Toys for independent play, 4 month old

[Bethymum]

My son only seems to be engaged with interaction with people. That’s great but not always possible. He doesn’t seem to like any toys and they often frustrate him, for example if he’s finding it hard to grab something. He also isn’t happy just independently exploring on his playmat, But I do need some time to go to the toilet, cook, put laundry on etc and it would be good if he could play alone, just for like 10 minutes. Any recommendations?

Jumperoo?

4 months old don’t independently play op.

Try a bouncer with a bar on it with some toys so you can keep him near you when you cook or use the loo.

I don’t think much will engage a 4 month old. Probably too young for a jumperoo too as they need to be able to hold themselves up properly. Honestly, leave them on the playmat and go for a wee or put the kettle on. It won’t be long and they’ll be ok crying for 2 minutes. The other option if that is too hard is to just accept that they’re coming with you and carry them around.

Think you will struggle at 4 months tbh. Jumper oo or a baby bouncing chair with something attached to it (like a black and white cuddly) used to give me a few minutes of baby free time. As they get into teething, the teething toys can keep them busy for a little longer.

He doesn’t like his bouncer for more than a couple of minutes at best. Thanks for the replies, I guess I just need to change my expectations. It’s just that my friends baby is happy playing independently but I know I shouldn’t compare.

At this age I found a sling - baby bjorn was best way to get jobs done and keep young baby happy and quiet !

Depends in babies personality. My first didn’t want to play independently at all until she turned 3 years, my youngest played independently as a baby.

teethers annoy him too :(

Do you have one of those playmate with a musical toy with lights etc on it? My little one was obsessed. At that age she quite enjoyed playing with a muslin on her playmat or in her cradle.

Op ignore what friends are telling you. Change your mindset. Every stage has its challenges and good changes.

At 4 months he just wants to be glued to you so do the bare minimum you can to survive and cuddle and hug him. Things rapidly change with every stage. Just remember this won’t last.

There’s nothing you can do. I had one who didn’t play independently til almost 3 - not more than a couple of minutes. And a second who has been pretty chill by himself since birth, at 8 months he’s fine for 10-15 mins. No difference in parenting, just personality.

At that age mine mostly just liked rolling and kicking around on the floor. A teddy or something with a texture to feel might get a bit of attention, but not much actual play. I second the suggestion of a sling for getting stuff done, mine were happy been a little marsupial.

My kids both loved a mobile that played music. They used to lie under it for 10 mins or so and I could have a cuppa.

I have a 4 month old. He likes the Fisher Price piano playmat. He can press the keys with his feet and also reach the toys on the bar. He will play for about 15 mins usually while I shower. Worth a try for you.

Mine would play at the piano play mat mentioned for 20-30 minutes straight. I'd use it once a day, first thing, whilst I slowly felt more human.

However, you're fast approaching the stage where you'll have to take them to the loo with you anyway, because they can harm themselves so much more when mobile. Moving them from room to room with you just becomes standard for a long time.

When weaning starts though, I found I had loads of time to cook whilst the babies slowly 'ate' their food/explored/threw it on the floor. Obviously they were v near me in the kitchen but it gave me chance to cup up veg, put stuff in the slow cooker etc.

I used to use a baby Bjorn bouncer chair while watching a DVD called Baby Einstein - obviously this was in about 2008 but it was simple things plus music and it literally mesmerized mine, also I had a swing / rocker - it used to buy me a bit of time to make dinner etc!

All babies are different I’m afraid. My eldest (very clever, very outgoing, not at all chill) wanted constant attention at 4 months old and still largely does at 5 and a half years old! My youngest (more easy going, more self contained) could sit in a bouncer or lie on a play mat happily at 4 months, although we are still only talking maybe 10-15 minutes before he’d want out/a change of activity/picking up.