Fun ideas for my 5 month old

[Williams27x]

I regularly take my son out for walks in his pushchair, we walk around the park and the woods by us and he absolutely loves looking at the trees. We do tummy time in the house, read books and he has a few toys to play with. I often play music for him to keep him entertained.

I’m just looking for some new suggestions please? Any ideas for in the house or out and about would be fantastic. He’s 5 months old on the 3rd of October.

I really wanted to take him to the zoo, but a few people have said that perhaps he’s too young to enjoy it? I’m a first time mum so I’m really stuck for ideas. I live in the West Midlands, but I’m more than happy to travel if it means a good day out for him and new experiences.

Absolutely any suggestions would be amazing, thank you :)

At that age they genuinely don't care! Go places that you will enjoy, be that museums, art galleries, hiking up mountains or shopping. Chat about what you are doing and seeing. Enjoy this time before they are mobile!

If you are fairly local to a zoo, I'd get an annual pass! Free for the baby, and you can do a weekly walk round it. Over time he will certainly come to recognise the place and the animals etc and it's nice to have stuff to talk to him about, even if it seems he would be equally content to just gnaw on his own foot on the living room floor.

I echo - do things you want to do. Honestly you have years of kids activities take advantage of not being nagged to do them yet.

I took my dd to lots of galleries and museums at that age

Go to zoo if you will enjoy it. He is too young to care if it s art gallery, the zoo or the local supetmarket or garden centre

Go to zoo if you will enjoy it. He is too young to care if it s art gallery, the zoo or the local supermarket or garden centre

Yogurt mixed with food colouring is great for safe finger painting at that age.

True.

I just love the zoo myself I wish I lived close to one.

He's too young to care about the zoo, but you're not! If you want to go to the zoo then do. The same for museums, art galleries, an aquarium, a shopping centre etc. He needs a change of scenery and stuff to look at, what that stuff is really doesn't matter at this age.

Baby groups can be fun at this age, you might learn some new songs/games to play with him, meet some other mums and he'll enjoy looking at other babies.

At home do lots of singing and action rhymes, things like row, row the boat where you're getting him to move his body are great. Leave a pause where you want him to join in, he won't yet, but one day he will! Create opportunities for him to stretch and reach. Google treasure baskets and heuristic play and make one for him.

Swimming is also a great activity at this age.

Take them with you wherever you want to go. Talk to him while you do the shopping or go to a cafe, or visit a gallery.

But if you're desperate for baby friendly ideas then try out different groups - library rhyme time, stay and play at a church hall, baby sensory classes etc. See if your local art gallery does any baby sessions, or do you have somewhere with a sensory room nearby. Take him swimming, take him to see the animals at Pets at Home, make a treasure basket and fill with wooden ring, bells, space blanket, sponge, metal spoon, soft hairbrush etc

I used to carry mine out into the garden an look at flowers trees and birds

Pets at Home - they do sessions where they feed the animals, get them out etc or just have a wonder around.
Garden Centres - mine loved looking at the plants and fish
Baby groups
Library
Anywhere that suits you really - they don’t care at that age!

I used to get a helium balloon and tie it to his ankle or wrist. He'd spend ages fascinated by it on his back watching it bob about.

Asda, tesco, the zoo, the duck pond... anywhere you need or want to go is fine. A baby that age won't be bothered at all as long as they feel warm and safe.

Aquarium or a pet shop?
My baby didn't like the zoo at that age as animals too slow but he loved an otter sanctuary where they ran around.he also loves looking at children playing at the park.
Do you have stay and plays at children's centres or churches?

do things you want to do!

Get the book Baby Play For Every Day.
And just do things you enjoy as well - so go to the zoo for example if you'll have a good time.

This was the best tenner I ever spent. Got a huge one delivered (didn't realise it was going to be so big 🤦). She would lay for ages kicking and laughing her head off.

Thank you all so so much.

I absolutely love the zoo so I will definitely be going for myself. It sound silly but I’ve never actually considered a play group, but thinking about it now, I would love to get out and socialise and meet new people and have my baby interact with other babies.

I haven’t thought about going places for me, while I can haha. So thank you so much for making me consider this.

milk definitely be trying all of these suggestions, thank you all so much, I really appreciate it :)

Great age to start baby groups. Baby sensory, messy play..... those you pay for but are great for that age. If you are lucky there will also be the more traditional groups at children's centres and churches - they are free and great for early social skills and exposure to lots of different toys. You get a chat and sometimes a cuppa too!

At that age, the supermarket is great! Colours, shapes, bright lights and music. Mine LOVED the local fish store - we always bought the smallest possible lot of food so we'd have to go back every month and look in all the tanks. Garden centres are also amazing, and some of them have a cafe/play area too...

A farm park is often better for tiny as than a zoo - you can get closer to the animals and many have a petting section so you can have a really good look (but best not to let baby pet till grabbing instinct is definitely gone!!!)

You're getting out and walking, which is great. There's so much to talk about outside. When they are a bit older they'll be able to sit on a bench with you but not be mobile - that's the best time to find find a lake with ducks! Pigeons are also fascinating to them at that age. Stick them on his ground with breadcrumbs out of their reach and they love watching the birds.

As we're heading towards Christmas season, towns will start putting up lights. Babies LOVE the colours and the contrast.

At home, this is a great age for sensory play. Got one of those big silver foil emergency blankets? Hours of fun. Get a little disco ball or rotating projector to make pictures on the ceiling. That's how I used to get the laundry hung up 😆.

Thank you so much.

I love the idea of feeding some birds so he can watch as well. So many fantastic ideas, especially the foil blanket.

Can’t wait to try all of these. Thank you so so much