Fun things to do with a 4 month old?!

[schoolholidaymeanshotcrossmum]

I am bored shitless.

I have read stories, he's had a nap. we have sung a song, he has been sitting on my knee as I've typed, I've planned a march out this afternoon to walk off the flab vote. What else can I do/ play? I feel so guilty when he gets ignored and abandoned on the play mat. Poor chap!

[ElsieR]

I was there too! It made me a bit depressed after a while... Have a go at baby swimming, baby yoga and this sort of stuff?

[schoolholidaymeanshotcrossmum]

thanks - we swim at the weekend with his elder sister - but could take him by himself I guess in the week. I really struggle with this pre verbal time. Give me teenagers any time (other people's mind!)

[sweetuphoria]

I'm the same so I have joined baby yoga, baby massage, she now has a baby bouncer that goes on the door frame so put her in that for about half an hour per day, have also just bought her a jumperoo so she sits in that for short periods of time now, but she still spends a lot of time on her playmat and I sing and talk to her quite a bit.

If you're bored then go shopping, I don't know about your dc but mine just likes sitting in the pram/carseat and looking around.

But I think the classes are worth a shot cos when you learn how to do it e.g masssage it is something else to do with them at home.

[wolfhound]

At that stage i found it was good having an activity every day - some people think that's crazy, but I think it was more for me than for him (an hour of activity that someone else was structuring, and getting there & back gave some structure to the day). I did some baby classes, an NCT baby group, a local coffee morning, that kind of thing. Think it's great to be able to chat with other mums while the baby is entertained by a different environment.

[Ba8y1]

Watching this thread with interest. DS is 11 weeks and though utterly adorable I am bored out of my mind! Might invest in a jumperoo - that looks fab, how old do they have to be to play in it?

[SomethingSuper]

God, I'm in the same boat. Bored of walking around and no local activitie really. What's a Jumperoo? On phone so can't look it up very well.

[schoolholidaymeanshotcrossmum]

thanks all , he's more than happy in the pram I just feel a bit guilty that I'm not doing more with him (but then I was probably the same with his sister and she seems healthy and happy enough!) will do some investigation into classes locally, didn't bother when he was first born because having a daughter meant I know it all already but now the boredom is kicking in.

[eeyore2]

Go for a walk somewhere YOU want to go! take the pram, go shopping, sit in a nice cafe, visit a friend / relative. Baby will be just as stimulated looking around and seeing stuff as being on a playmat. Soon enough you will have to be doing kid-centred stuff the whole time so you might as well enjoy a bit of peace and autonomy while baby is so little.

[satsumagirl]

long walks (esp. now the weather is nice)

Galleries and museums

Go and meet friends for lunch (including friends at work) and take him with you in pram or sling

baby groups

baby cinema (i am ALWAYS there, even if the film is crap!)

shopping (go early if necessary)

I've taken DS to most of these since he was a few weeks old- he's 4.5 months old now and I think it's made him a v adaptable little chap. And he absolutely loves meeting people.

[schoolholidaymeanshotcrossmum]

Lovely, thank you ladies

[JumpJockey]

If I'm in the right mood I stick dd on the playmat then lie on the floor opposite her by the mirror and just watch her face as she looks at "the other baby" - kills fifteen minutes and helps me appreciate her cuteness a bit more if we've had a bad night. Otherwise, definitely just taking her out for long walks and sitting in the park so she can look at trees, other kids etc.

[MagnumIcecreamAddict]

My DS is 10 months now and honestly I don't remember being bored at that your stage but only because he was a non-sleeper and I was too exhausted!

But we did do kindermusik from when he was 10 weeks, and still going now, which is great and really social. Otherwise went to friends houses a lot (mums I'd met at weigh-ins) for coffee, cake and a natter.

[smoggii]

My DD is 4 mths old also, i struggle for outside the house activities (i'm a bit anti social ) but inside the house we do lots of things. She loves her baby gym and has been using her Jumperoo for about 4 weeks now. I take her (and the dog) for a walk just before my lunch (it puts her to sleep so i can have undisturbed lunch when i get back lol).
I put her in her baby snug (M&P version of the bumbo) with an activity table infront of it, i press most of the buttons but she enjoys watching and occasionally gives it a bash.
Sometimes i put her in the pushchair with the steering wheel activity bar on it, she loves it.
The way it tends to work is food, play for half hour, sleep for a bit, play some more, repeat cycle, each cycle usually lasts about 3 hrs.

Don't feel guilty about putting babe on his playmat he is enjoying it and learning. Sometimes they need time for themselves too.

I strongly recommend the jumperoo, got mine 2nd hand as they can be very expensive and only last a couple of months, checkout ebay or netmums nearly new board.

[f1rstt1mer]

hi all, i am a 1st time mum and worried that im not doin enough to stimulate my 4 month wee boy. I think about it constantly especially on the days im in the house all day. He doesnt smile much for me then his dad comes home from work and gets smiles right away and it makes me think he doesnt like me. Does anyone know the feeling?

[QTPie]

Baby Sensory was very good - we started at around that age.

[Choufleur]

Do something you want to do - shopping, coffee with friends, walk... At 4 months he will be happy taking it all in

[naturalbaby]

baby cinema! I never got round to it and now my 'baby' is a bit too old.

I had an activity/walk planned for every morning for my own sanity, lie down/nap in the afternoon when he slept then potter about a bit till dinner time.

My babies spent a lot of time in a bouncy chair/bumbo watching me do housework!

[KatAndKit]

Totally normal that they smile for daddy like that. basically babies look cute as it is protection for them. the baby does not feel the need to do this with you as he is 100% safe - he knows you love him unconditionally. Even though he is probably 99% sure about daddy, he still uses the cute appeal on him just in case. It is very irritating when it happens though - I cried buckets over that.