What does playtime consist of with you and your 7 month old?

[Lacrymosa]

We do the usual things. Tummy time with toys. She still enjoys her jumper. I carry her as I do my daily routine. I read her books. We play peek-a-boo. We sing and dance. We play the staring game. I still feel like she doesn't get as much one-on-one playtime as she should and usually feel guilty if I set her down for a few minutes to get on the computer or do something else for myself. What do you guys do with your 7 month olds?

[verarae]

Well it sounds like you are doing great to me! My baby girl likes a walker; I am watching my friends' kids and she brought it over to try out. I don't wear her much in the house (always out of the house) because I am so short I can't seem to get much done that way. In fact, I am going to ask over at babywearing about that. We dance and I sing to her, the kids seem to like my Raffi record. Really, I let her play by herself if she's happy and when she gets fussy then I hold her and play with her. Or I hold her on my lap, facing towards me with a toy, while I am on the computer.

[Sk8ermaiden]

Playtime generally consists of letting her loose in the house. If she's content to play with whatever is available wherever she is, then she does that. If she's off and away, I follow her around. We read sometimes. Peek a boo is a new favorite. Sometimes if she needs mama she just hangs out in my lap and plays with a toy or my hair/face. If she is in the mood she will play in her jumperoo for a while.

Really, she is very independent and mobile. I just let her do her thing.

[batsister]

Similar to previous posters, we do a variety of things. He does spend time playing on his own (with me nearby, of course, but often doing something else), but he lets me know when he is tired of it and wants my attention again. Sometimes he roams free (crawls around, pulls up, etc.). He spends some time in the Jumperoo, some time with toys in the playpen, he'll sit in the high chair and play with toys/play with and eat a little food while I eat, etc. When he is sleepy or in the evenings, he is usually happy being worn while I do things around the house. And we do peek-a-boo, elevator game, etc. He usually doesn't want to just sit on my lap and play with toys/read books for very long, though. Crawling around on the bed is another fun activity for him (with me and/or my husband there, too, obviously). Oh, we also got a crawl-through tunnel from Ikea and he LOVES to crawl from one end to the other if his dad or I are waiting at the other end.

I've found that for times when I do need to do something else, he stays entertained longer if I switch his toys around every few days (put some he's been playing with away for a while, and get out different ones). He definitely likes variety-- exploring different rooms, playing with different toys, going for walks while being worn, "helping" with laundry, etc.

[Abraisme]

It sounds like you're doing great. I do the same things with my DD and when I want to do something I set her near my feet to explore with her toys. Babies don't need as much interaction as many people would think. They need to experience what you're doing during the day and explore the world around them.

[mamacolleen]

Sounds like you're doing some great stuff. I also often wonder if I am doing "enough" to entertain my 7 month old DD. She is not mobile yet, although she wants to be and this frustrates her a lot these days. So play time often consists of her struggling to get her butt in the air or pushing herself backwards along the floor farther from her toys, which turns into cries of frustration until I pick her up for a bit. I have to sit on the floor near her when she's doing floor time so that she can reach out and touch me often. If I don't do this, her patience for play is limited.

We also read books, sing and dance, roll around on the bed together, play peek-a-boo, look in the mirror and make faces, etc. She still loves her exersaucer and will bounce in there while I make dinner. She doesn't much like being in a carrier while in the house but I do keep her close to me when I have to do stuff around the house.

[tzs]

i also get kinda bored of throwing different toys on the floor with her and moving her from place to place.

so now we have puppet time as well. right now, mr. cow is trying to convince her to ditch her other toys and be exclusive best friends with him. he's also trying to teach her not to chew on his face but to wait until later when we will make him into hamburgers. this is obviously more for my own entertainment than hers but she loves it too.

[red and lulu]

Originally Posted by mamacolleen

Sounds like you're doing some great stuff. I also often wonder if I am doing "enough" to entertain my 7 month old DD. She is not mobile yet, although she wants to be and this frustrates her a lot these days. So play time often consists of her struggling to get her butt in the air or pushing herself backwards along the floor farther from her toys, which turns into cries of frustration until I pick her up for a bit. I have to sit on the floor near her when she's doing floor time so that she can reach out and touch me often. If I don't do this, her patience for play is limited.

this is dd, too. her patience for solo play has seemed to diminish significantly the closer she gets to crawling. she always wants to be on my lap or right next to me.

we go for lots of walks if it's not really freezing outside — she likes to ride in the stroller or go on my back in the ergo, depending on her mood. she "helps" me with chores if she's down to be worn in the house, which is only sometimes. we play in front of the mirror, on the floor (she's obsessed with the mirror). she loves peek-a-boo and will even hold a blanket in front of her face and pop it away with a giggle. we read lots of books (either kids books or whatever i'm reading). we dance. we roll around or just lie about on our big family bed and "chat."

i think she'll be much happier when she can crawl. she's a super curious girl.

[Lacrymosa]

Yeah, once she can crawl I think she will be much happier. She is okay on her own for a bit but gets frustrated quick because she wants to crawl so much and can only do the bury her head in the ground/butt up in the air/scoot thing.

That's a good idea about switching out her toys. I can tell she gets bored with them after awhile. It's good to hear some reassurance about letting her do her own thing. I often have felt guilty leaving her alone, even if she is interested in what she's doing. I'm just one of those psycho paranoid moms that worries if she's getting too much or too little interaction with me. Curse of the first time mom I suppose...

I love this baby phase but sometimes I really can't wait until she can tell me what she wants and needs!