How to play with my 8 month old son

[mowgelijeffs]

Hi parents!
I'm looking for some ideas on how to play at home with my son who is 8 months old?

He was born a bit prematurely and is yet to sit down properly independently which means I usually sit behind him when we play. He is too chunky for a bumbo seat...
Sometimes he goes in his bouncy chair but he is now actually so heavy that the material nearly touches the floor

We used to do baby sensory but stopped for a few months whilst we went away. Now we are back we start again tomorrow.
I think my son is bored but I'm not sure.
I try to sit with him whilst he plays but I don't know what to play with him.
I've made him a rattle and he likes toys with eyes on or noisy clicking things but other then that I'm really at a loss.
I don't want to miss out on playing with him.

Btw, he goes out on walks in the county side all the time with my husband and me but I don't go alone with him.
He goes to his nannies house once or twice a week and plays with his cousins. He plays with his friends once or twice a week

Is it really just a case of sitting down with him, signing and being silly or is ther something more I can do?

Thank you

You don't have to do anything special and sometimes it's good to let them play on their own for a while too. He could sit in a high chair and watch you do household tasks whilst you chat to him, for example. Do you have anything like a jumperoo?

Playing-wise, you can sit and look at books together, play with blocks, simple jigsaws, musical things. You can make something called a treasure basket where you put lots of (safe) everyday objects in a basket and let them explore (there's lots of examples online). You can sing nursery rhymes and do lots of actions, use puppets etc.

I would also take him out in the pushchair/sling too. You could go to a park and go on the swings, slide him down a slide and so on. Are there any soft play places near you with baby areas?

Thank you speaknowords
I'll try to make him a treasure basket (he loves babyswipes) he already comes around the house with me in his high chair or in his walker and he loves his jumperoo.
Perhaps I'm putting my own sort of adult expectations of entertainment on him.. He might be happy as he is.
I feel so protective over my son and I don't want these days to end. He is good as gold and the most lovely little boy. After everything we went through I just don't want him to be bored or lonely.
X

You can get blow up rings that they can sit in so that you can face him, or use pillows to prop him, just don't leave him unattended like that m. You could sing nursery rhymes and do the actions, read poems and books, messy play is good too (I would suggest with food in case it goes in his mouth). Noisy things are always a win too as long as your neighbours don't mind, you can use pots and pans and a wooden spatula.

Can you prop him up against a V pillow so you can sit facing him? Play with stacking cups, musical toys, pots and wooden spoons. My DS used to love watching balls being thrown up in the air :) Nursery rhymes with actions - row row row your boat, grand old duke of York, wheels on the bus etc.
Second the idea of a treasure basket - so many things you can just incorporate from your daily life.

Ok total crosspost with goosey!

Google edible paints, and sit with a large protective mat! Fun but messy!

Yeah just talk to him, let him see your face, play peekaboo, blow rasPberries, bounce him on your knee, etc etc.

It's all mind-blowing at that age!

Read a book together, talk about the curtains.

He loves you, loves your face and voice, you're great entertainment!

Thank you everyone for all of the tips

I'll be putting him in a v shaped pillow and singing to him this afternoon .
Now for a treasure box 💍💍💍

Haha great minds pop