Playing with a 5month old

[DizzyKipper]

Hi there,

I was hoping some of you maybe able to suggest some games I can play with my 5 month old. She's become a lot more interactive and wants to play so much more these days, I'm having trouble thinking up games to play with her. I already have a lot of toys for her and am giving her safe household items to explore, we also play peek-a-boo, I sing nursery rhymes to her and read books, we play "rollercoaster", pat a cake, I also take her on walks and "explain" housework to her whilst getting on with chores. I also started playing "go fish" with her using a new cat toy and pretending to reel her in once she's caught it (chufty badge as it's the most inventive I've been). The issue is more that I'm getting bored as I feel like every day I'm just reciting the same old stuff to keep her amused and am finding it hard to think up anything new, I'm on my own about 11 hours a day so it's starting to feel quite hard being the primary entertainer. Any suggestions to help spice up our playtime and help me have fun whilst playing with DD would be appreciated.

Is there any chance of you getting out to parent and toddler groups? THey relieve the boardom for both sides! LOs love watching older children play, and you can chat to other parents and swap ideas. At that age my DCs really enjoyed going to a singing group - the action songs were best (obviously with help ) The local libraby might hold one.

Oh yes, forgot to mention we do go to sure start baby group every Tues (different toys! huzzah) and we also used to go to baby massage. Around here the groups are split into pre-walking and walking so I can only go to the Tuesday one. I also see my mum almost every Friday and have been visiting my SILs (MIL usually at work) every fortnight). I'll look into whether there are any other baby groups around, I'd just been presuming sure start would be the only one. Thanks

I'm sure there will be others about. Check out church halls - usually not church related if that's not your thing!
There may be a local childrens magazine for your area which liss lots of activiites (our local one is called Grapevine - I think it covers otehr parts of the country too)
The local Council might have a list of activities, or the library. I would have gone round the bend if I hadn't had groups to go too!
Another idea might be swimming if you have a local pool.

Mine found it quite funny if I did pratfalls and other slapstick comedy to keep myself amused.

You do loads already, I didn't do half that amount of playing.

Walking, reading, singing nursery rhymes is great. Anything else is a bonus really.

Swimming - class or public? Baby and Mum Yoga - class or DVD? Baby signing - book or class? Bookstart Rhymetime - usually at the library? Baby sensory? Go on a bus ride - just don't get off. Train journey. The park? NCT Bumps and Babies group? Buggy walks?

Speak to your local library - they prob have a bulletin board filled with groups.

I heard some boffin on the radio a while ago (my guru) who said that you shouldn't play with your children, or rather that you shouldn't feel you should play with your children. It's not beneficial to them. He said when an adult plays with a child they inevitably take over and the child doesn't get the chance to explore the world themselves.

He said what your doing, singing, reading stuff like that, brilliant, put playing, leave them to it themselves. I do think he was talking about slightly older children though.

I'll see if I can find a link.

You do loads! I put music on and dance with Ds, do the baby signing dvd, for some strange reason he loves rolling around on a plastic tablecloth so I get that out . If you look on the Babycentre website they have a suggested weekly activity to help development and we've enjoyed a lot of those :)

Had a very quick look, can't find a link, I know I have read it on the internet as well though.

He said that throughout human history and across every culture parents have never routinely played with children. It is only a small group of middle class western parents that have started doing so in recent years, often because they feel that they should to benefit their child's development.

He also said that it confuses children as to the role of adults, they should be coping you, not you copying them and that it can stifle their independence, in that they will be looking for you to lead and entertain them rather than learning to do these things themselves.

As I said he didn't say you shouldn't play with them if they enjoy it, just that you shouldn't feel at all guilty about not playing with them.

My view is that I'm a mum not a red coat! Listening to this interview gave me the confidence to be just that.

I should add that I do sometime play with mine, they are a bit older though so it's things like draughts if they need another player.

As I said he didn't say you shouldn't play with them if they enjoy it, just that you shouldn't feel at all guilty about not playing with them.

Sorry I meant if YOU enjoy it.

Wow thanks for all the replies and suggestions, I've been looking online and enquiring into some groups and will look into the Babycentre games.
And that's an interesting perspective Kendodd. I do feel that right now - whilst DD has no one else and is at the point of her development where she needs to play - it is beneficial to her to have some input from me, but me and DH have always wanted several children and I've always assumed they'll be able to keep each other amused when they're old enough.

I know when DS was that age he didn't really seem too bothered about any games I played with him - he just wanted to see what I was doing so I carried him about with me. Loading the washing machine or dishwasher became the best fun ever for him - and even just going out for a walk or a coffee are massively stimulating for them.

i was definitely trying too hard but it got easier when I realise that seeing everyday activities was the best way to engage him. They don't know what is a game and what isn't - they're just little sponges - so a healthy dose of everyday activities are really valuable. And it makes your life a little easier!

Sometimes I wish MN had a like button kdiddy, very nice point - and now to show DD the immense fun of loading the washing machine and tumble dryer

My son is the same age. We go out to several baby group each week. My son really loves Gymboree. Have you got a highchair? My ds loves sitting in his doing activities. His favourite is the vtech sing and disco piano which keeps him occupied, he also loves me making towers out of his stacking cup for him to knock over. He has the toot toot cars which he loves rolling around the table. He also likes to watch me do baking so I sometimes make things at the kitchen table and talk to him about what I am doing. My ds's best little friend comes over regularly she is looked after by her nanny who often has some good ideas. Last week she brought over some chunky colouring pencils to so some drawing-I thought she was bonkers but they did get some lines on the paper and enjoyed sucking the pencils! If your baby is ready you could start blw, that gives you lots to do with them!

I got my lo a jumperoo and that keeps us both occupied for hours. He loves the bouncing and grabbing the animals and I love watching him. He loves staring at the fish tank or playing with the remote control. We have nursery rhyme cds and dance too. Rolling on his playmat and kicking his legs whilst naked.

www.productiveparenting.com/aspx/activitylibrary.aspx

I often link to this site. Some good suggestions broken down by age :)

Jolly Thanks for linking again - I hadn't seen it before. I've just clicked through and found a great simple idea for a shape game much more fun and much simpler to do than one I was trying to invent myself on the way to work this morning.

dizzy sounds like you are doing some amazing games already! I agree with the comments above about not worrying too much about actual 'playing' though.

It is a recent construct - for thousands of years of human development, babies would have just been part of normal life, women would have continued collecting food/ working as part of the community as soon as they were physically recovered from the birth. The baby would have just come along and watched/ learned - not been the focus of attention.

If you get out and about and do what you enjoy, she will love being part of that.

I found it got easier after 6 months actually as they are much more interested in looking about so you can just put them in the buggy and go for a walk and they are soaking it all up....

Looking out the window on a rainy day is as much fun for a baby as being organised into a participatory activity.

Stick a snail on the window, they love that.

A sheet is a good toy, just watch and let your dd work out her own way to use every day objects as play things, you'll be amazed at her inventiveness and it will grow, rather than being 'directed' all the time.