Can you give me some ideas for entertaining my 5mo please

[Highlove]

DD is nearly five months. I'm a bit stuck for ideas for games to play or fun things. She lives her jungle gym thing which is great but I've got a really limited repertoire of other 'stuff', especially games together. I do things like this little piggy, round and round the garden etc. And we've got lots of little books so we read most days. But would love some other ideas - feels like we do the same each day. TIA.

Doing the same thing each day is perfect for 5 month olds. Just interacting with you is all she needs; eye contact, cuddles, songs, everything you're doing.

As long as you're doing this, she won't be bored.

Although you may be

Oh, but boxes of sparkly crap are pretty good for ten minutes' peace

here's some ideas for stuff to put in boxes

Just put her in a sling and do things that you want to do, go for walks etc. She'll love being up and able to see everything and it's good for their development.

Plus letting her lie on the floor with a few toys she can reach and a few she just can't - they're remarkably resourceful at getting things when given the chance, it's fascinating to watch.

I brought mine swimming

Bought little shakers and we shook them to disco music

That's not my.. Books

Little paddling pool

CDs with story time

Nursery rhyme stroy book that sings when you turn pages

Mega blocks

Mostly though, we visit coffee shops, library, family.

I filled a bunch of empty coke bottles (the small ones!) with various stuff. Dried pasta is one, coloured button in another, rice in another etc. Dd played with them for ages.

One of the weirder things she liked playing with was a selection of wallpaper samples. They were really brightly coloured (feature wall ) and she loved scrunching them.

And lots and lots of songs. Songs with actions... Have a look at Singing Hands in YouTube for some good ideas.

Also ball pool

10 mins on mat.
10 mins on chair.
10 mins on swing.
..repeat...nap :-)

At 5 months, repetition is good.

Chill. Sounds like you'll burn out before baby reaches 2!

If you go on to have a second child, you may feel horrible guilt when you can't fill every moment with one on one educational stuff for either child.

With DC2&3 I learned that babies love watching day to day life.

Emptying the dishwasher, loading the washing machine etc might seem deathly dull to you but babies love it.

Plonk them on a pile of laundry, pull something gently out from under them, let them feel the clothes, smell daddy's socks. They love it. Chatter away "poo! Smelly socks!".

Prop them up on cushions or a bouncy chair to watch you do stuff. Give them something related to the activity, e.g. a warm teaspoon from the dishwasher.

Sing a long with the radio, have a little dance as you stir the pasta. They love it. Mine sang the radio 2 jingles as well as nursery rhymes.

My dd is also nearly 5 months. I'm sure you've probably thought of these but She likes:

Her door bouncer
Scrunching shiny packets (eg animal biscuits have an outer bag that is plastic and foil)
Playing with the sheet when I change the bed (wafting it over her so it covers her peekaboo style). I'm intending to get some silky semi see through material and do this more.
Me Tickling her, esp feet and tummy and blowing raspberries or pretending to munch her toes
Practicing sitting on the bed with a c shaped cushion to help her and toys
Pulling faces in the mirror
Being taken round the garden to look at and smell the flowers.

Baby centre website has a section on activities for different ages and you can get books out the library on similar.

Some great ideas, thanks.

Is it so obvious she's my PFB?

If you live in a city do all the cultural things you like doing. Vising museums, art galleries, meeting friends during their lunch breaks. This is what I did with dd1! Can't do that with dd2 though so instead am using cookie monster techniques. Dd2 loves laundry!