Lately I've been wondering if I'm doing enough to stimulate little man. Every time I put him down to play by himself, and he lays there doing nothing, I feel guilty. I wonder if I should be talking to him more, playing with him more, encouraging him to say his first word, etc. Then I pick him up and wonder if I'm holding him back physically by not letting him roam around, to exercise his arms and legs.
I keep trying to find great educational kids toys for him to play with, but if he isn't interested in a new purchase, I wonder if he is past it already in his development, or not ready for it yet? Sure toys say "3 months+" or "6 months+" but until what age are they entertaining and worthwhile for babies?
Little man is just past six months now, and I'd love some ideas on what are great toys for him, that he would find both entertaining, and educational. I'm suffering mommy guilt, that I'm somehow holding him back, not teaching him enough, and when he's in kindegarten and all the other kids are more advanced, I'll regret it. Do all first time moms go through this??
He is always very curious in general, and while he likes colorful objects, he is also taking notice of things we do. He watches us eat, talk, make coffee, write, etc. He looks at everything with fascination, and when we are using something (a pen, a spoon, anything) he tries to grab it for himself. I'd love to find fun, safe ideas of activities/toys that will both stimulate his mind, help advance him, and also be really entertaining for him.
Last week I tried putting pots in front of him, turned upside down, and handed him a wooden spoon. He'd try to imitate me by banging on the pots with the spoon, but because he could not hit them accurately (sometimes would utterly miss) he was quickly bored with trying to make music with me :) After a while though, as long as I helped him aim, he started to have fun with it.
Is anything better than this? I can't believe how much fun being a mom is.
Disclosure of material connection: http://cmp.ly/3
I keep trying to find great educational kids toys for him to play with, but if he isn't interested in a new purchase, I wonder if he is past it already in his development, or not ready for it yet? Sure toys say "3 months+" or "6 months+" but until what age are they entertaining and worthwhile for babies?
Little man is just past six months now, and I'd love some ideas on what are great toys for him, that he would find both entertaining, and educational. I'm suffering mommy guilt, that I'm somehow holding him back, not teaching him enough, and when he's in kindegarten and all the other kids are more advanced, I'll regret it. Do all first time moms go through this??
He is always very curious in general, and while he likes colorful objects, he is also taking notice of things we do. He watches us eat, talk, make coffee, write, etc. He looks at everything with fascination, and when we are using something (a pen, a spoon, anything) he tries to grab it for himself. I'd love to find fun, safe ideas of activities/toys that will both stimulate his mind, help advance him, and also be really entertaining for him.
Last week I tried putting pots in front of him, turned upside down, and handed him a wooden spoon. He'd try to imitate me by banging on the pots with the spoon, but because he could not hit them accurately (sometimes would utterly miss) he was quickly bored with trying to make music with me :) After a while though, as long as I helped him aim, he started to have fun with it.
Is anything better than this? I can't believe how much fun being a mom is.
Disclosure of material connection: http://cmp.ly/3
Being a mom is amazing! :) But yeah I think we all have that doubt, that what if we're not doing enough feeling with the first one! You know the thing that I really believe is the biggest key to unlocking a child's mind is talking to them. Just narrate your day, nothing complex. :) The sound of Mommy's voice does amazing things for stimulating a baby's mind! I wrote a post on this last year. http://everypreciousjoy.blogspot.com/2009/09/pre-pre-school-teaching-your-child-from.html I had really hoped to add other subsequent posts but somehow I always had something else on my mind when I was posting and eventually forgot about continuing this train of thought. I really should go back and finish someday...
ReplyDeleteFor toys you'd be surprised. The simplest ones are usually the best! Things to sort, stack, and things around the house. Spoons, empty oatmeal cannisters, your bottled water. :) When Chicklet was about 5 or 6 months old I had a bottle from a Propel Water which I saved and washed out and had refilled with regular water. I would open it just a tiny bit and she would run (roll technically) off with it and drink it, thinking she was getting away with some daring adventurous deed. Lol! Or we had an old tv remote that didn't work that we let her have. She thought it was a phone. Any empty box was and still is the biggest thrill and greatest creativity inspiration ever. I dont know what it is with kids and boxes... All the money we shell out of educational toys and it's the things we already have that thrill them most. :)
At that age my son liked the activity gym the one that he could reach for hanging objects and pull them down. I also would put him in an exersauser gadget. I would set him in it and put some brightly colored cartoon on and he would be very happy in it. My son didnt actually start playing with toys till about 10 month or so. Those baby toys I bought him (like 3-6 months) were kind of a waste because he would just look at them and not play with them. He did like this ball toy that lights up it might have been like a Vtech toy. Also stroller rides around the block kept him engaged. No need to feel guilty if you think he's not playing enough he's mostly learning by watching what other around him are doing.
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing...he doesn't always play with the toy, sometimes he prefers the packaging.
ReplyDelete