Activity ideas with my 9 month old

[Paisley19]

Hello wise ladies. I'm currently on mat leave with my first baby (9 months), so very much learning as I go here. I'm finding it harder and harder to entertain him and find engaging activities/games we can do together. Can you please let me know what you do/did with your babies? I don't currently drive (am learning) and live in a small town, 30 mins walk from my house. Everywhere else I would need a car to get to. Help me please!

Are you looking for stuff to do in the house or out and about?

Primarily they want to interact with you and to explore the world, objects, and what their body can do. So games like peek a boo, clapping songs, nursery rhymes with actions, singing songs to them. Seeing different places - going to feed the ducks, going to shops and free museums or old buildings or just a new cafe you haven't been to before, even if they are just sitting in the pram they are still seeing different objects and people hearing different sounds. And having the opportunity to touch and feel and taste and explore objects; ranging from being sat in their high chair with a wooden spoon and a saucepan to bang while you cook, to playing with 'sensory baskets' where you've collected half a dozen different objects in a box that are all green or all smooth or all rough textured, etc, or playing with some leftover cooked pasta, or just shaking an old plastic bottle with some dry rice in it as a rattle.

www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/9-month-old-baby-development-activities

Are there any church playgroups or book bug sessions in town? Half hour walk into town, baby play group/library sing-a-long, then go to a café maybe while he naps if the timing works for you. Long walk with an audiobook was bliss to me at that stage, while he was happy enough just watching the world go by or sleeping. Is he placid enough that he'd enjoy sitting in a high chair at the café with you? Mine liked to do that at that age and I could have coffee and a cake and I'd bring some food for him to eat/squash/play around with.

Playgroups are a good way to connect with other mums who might end up being a lifeline for play dates as your son gets older.

If you have any nice walks round about you he would enjoy being in a carrier and going for a walk in the woods and so on.

At home mine was just crawling and cruising about at that age investigating everything. He didn't have any proper toys yet but had a big basket of assorted gubbins to tip out and make a racket with: wooden spoons, metal and plastic containers, brushes, stacking cups, silk scarves, rattles, bells etc. Lots of different textures are entertaining for them and containers to put things in and out of. I got a lot of silk scarves and he enjoyed putting them in and out of an empty laundry basket. They love it you throw lots of different blankets/fabrics on the floor for them to explore. Spinning toys are also a hit.

I didn't subscribe to Lovevery but if you look at their play kit for your son's age you can see what sort of things they have and buy similar dupes that do the same thing. Gives you a good idea of what their little brains are interested in at different stages.

What's available in the town? Is there a Library? They are usually a good source of information on what's available.

Pinterest literally has loads of suggestions which you might find helpful too

You do need to do anything especially - just keep them with you, chat about everything and anything, sing and dance to the radio, point out things and use the proper words and let them experience the world safely through touch and texture. Oh…and read picture books to them for as long as their attention holds (may only be a few mins!)

Oh…and read picture books to them for as long as their attention holds (may only be a few mins!)

Yeah definitely read to them. If you can get them to the library it's a good idea to get them signed up, if you haven't already. Mine used to love their trips to the library first a new selection of books

Thank you so much you brilliant lot! I really appreciate all the advice you've taken the time to give. I have plenty of ideas to get on with now :)

Things I did at home with my DDs:

• bought baby instruments from Amazon and had music time together. I'd put nursery rhymes on Alexa and then we'd bang the drums/shake the rattles/whack the xylophone with the music
• messy play (spaghetti with food colouring is always a fun one)
• stories with finger puppets
• water play (in the sink or bath. Toys, bubbles, sensory lights/bath chalk)
• finger painting
• baby swing in the garden

Things I did out the house:

• baby groups
• beach
• parks
• farm
• zoo
• swimming