Play ideas/book suggestions for 7 month old

[donttrywaaaaa]

Morning,

Can anyone help me with some play ideas or recommend a book on play for my 7 month old DD?

She is crawling and pulling herself up so I'd like games for that level of development.

We play with a ball, the mirror, treasure basket, read books but I'd like some new ideas matched to the stage she's at.

Thanks!

Watching this thread with interest; no advice, sorry . Mine mostly plays with my changing bag/handbag, shoes, remote controls, electrical cables and a disgustingly hairy cat blanket. She doesn't seem that interested in her toys; we do read books, but there's only so many times you can point out a monkey's hairy eyebrows before we both get bored.

Hi Donttry I should be removing DD from the plughole she loves to inspect - but I was thinking about this too.

In the 'Wonder weeks' book it explains about developmental stages and what baby is beginning to understand and would be interested in. For us (37 wk leap coming up and sleep regression with it - booo), baby is learning about 'catagories' and how things are the same as each other. Things suggested that might keep baby amused are things that do something if you do something to it (push buttons, cars, drums and xylophones..) and things you can take apart. Putting back together comes later apparently!
It also suggests giving baby lots of things to investigate - a 'safe' cupboard or shelf.. and perhaps spending some time in front of a mirror pulling faces. Also outdoors (sucks in this weather though..)

The book is really good actually! Certainly explains a few things..

Cardboard books are good as they can be chewed. We have some Baby Boo books which are great www.amazon.co.uk/Amazing-Baby-Boo/dp/1904513018

The www.babycentre.co.uk website suggests a different game / activity for each week during the first year.

Hi donttry. I recommend saucepans and wooden spoons. Also empty Tupperware boxes - just for banging with, really. And, if you have any yet, a box of duplo; at not yet 8 mo, my DD doesn't, of course, build anything but she loves emptying the box and bashing the pieces around. Suppose it's good for manual dexterity if nothing else.

My DS has just turned 8 month and is obsessed with lights and lamps. Clearly we don't let him touch them, but he loves looking at them.

Recently he's been observing me and DH turning the lights on at the wall switch and now he wants to do it. Everytime he's in my arms and I walk past the wall where the switch is he almost jumps out of my grasp to hit the switch!

Another thing he loves is things with buttons. We gave him an old TV remote to play with and he loves it!

Thanks folks, am budy jotting these down.

Don't even know what duplo is

Wooden mallet and peg thing and the wooden spoon and tuppaware boxes go down well here. Pretty noisy though!
Oh and the old remote control also popular here.

Peekaboo is a fave

He also loves watching me wash up sat in his highchair, fascinated by the running water/bubbles. He also likes plugholes!!

Oh and mirrors! Ds spends ages talking to himself and trying to kiss his reflexion!

Shakers - plastic bottles/boxes filled with pasta/rice?

Someone mentioned the babycentre website, they do have some good ideas for games on there.

Toys which DD got into around this age were beads on wires, stacking cups and hide and squeak eggs, all of which are quite cheap. She had the LeapFrog Discovery Table at 9mo and loves it (shes now 12mo).

As far as books are concerned, actions are so much so much better than the story. For example, sensory ones ("That's not my..." and the Ladybird Baby Play books, noise ones (the Usborne "That's my..." range have really easy buttons to press which DD could press about 8mo), ones with puppets through them (see the Boris ones), flaps (Spot, Dear Zoo) etc and pop up. I ended up going into our local book shop and having a good play and prod at the books. If you do get story books, the board books are much easier for them to turn the pages of at this sort of age.

Its so much fun as they discover the world!

Thanks again!

Ah that's cute ang - DS kissing his reflection!

I tried a suggestion from babycentre to make a "shower" out of an old yoghurt pot (holes in lid and use in bath). She just tried to eat it...no interest whatsoever in the water pouring from it(apart from wanting to drink it).

That baby boo book bluecardi recommends is fab. We have it and DD can happily spend 30 minutes looking at the pictures of the babies in it and kissing her reflection in the mirror in the back

These are also hugely popular and keep DD entertained for ages so I can mumsnet in peace