave a few single, link two or three together and place them around the baby some within reach and some just out of reach so that they'll try to go after them.
Soft & colorful toys (with lots of red, black & white for that age) that make noise and are easy to grasp are also musts. Soft books made of material that have plastic ribbed corners (for teething & feeling texture), have plastic inside so that they crinkle etc are a big hit here with my infants.
Baby mirrors are also great, babies love looking at themselves and most can be velcroed to the gym, stroller, carseat etc.
Large spongy blocks so they learn to grasp large objects. Cardboard books (small & large). Foam toys (I bought foam alphabet tub toys for the infants that are sturdy from target that even my toddlers with teeth can't munch on and pull apart). Teething toys (designate one for each infant).
Check and make sure that bouncers, excersaucers, walkers etc are ok for you to have. I live in one of the lame states that doesn't allow these because apparently kids were being left in them for too long and they were getting floppy baby syndrom
. But a swing is also a good idea (why I can have a swing but not an excersaucer, I have no idea). Especially for a 3mo old which wouldn't use an excersaucer for another month or so.
swaddlebees 09:53 AM 07-14-2010
I have a baby eintein jumperoo (it is so much easier to adjust than the fisher price ones) a bouncer, a fisher price baby hammock thing, a swing, and an amby type hammock by arms reach.
The only thing we really use is the jumperoo.
They like things to chew on, and things that make noise. Rattles, play mats, small soft toys, etc. A bumbo is also a GREAT investment
The only thing we really use is the jumperoo.
They like things to chew on, and things that make noise. Rattles, play mats, small soft toys, etc. A bumbo is also a GREAT investment
MN Mom 09:57 AM 07-14-2010
What in the world is floppy baby syndrom?
I know they have syndroms for everything now..but this I have never heard of. If you could elaborate, I would really appreciate!
I know they have syndroms for everything now..but this I have never heard of. If you could elaborate, I would really appreciate!
MarinaVanessa 12:42 PM 07-14-2010
lol I know I said the same thing. The official term for it is Hypotonia. It's when a child's muscle tone and strength is weaker than it should be. Usually babies with this have trouble sitting up, rolling over, balancing, supporting themselves etc. A kid can get it for different reasons like medical conditions but can also get it from being left in a "device" regularly for too much time.
I guess people were leaving babies in "devices" like jumpers, walkers and excersaucers all day every day instead of putting them on the ground for "tummy time" and such and so they would get "floppy baby syndrome" so we aren't allowed to use them.
Here are a couple of links:
http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/...geS1106P0.html
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/h.../hypotonia.htm
I guess people were leaving babies in "devices" like jumpers, walkers and excersaucers all day every day instead of putting them on the ground for "tummy time" and such and so they would get "floppy baby syndrome" so we aren't allowed to use them.
Here are a couple of links:
http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/...geS1106P0.html
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/h.../hypotonia.htm