playing with baby

[lcaitlin]

now that our babies are getting more alert and conscious of our world, what kinds of play are you doing with them?

my baby is almost 4 weeks old, and since he started tracking objects a while ago he likes to follow shiny things and look at strong contrasts/patterns. but mainly I'm still just making faces at him and talking to him a lot when I have his attention.

what are your babies doing now? anyone showing interest in toys or specific objects yet?

[Logan's mommy]

Desi still sleeps a lot, but when he is awake I spend lots of time talking to him face to face and last night while I was in the shower daddy started teaching him about his nose and eyes and stuff. Logan reads Dr. Suess to him on an almost daily basis... it's very cute.

[joshs_girl]

Marion is ridiculously alert for much of the day ... so we do a lot of "playing." Lots of funny faces, talking, and I carry her forward facing a good part of the day so I always tell her what we're doing while I'm doing it.

She has several stuffed animals with rattles and I'll put them out of eyesight and shake them and she looks for them then kind of squeals when she sees it. We also have a floor gym and she's starting to bat at the toys.

Her favorite thing by far is to lay on the floor on a blanket and watch the fan on the ceiling go round.

[funfunkyfantastic]

Mostly I talk to her. She sometimes makes little noises back. My mom says that's her early attempt at talking. She's surprised that she's starting this early! She's smiled a few times at us when we smile at her. It's cute! I've also played with her some on the floor. I put out a blanket and get her on her tummy so she can practice a little bit. Or i'll prop her up on the boppy. She can already hold her head up... but she's so squirmy that it's like a bowling ball on a stick. She'll just suddenly move and the weight of her head will sway her to the side. lol. Such a funny kid. She also likes to look up at the mobile on her swing. She just stares at it for a long time.

[triana1326]

Sara loves to play "kissey face", where I hold her under her arms and rock her up towards my face, then kiss her cute chubby cheeks. She'll smile and turn towards my mouth - but she hasn't figured out that frenching mommy isn't a good idea...

She also loves to be burped and held so she can see this Indian blanket that's hanging on our wall. It's got strong contrasting colors and she stares at it for about 15-20 minutes at a time. I didn't think that babies had that long of an attention span. She's also a big fan of infant massage and daddy's singing. When I try tummy time, she tends to fall asleep. She already has control of her head, at least most of the time. We also read to her, esp. while she's nursing.

[Charmie981]

Silas is still, at 7 weeks, mostly interested in seeing the world from the perspective of being in someone's arms, although he is getting a little less discerning in his taste and will allow brothers, daddy and sometimes some of mama's friends to hold him. While he's in our arms, he tracks me or his brothers, and looks at the things on our walls. His brothers noticed that he likes lights so they try to put him in such a way that he can see interesting lights. He has a mobile that he will watch long enough for mama to use the bathroom or start a load of wash, but when it stops moving and making those great noises, he cries to be picked up again. I noticed him today looking at the mobile on his swing (which since we moved in into the living room is his second favorite place to be and he will tolerate it for maybe 5-10 minutes...way longer than watching the mobile in his bed!). I also got my first smile from him today, which was nice because I was starting to wonder where the smiles were!!

Things I've tried that he's not interested in yet: tummy time on the boppy with toys in front of him, an "activity mat" with toys that hang above him (he's too busy watching people to even see the toys!), toys on the bar of his carseat (which is a SnugRide and can have the bar up while we're driving...I tried this in an attempt to quell the carseat screaming). Soon, right? I do love having a snuggly little baby, though. Neither of my older boys were ever really "cuddle bugs" so I'm enjoying having a baby who wants and likes to be held and I'll try to keep it that way as long as possible (although I do love when he lets other people hold him and gives my arms a little bit of a break!!).

[lwuertz]

Jillian isn't really into playing yet. She'll tolerate some tummy time, but doesn't really respond to toys, raspberries on her tummy or anything like that. She's really chatty and alert, but mostly just likes to look around at the world. Ceiling fans are especially interesting to her. Mobile and dangling toys on her swing or activity mat do nothing for her. She does like the little mirror on her activity mat though. She'll stare at it for quite some time.

[moderngal]

Cara isn't into playing really. She is alert and likes to look around. She seems really into looking at the art we have hanging (a Pollock in the living room, a Degas in my bedroom, and a Klimt in her room). I mean she looks like she's almost studying it. So funny. We joke that she's "above" playing with her toys.
She also *loves* laying on the dogs. She sort of reclines on them and she just lights up and smiles and coos. The dogs actually really seem to like it, too. She's much gentler with them than her older brother.

[HinesMaMa]

Cheyenne is 5 weeks and is in love with daddy's deep Barry White voice. When he holds her or lays her on his chest and talks, she just stares and looks so alert. She finds the other kids very interesting too. I always get a smile at diaper changings which I find hysterical. She loves to be kissed, held, and nuzzled. She is a very cuddly baby.

[mynetname]

Baby is 5 weeks now. Not interested in toys, very alert & loves being with people. I haven't thought of any "real" games yet or toys, but I have songs for each occasion for her and she responds to them. To calm her down in the car, (this is a big issue right now she starts screaming as soon as she sees the car seat! ) I sing her a happy song and she responds and gets quiet (usually).
I think because I communicated with her while pregnant with her by song most of the time, it is something she recognises and enjoys.
Other games: my husband holds her on his shoulder sitting on the couch I play peek a boo from the room behind the couch and she loves it.
Always making up stories to tell her as well and she listens and coos.
I showed her toys she has been given as gifts but she is too small to care about them, but wants human interaction which she gets lots of
I am at my work office and she's right beside me listening to the music which puts her to sleep right away. So I guess (Classical) music is something she hears all day long, sometimes much of the night, so it is like normal sounds for her so maybe I should think of some real baby games!

I am not into electronic or plastic toys or things, but should they have toys at this stage? Am I missing something? I guess when she responds to a stuffed toy by her crib that will be an indication she needs something in her hand.

I did try a rattle thingy and she was not happy!

She absolutely loves to stare at her ultraound pictures on the wall..probably the contrast of black & white image.

I guess music is directly related to my work and that is surrounding her all the time, I wonder what other things we can do? We've got that covered, but I wonder now when toys become an interest to babies?

[mynetname]

Originally Posted by moderngal

She seems really into looking at the art we have hanging (a Pollock in the living room, a Degas in my bedroom, and a Klimt in her room). )

...are you living in my place???

[moderngal]

...are you living in my place???

no- but clearly we share excellent taste.

but should they have toys at this stage? Am I missing something?

I don't really do toys for babies. We do have one of those playmat things with the dangling toys. DD isn't really into it yet, but she'll tolerate laying there while I fold laundry next to her. I think when they get a little older and start grabbing for things and holding onto them, it's more appropriate.