Play and toys for a 4 month old

[boopdoop]

My DS is almost 4 months and I am struggling to know what sort of things is best to entertain him and encourage his learning. What sort of play should I be doing, and what toys would be good to have?

tia.

My dd is 3.5 months and loves being on her playmat both on her back and on her tummy.
I've just discovered she loves when I'm shaking a rattle for her and her Sophie giraffe...
I bought her some teething keys but she hasn't really bothered with them yet. Hth!

Anything interactive (usually with you) - you don't need anything specific, just stuff that allows him to investigate the world. I think our playmat was still in use lots at 4 months, lots of singing and silliness, balls (the OBall is good because they can hold it) and he liked things he could grab and chew. Go out too, lie in the garden/park and show him different textures.

Best things for learning at this age are the simple things. Let him have time on the floor to practice rolling etc, and outside like callamia says. Don't always hand toys to him but let him try to reach them himself even if he can't roll yet. Carry him in a sling at a high up level so he can see what you're doing and normal human interaction. Talk to him a lot, tell him about everything you're doing and interesting things that cross your mind, doesn't have to be "educational" e.g. "This is blue!" because he won't take that kind of thing in yet but more general chatter, they love that.

My 4 month old loves it when I get up close and sing and make silly noises with him. He does a proper giggle. Also the playmat, and anything he can put in his mouth e.g teething keys, Sophie the giraffe. But singing and talking to him are his favourites.

we bought one of those foil blankets that runners use for a pound off amazon. It is massive so cut it into 4. My daughter loved it at about 4 mnts and still plays with it now at 9 mnts.

If he can support his head well have you got a door bouncer / Jumparoo? At this age my baby started to really enjoy being upright and feeling the floor under his feet for short periods. Four months later he still loves his door bouncer

Lamaze toys are great for this age and older.

Just stuff they can hold really lamaze flip flop Fred is good and those plastic link ring things

My 15 week old has a couple of Lamaze toys that we play with together (Freddie Firefly is her fave!), we also have a Sophie Giraffe, but the biggest hit is her books- she loves them! I have heaps! We have the baby sees series (spots and dots etc), some sparkly books, a couple of flap books, and a book of colours- she's just mesmerised by them!
She plays on her play gym and practises grasping, rolling and putting what she can in her mouth. And she loves looking at trees when we go out :-)
She's also enjoying interactive songs- like head, shoulders, knees and toes

Thank you. That's all so reassuring! He loves Freddie the firefly, and his jungle mat. We have just got a door bouncer to try, and just started with books. I also chat to him all the time as I do stuff, as we walk along etc... I also just ordered an Oball as they look fun!! Seems like what I'm doing is about right, so feel a bit more confident. Was having a bit of a crisis of not being sure about what I was doing, if I was missing something major etc, but it seems ok. Thank you all so much!

I think that when you come out of survival-mode after the first three months, you worry that you might be missing something important, because life has suddenly become so much easier! Don't worry - it sounds like you're doing brilliantly!

I liked this book - ideas for things to do with them every month for the first year. As usual, take the 'your baby is likely to be doing xyz now' with a pinch of salt, and just choose the activities which appeal/work for you.

In a couple of months time, once your baby can sit up, have a read about treasure baskets