What do you "do" with your baby?

[pinkcat]

Hello everyone! I wasn't sure how else to phrase this question, lol. 

Now that DS is getting older, I sometimes wonder if I am "doing" enough with him. We read books, we play peek a boo, play with his toys, etc. but a lot of the time he is just content in his Pack and Play, his walker, or playing on the floor. I feel sometimes like there are things I'm supposed to be teaching him at this age, or things I should be trying to encourage/discourage? Or that there are probably lots of ideas for ways to play with baby that I am just not thinking of.

Or, maybe I am overthinking this and I should just KOKO and as long as he's content then that's good enough? Lol. FTM struggles over here  

[jessijean]

It sounds like you are doing great. Just working on their skills (i.e. giving an opportunity to work on the gross motor skills, etc) and fostering early learning (like you are doing with reading) is fine. I truly believe that forcing too much "learning" at this age doesn't really get you anywhere. I had the same fears with my first. K is interested a lot of the time playing by himself but loves to practice his walking by leading me all over the house. So that's what we do around here. Big brother tries to "help" too.

[thunderenterprise]

I do a lot of crawling around chasing her while she alternates playing on the floor with her toys, racing to the bookshelf to pull all her books down, and racing to the gate to beg for "freedom."

[watermelonseed]

Sounds like you’re doing great pinkcat.

This isn’t the greatest time of year cause germs but after walking we utilize indoor play places once or twice a month to mix things up. Another activity at home we do is put finger paints in a gallon zip lock back and tape it to the high chair tray. This is a allows them to “finger paint” without the mess.

[cake]

I do basically the same things you do! And i assume that the 9-10 hours a day that he is at daycare, they will do the things i forget to do lol.

[pinkcat]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions!

watermelonseed That fingerpaint suggestion is a great idea! He would love that.

[ajetter]

She is so happy to just crawl around and explore so that’s what we do a lot of when we’re on the go. The only thing I’ll do ‘teaching’ wise, If you can even call it that, is to narrate what I’m doing as often as I can, and also findtoy animals that match animals or something in a book we’re reading. Trying to continually introduce language. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[ajetter]

Not like she matches animals or anything. But like hey there is a bunny in the book. You have a bunny (show her stuffed bunny). Bunny! Yep real super educational stuff over here. 😂

[pinkcat]

Nov 15, 2018 17:19:17 GMT -6 ajetter said:

Not like she matches animals or anything. But like hey there is a bunny in the book. You have a bunny (show her stuffed bunny). Bunny! Yep real super educational stuff over here. 😂

Lol! I love it though! So cute. 

[easternshoregirl]

We let her explore a lot, like ajetter. We always did that with the 3yo too, both indoors and outside if possible.