Gear question...

This is kind of similar to another post--so I hope it isn't too repetitive. My boys are getting a little bored with some of their toys. We currently have 2 bouncers, 2 saucers, 1 swing, two playmats (we rotate so we can wash--spit up and dog), and one bumbo.

The boys are 4 1/2 months now and pretty into their toys; but their attention span is growing smaller and smaller (bored with their toys). I think the swing has completely lost its charm, which is sad to me because it used to be my go to fussy baby calmer...sigh. The bouncers can be employed once per day for no more than 15 minutes. Any additional use results in instant dissatisfaction (plus DH is starting to say that the sounds are going to drive him to drink...more). The saucers are still a pretty good bet. The mats are probably on their way out. Sometimes they'll play on them; sometimes not. Though they like it when I put the bumbo on the mat so the toys dangle in front of them. They are just starting to be interested in things they can hold themselves (soft blocks, rattles, etc.).

I'm struggling with whether we should get another large apparatus (like one of those free-standing jumperoos--our door jambs won't support the hanging kind). We live in a very small house and are already completely covered in plastic (which is doing nothing for the aesthetic of our home ). Part of me is thinking that if we can just hang on a little longer, they'll be a lot more into toys they can play with in the play yard like blocks and stuff; and we don't need to sacrifice more precious real estate to Fisher Price's molded plastic land bonanza. But I don't want them to miss out on some awesomely fun thing (or for DH and I to miss out on another opportunity for self-directed playtime).

That is a very long way of asking for your thoughts on toys and what some of your babes favorites are/were from the 4 mo mark forward.

TIA and Happy Friday!

 

At that age, they can't be too picky. We only have so much room for stuff so we get them maybe one new toy per week to share. Right now we just got them a ball that rolls on it's own. supposed to get them to chase it (inspires them to crawl)

they just like anything that makes noise, so we actually emptied a water bottle and put a plastic ball in it, then seal it tight. Made own noise making apparatus (is that tacky?) oh well, they like it.

 

QUOTE(bday111707 @ Jul 25 2008, 02:34 PM) [snapback]896364[/snapback]
At that age, they can't be too picky. We only have so much room for stuff so we get them maybe one new toy per week to share. Right now we just got them a ball that rolls on it's own. supposed to get them to chase it (inspires them to crawl)

they just like anything that makes noise, so we actually emptied a water bottle and put a plastic ball in it, then seal it tight. Made own noise making apparatus (is that tacky?) oh well, they like it.


I don't think that's tacky at all--great idea! Thanks!

 

Maybe an activity table where the top comes off but can be a table later on? Mine did love the jumperoo. I also like the idea of a ball. We also have a couple of push/pull toys that they girls still play with some.

 

Hands down for us the jumperoo, but the exersaucer was a close second. It does entertain them when they learn how to spin around and do all the stuff on the table. Also a learning table is a great purchase. I know what you mean about all the "plastic." We are finally out of the stage where it looks like Fisher-Price threw up in our family room But now in general its still a mess because they take out a toy in the box, play with it for 2 minutes, go get another one, repeat 15 times per child and they never pick up after themselves

 

We have twin boys that are also 4 1/2 months old. They love their jumparoo!!! That can entertain them for about 1/2 hour at a time. So when one baby is in the jumparoo, my other boy is busy doing tummy time and getting one on one time with mom. I got them a walker because they seem to love to be up right so much. They are still to small for it. But in the mean time the jumparoo should be fine for a few more months anyway. :banana:
Hope this helps....

 

Jumperoo has been worth it's weight in gold in our house. My ds loved it from day one, and dd took a little bit to get used to it buy now LOVES it as well. They like the excersaucer as well, but the jumperoo is by far the best entertainment toy we have. They also like the bumbo chairs and sit and watch kids songs on the tv in them and play with toys (we also use them at bath time).

 

ditto the jumperoo and excersuacer, I would get one of each. You will use them for many months to come! And look for used ones at your second hand store, then its an even better buy :icon_biggrin:
The jumperoo and excersaucer both fold up, so you can always store them each day, though we just became a BRU for the first year, lol!

