How to occupy six month old?

[RubyFalls]

Hello, I'm new to Mumsnet and hope you don't think I'm being thick, but I just don't know what to do with my six month-old baby. She is an absolute delight and a very good and easy baby, but I'm beginning to feel like a rubbish mum. She spend a lot of time in her Jumperoo and, as she is sitting up unaided, I put her in a large plastic bath on the lounge floor filled with cooking utensils and the remote control (she's obsessed with it). What toys should she be playing with? Should I be 'educating' her?

We are a low income family and have no car and no money and the change in seasons is starting to depress me. We spent the whole summer on long walks or in the garden but I can't see that happening now. I feel trapped and isolated despite going to a baby group once a week and also a singing thing at my local library. What do mums of babies do in winter without a car? How do I know what my baby needs in terms of entertainment/toys? I feel like a crap mum whenever I plonk her in the Jumperoo

Thank you for reading.

I forgot to add that I feel horribly guilty admitting this but I'm watching the clock sometimes, just waiting for baby's nap time so I can watch some telly. I'm bored of the same thing every day

My little one is also 6 months - he spends time in his jumperoo and loves it - don't feel crap when you put her in there, it's a fun thing for them! In terms of other stuff, I got a ball pool with balls for £8 on a local Facebook selling group - we also don't have much money so anything I've bought has been on there and it's so cheap! He also loves just rolling around on a blanket with a muslin! I don't have much in terms of specific toys, just a few different things he can chew and wave around, and that seems ok at that moment. I also got one if those inflatable rings they can sit up in for £5 on the Facebook thing, so I can pop him in there with a couple of toys and he's happy.

It's hard now it's less sunny and warm - I have to make myself go out every day, even if it's just a walk into town, but I try and meet someone for coffee (usually at our houses so it's free!! Plus we live a walkable distance from waitrose and they do free tea or coffee each day).

I take him to the park if it is nice and put him on the swing, he likes that, though very gently...!! Or even a walk round the supermarket sitting up in the trolley seems to be great fun for him! Even if I just wander round and then buy some milk! He loves sitting that high up and me chatting to him as we go round.

Hope that helps a bit. I'd be really interested to see what others say too!

Mine loves people, so anywhere busy is great. We go for loads of walks, it's great for breaking the monotony... sometimes three times dayif I'm feeling desperate! Are there any ducks near you?

As long as you wrap up, going out in winter should still be fine - around here there's usually at least some point during the day when it doesn't rain..

Library books are great for done variety too - the older she gets, the more she'll get out of them.

Soap bubbles could be fun, under a pound.

Boop, thank you so much for your reply. I think I need folks telling me I'm not a bad mum. Yes, I have to get out despite the weather, definitely. Do you face your baby outwards now in the pram? Do you have one of those transparent rain covers?

I'm going to a 'nearly new' baby sale on Sunday at my local leisure centre and I'm hoping to buy some toys

Scandi, thank you. Can I ask, how do you keep your head dry pushing the pram in the rain when you can't hold a brolly? I live somewhere very rainy

Are you on Pinterest, OP? There are loads of ideas for treasure basket themes. Also, how to develop fine and gross motor skills at certain ages.

I think popping your ds in a bath with toys and the remote control shows a great deal of initiative. I wish I'd thought of it. Though I would use a broken remote control and remove all batteries.

Can you go to baby/toddler groups? It'd get you out of the house, and give you some entertainment. But I know that they're not for everyone.

I was a big fan of parks - free, and fresh air. And by the time you've walked there and back you've been out of the house for a couple of hours.

I just used to wear a big coat with a hood. DS was born in October so was around this age in the rainy spring and we didn't have a car either.

I found this age boring and repetitive too - there's not much they can do and they get frustrated easily. I used to get to my children's centre a lot, that was a total lifeline and free. And there was an NCT group I went to which was an eye watering £5 per session but they said they would rather people came and didn't pay, than stayed away because they couldn't afford it. So sometimes I'd donate a pound, sometimes not. (When I first went, it was £1 per week).

