[Therese's Mommy]

Ok, I am not the only one who has faced this. I have an almost 3yo and a 3.5 month old. My baby is getting close to crawling and even though she isn't crawling is extremely mobile using rolling and scooting. My 3yo has lots of toys that are not safe for a baby to play with. I don't want to take them away from her because I really feel like she will be limited in her play if she can only play with stuff that is safe for a baby. What have you done in this situation besides limiting where these toys can be used? I really like to wear the baby/have her in arms, but she prefers to be on the floor playing.

As I write this I realize that limiting where the toys can be used is probably the answer, but just seeing if there are any more creative solutions.

Thanks,

Beth

 

[amaretto]

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[AllisonR]

I have a 3yo DS and a 10month DD. IMO, it is not realistic to limit DS toys. They are playing in the same room together 95% of the time, namely the room where mommy and daddy are. Meaning, it will be supervised play. I am not leaving them in front of the TV with a pile of toys and walking off for two hours.

Many toys are labeled not for under 3 because of age-appropriatness, not safety. I don't see DD having a problem with these; she doesn't play with things she isn't interested in. Some are labeled for safety, because of small parts.... but are nevertheless sturdy and I don't see a problem with them.

There are a few, and IMO very few, toys that I really think are dangerous to DD. Marbles come to mind. Shiny, colorful, and perfect to mouth and swallow. I took his marbles away, and for the last 4 months he has asked where they are. Last week I brought 3 out, and let him play with them totally supervised, and we put them away when he was done. Playdough is another thing I let them both play with, but under total supervision. His cars, trucks, trains.... I just let them both play. Of course, I let him play with a lot of things that said not suitable for 0-3 when he was only two. If it was something he was interested in, and I thought was fun and appropriate, and he was no longer mouthing things, then I let him have them.

 

[elmh23]

All of the small toys are kept in dd's bedroom. If she brings them out, she has to go back in her room with her. She understands why. Ds started crawling at 3.5 months old, so we've had to adapt to his craziness. He is not allowed in her room (it's where the majority of the toys are) without an adult there to keep an eye on him.

 

[anj119]

We use the graco playpen that the in-laws brought for the baby, except instead of trapping the poor baby in there we put 3.5 yr old DD in there. She loves it! She likes to get a pillow in there and we put a blanket over the top and she thinks its very cozy. When she is doing something like drawing or working with her paints, it lets her continue her activity without being jostled by the babe it also keeps babe safe from eating crayons or whatever.
I know its not a perfect solution, but it might help.

-anj119

 

[MotherWhimsey]

we had this metal pen for puppies, it makes a circle of probably ten feet or so, so it's big. DD used to always love playing in this, then I put it away for a while cause it was a pain to put up and down. So right before we moved into a different house, I put up the pen, and dd thought it was great cause she could play will all her toys without them being eaten by her brother. Now in our new house, we keep the little toys that aren't safe in her bedroom and the ones they both like out in the livingroom.
I'm not sure how good of a suggestion it is to let the bigger kid play in a dog fence, but it worked for us, lol. And we only did it cause she liked it and wanted to.

 

[blastomom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by anj119 We use the graco playpen that the in-laws brought for the baby, except instead of trapping the poor baby in there we put 3.5 yr old DD in there. She loves it! She likes to get a pillow in there and we put a blanket over the top and she thinks its very cozy. When she is doing something like drawing or working with her paints, it lets her continue her activity without being jostled by the babe it also keeps babe safe from eating crayons or whatever. I know its not a perfect solution, but it might help. -anj119

Yup, I was going to post the same thing! It makes great use of the P-n-P that never got use for anything other than a storage bin for toys

.

 

[AllisonR]

I thought of something else. Sometimes DS has stuff he wants to do alone, so he does it on the dining room table, where she can't reach. Same idea as the playpen / dogpen, though a little more "free" if you kwim.

 

[hananana]

Put away the worst (i.e. smallest) things for a year or so, and put them in a "when baby's asleep" box or place. Our older child gets excited to play with those things when I start putting the little one down for a nap. It is helpful, giving me enough quiet time to get her asleep.