How often do you play with your baby?

[BabyLlamaZen]

just that really! I sometimes worry I spend too much time taking him with me around the house trying to get things done. how much a day do you take time out and sit and play with them specially?

Most the day. I get nothing done

Not a huge amount I tend to leave him to entertain himself on his playmat quite a lot, while I get stuff done! I should probably play with him more...

Not that much exclusively playing. I would go insane from boredom.

I tend to do a cycle of playmat, bouncy chair and the jumperoo in the kitchen depending on what I'm doing. Sometimes I could be doing jobs, sometimes I could be watching TV or on my phone so I'll often play a bit then. I also get out for walks most days with the pram and listen to music or a podcast.

I've also got a 3yo who is quite good at playing by himself which is nice. He potters on and we chat about what he's doing, and he shows me things but he doesn't usually need me to be actively joining in.

Loads. My house is a riot.

Not that much exclusively playing. I would go insane from boredom.

Yup me too. There’s only so much you can do with a 4 month old!

I am an older mother and my youngest is now 7. I spent very little time just playing with her.

When I did the laundry, she came and she had something to fold drool on and sit on. When I cooked, she had a wooden spoon and a pot. I talked to her constantly and explained what I was doing. We took daily walks and I talked to her about the trees and the flowers. And we read lots of books at bedtime. We also did a daily playgroup.

From what I remember, a baby or young toddler loves to hear your voice and most things is a game to them. We all parent differently and your baby will know that he is loved. Please try not to overthink it and do what feels natural to you and your child.

A side effect of lots of talking is that the child starts talking early and well. My youngest was under 2.5 (that’s when she started nursery) when she told me “we are slightly grumpy and tired mummy and we need a coffee”. That was what I used to say to her before taking her to Starbucks for a latte and a babychino

Mine is almost 10 months. Interesting responses! I find it hard when cooking dinner and sorting out general things. He doesn't nap very much so I have very little time. 😂

Hi op, my baby is almost 9 months and it varies really! So in the mornings he is usually in his high chair while I clean up breakfast stuff/make sandwiches for lunch etc. He has a few toys on the tray and I'll chat to him etc. After his morning nap we play quite a bit; games, reading, toys, give him nappy free time to roll around etc. Then either jumperoo, hey duggie oelr something I know he'll play with on his own for a bit (like his bucket of shapes) so I can chill for a little bit 😂 Afternoon is usually a walk. Evening is Dad time, then he plays by himself for a bit before story and bed.

I should add that he's not crawling yet but it's coming soon by the looks of things, so I'm sure it will all change then?!

Erm I maybe specifically sit and play with him for a couple of hours a day.... if that. It depends what stuff I’ve got to do around the house or if we are going out. He is more than happy to sit and play by himself with TV on in the background and he Will flick back and forth between his toys and the TV, and I will probably put him in his walker or jumperoo in the kitchen and he will watch the washing machine for ages whilst I clean the kitchen 😆 but tbh I can sit on the sofa with a coffee and he will play with his toys quietly haha.

My DS demanded attention all the time - he was a Velcro baby who wouldn’t be put down as a newborn and that basically carried on! He wasn’t content in a bouncer/playmat/jumperoo so I played, talked and read to him constantly for his first year. He’s still like this at 2.5 but gradually starting to play a bit by himself now! On the plus side like a pp said he was a very precocious talker (first words at 8 months, sentences at 15 months) which I put down to all of my hard work 🤣

Haha! @HarrietM87 how do you know when it's their first words? Mjne has been saying mama for months but not sure if it counts! Is it a really obvious transition?

With DS he pointed at the cat and said cat so it was very obvious! (He also pointed very early). He babbled mama baba dada etc before that but it wasn’t directed at anything in particular. Once he started pointing it was really clear, even when he hadn’t got the full word (so “ba” would be both banana and bus).

Aw that's amazing @harrietM87

To a baby, everything is a game! I involve DS in whatever I'm doing - yesterday he stirred the mix of the cake I was making, we played around in the washing while I hung it up to dry, he loves to 'help' if I'm tidying things up.

It depends what you mean by playing. My toddler and I sing all the time to my 4mo and she just grins away. She spends a lot of time watching or interacting with my toddler. I talk to both of them a lot

“ A side effect of lots of talking is that the child starts talking early and well.”

This isn’t quite how it worked for my son. He talked quite late but did lots of baby signing up to that point. However once he did start talking it was in full sentences and at 2y3m his speech is excellent and very clear