You definitely need to try and find more than one baby group a week. They're a bit of an ordeal when you first join but try and think of it as "networking" - every time you go, speak to someone and try to remember something about them which links to their name - e.g. claire with curly hair, laura with the purple pram, anna with the twins, etc. Make it your mission to find something in the conversation that you can ask them about next week - if they say they're redecorating ask how that's going, if they mention their child isn't sleeping well you could ask about that (or commiserate!) age based questions can work too - if the baby is around 4-6 months you can talk about weaning, 9-12 months ask their opinion on the next stage car seats, around a year ask about walking/talking etc. It's just a conversation opener and will feel artificial but remembering details about people makes them feel more warm towards you, which is the first building block of friendship. In fact, ask around to see if others know of any other groups. And then once you've spoken to someone a few times, invite them round for a "playdate" or a coffee some time.

Do you have family near you too? Could you visit them or are they free to visit you? It's hard if you don't have friends with children already as they're always at work at those times when you need company.

Look on your local mumsnet section or the netmums meet a mum (don't shoot me ) - you may or may not get on with people you meet up with but it's all possibilities and I really found connection with other adults was what got me through.

DS is nearly 6 now and I'm still good friends with a mum I met because we were pregnant together and our partners were friends (both now exes!), four mums I met at a baby group, and have two more on facebook who I used to meet up with daily but don't see now I have moved away.

I think at that age my daughter was into mirrors. Perhaps she was a bit older but it was, and still is at 10 months, a big hit. Also, different fabric to feel, chew etc. just random stuff from around the house. Things to shake. Books, she just flipped them from back to front. People watching - winner for me, busy cafe, coffee, she was amused for 20 minutes just gawping.

Rhyme time at the library was good.

Definitely hit a couples of baby groups/classes if you can. Pick something that interests you - music, gymbaroo etc.

Do you have a toy library? Perhaps it's an Aussie thing. Anyway I pay $50 a year and get a couple of new toys every month - heaps of stuff.

Hi! You sound like a great mum. I felt like this with dd1, always felt I needed to do stuff with her/educate her. You really don't... They're picking stuff up all the time. Dd2 is 11 months and was quite into duploat that age. It's annoying as everything just goes iin their mouth anyway! Just chatting as you do your jobs is good. Get out as much as poss! Both my Dds liked music groups if you've got one nearby.

I think babies are bloody dull for a while and I live for nap time! So don't feel guilty. Now dd1 is 3 it's brill as we can bake or read together and it feels more interesting.

You don't need to buy lots of expensive toys!

Kitchen equipment- wooden spoons spatulas mixing bowels & pots & pans. Babies love them!

Old shoe box- put some toys in it, plastic spoon, washed out yoghurt pot & play what's in the box? Talk to your baby about the things as you/ she pulls them out.

Local library - babies love reading & books are free. Mine also does a free singing session called rhyme time.

Make a rain maker with rice & pasta & put in a pot or bottle (secure lid v well!) Can do messy play at home with pasta, flour, water etc

If you do want to get some toys saunsbury has some nice stacking cups for £1.99.

Honestly this is coming from someone who is luckily enough to have quite a lot of toys for my DS & in reality the 'free stuff' is his favourite!! X

I presume you've started weaning too. I actually found that eating (baby led weaning) is a massive game to dd, so she usually has two meals when I don't have anything else planned. I've done picnics when it's nice, or just brought the high chair outside.

I also spend time in different parts of house, so first thing after the feed is on the bed, then breakfast and nap, then downstairs on the rug, then out if it's nice, garden etc.

My son's favourite 'toys' are: ikea bags, pegs, doorstops, packets of wetwipes, packets of teabags, boxes of cornflakes, mirrors, keys... anything that crinkles or crunches! Or rolls... an orange for example. .. or that he can bat about the floor and chase... and we have a local toy library. £12.50 for the year.

Also, he loves to watch cars and buses going up and down the road... hanging out at the bus station is fun for him!