 

mine are around the same age, we exchange the toys out to keep them interested.... look into baby einstein videos... when all is bad that seems to be an instant cure. I turn on noggin for background while they are on their play mat and I am washing dishes, cooking , etc. and they love love love jack big music show and wow wow wusley or what ever it is called. We don't let them watch a lot but when they get to they literally sit there and giggle at it. It is too funny to watch. Anyways... I have pretty much the same gear as you... you might want to invest in different small accessories for the things you have and books... I set up some books and they will look at that during tummy time too. Big on reading and big on music with my two. Anyways I hoped that helped some.

 

We loved the rainforest jumperoo. Great investment. We just got rid of ours. They are mobile now so they dont like to be tied down to anything.

 

My girls love their Rainforest Jumperoo and exersaucer. They love to jump, jump, jump....

 

Ok this might be expensive but..... a very large blanket. I must admit my two were about 3 months old before I saw someone else put their babies on the floor and I realized I had either held them, swing, bouncer, or bed. They love to roll around on the floor and around each other. I have a large wicker basket of toys and I pick them up most evenings and set out new ones for the next day. I swear they love to see what is new there. At your age they still dont' likely look at each other too much but they still will move towards each other. Mine are now just over 8 months and you really want to just keep buying toys. I've heard some of the old time toys are the best because they encourage more creativity than the new noisy toys.

other suggestions... small palm size stuffed animals, the lamaze toys with the crinkle -- they LOVE the crinkle, thinks that have a bullseye look to the stuffed animal's nose (sorry but sort of like a woman's nipple) that ring with a different coloured inner ring... weird but they bite the noses of every toy that has this "look", smaller sized toys with rings and crinkle -- they seem to like the smaller sizes. Balls. Some of the stacking rings will be a toy they can play with now and later on. My girl friend got a hippo that when they are walking picks up blocks with its mouth. If you buy it now they can play with the blocks. So toys that span a few age groups are the best.

Can you mix up the toys from their play yard with the ones on the bouncer ??

Ok that's all I got for now.

Heather

 

QUOTE(JennTx @ Jul 25 2008, 03:28 PM) [snapback]896352[/snapback]
This is kind of similar to another post--so I hope it isn't too repetitive. My boys are getting a little bored with some of their toys. We currently have 2 bouncers, 2 saucers, 1 swing, two playmats (we rotate so we can wash--spit up and dog), and one bumbo.

The boys are 4 1/2 months now and pretty into their toys; but their attention span is growing smaller and smaller (bored with their toys). I think the swing has completely lost its charm, which is sad to me because it used to be my go to fussy baby calmer...sigh. The bouncers can be employed once per day for no more than 15 minutes. Any additional use results in instant dissatisfaction (plus DH is starting to say that the sounds are going to drive him to drink...more). The saucers are still a pretty good bet. The mats are probably on their way out. Sometimes they'll play on them; sometimes not. Though they like it when I put the bumbo on the mat so the toys dangle in front of them. They are just starting to be interested in things they can hold themselves (soft blocks, rattles, etc.).

I'm struggling with whether we should get another large apparatus (like one of those free-standing jumperoos--our door jambs won't support the hanging kind). We live in a very small house and are already completely covered in plastic (which is doing nothing for the aesthetic of our home ). Part of me is thinking that if we can just hang on a little longer, they'll be a lot more into toys they can play with in the play yard like blocks and stuff; and we don't need to sacrifice more precious real estate to Fisher Price's molded plastic land bonanza. But I don't want them to miss out on some awesomely fun thing (or for DH and I to miss out on another opportunity for self-directed playtime).

That is a very long way of asking for your thoughts on toys and what some of your babes favorites are/were from the 4 mo mark forward.

TIA and Happy Friday!


You're hilarious. They will get more and more interested in little toys. Mine can entertain themselves on a blanket on the floor for a good 1/2 hour. I also can't say enough good things about the Rainforest Jumperoo. Every week they learn how to play with it more or in a different way.

 

Both my boys love the jumperoo. The exersaucer is a close second, although I can see them outgrowing it before the jumperoo.

As they get more mobile (one has already started crawling, though not very gracefully yet) they like the confinement stuff less and less (bumbos, swings, bouncers, etc). And they enjoy simply being down on the floor to roll around or practice crawling. Their tummy time has gone from 5 minutes to 30-45 at a stretch. So we have lots of little toys for them to go for spread all over a giant mat that has taken over our formal dining room. Their current favorites are a handful of links all clipped onto one, anything small and soft that they can pick up and chew on, and of course anything with crinkle - it's always been a favorite.