How to entertain 2-4 month olds!?!?!?!

My babies are 11 weeks today (35 weekers), and I feel like we're all bored to tears, doing the same things over and over. We have swings, papasans, try to do a little tummy time but they hate it, I sing, read books, do "bycycle" and stuff with them, and set them around the house in their papasans while I attempt to actually get things done. But they just seem bored and frustrated. Maybe I'm reading too much into them, but they are so fussy if I'm not totally hands on with them all the time. I haven't even got to read TS or post in days!

Help!!! I need new ideas!!!! Oh, and don't get me started about "naps!"

Jennifer

 

Do you have a baby gym that they can lay under? The fussiness has a lot to do with the age.

 

QUOTE
while I attempt to actually get things done
Do you talk to them while you do things? I used to make my life kind of into a little play, verbalizing everything. I am folding a yellow shirt, blue pants.........I am going to put them on this hanger.................this is a fork.....................it really was silly but it kept them very entertained and I got things done. I used to move around the house in a little routine, the change of scenery seemed to help. We started in the living room then went to my room, then the kitchen for lunch then back to the living room then the play room then their room then kitchen for dinner etc etc. If these things are not working and they need your undivided attention then it might mean that "actually getting things done" means stopping everything else and solely concentrating on babies. Happy babies definitely = actually getting things done!

 

As bad as it sounds, I used to, and still do let them cry once in a while , when I am working. They need know that you are not always going to pick them up. You know it works, there used to be times where I was so frusterated, and fed up, that I just left them be, and after no more then 10 minutes, they would actually stop crying. My girls really like the mobile, and I will put them under that and just leave them, they will fuss for a while, but they do stop, and then they actually enjoy it.

 

Starting at about that age, mine became fascinated by their Tiny Love mobile. They would lie under it and stare at it for at least 15-20 minutes. They also liked to lie in the gymini and look at the toys. And, as PPs said, just being talked to as I did stuff around the house.

 

Maybe you can try taking them out to run errands? Maybe plan a short trip to Target. At that age, my babies really liked to look around and see what was going on in the world, and it was nice for us all to get out. When I was home, they did want to be held or entertained all the time, and I carried one around in a bjorn a lot. When I went out, it took the burden off me a little bit.

One other thing I thought of is a mommy and me exercise class.

 

QUOTE(becky5 @ Apr 19 2007, 10:18 AM) [snapback]226621[/snapback]
Do you have a baby gym that they can lay under? The fussiness has a lot to do with the age.


Ditto. The baby gym was at least 30 minutes of entertainment! You can lay under there with them and if you have to do something maybe put a radio on so they hear things and you can get housework done. At that age, mine were big on taking walks and going to the stores. They loved looking around at all the things. Another thing we did was put them in the bouncy seat and set them in front of the sliding door and they liked to look outside. I know it is so tough at that age, they aren't mobile or to interactive yet they don't sleep as much as they used to. Oh, just remembered one more thing I did, I put them in the office with me, in their bouncies and would read the posts to them. They were entertained and so was I! :blush:

 

One of my little ones favorite things to do for months now has been to watch the flag blow. I will put them in their bouncy seats by the window and they love to watch the flag blow in the breeze as they are playing. Just another idea to go along with all of the wonderful ones mentioned in earlier posts.

 

I know what you mean ... I do like another person said, if I am going to clean the bathroom I will lay a blanket down in front of the door, plop them on it, and talk to them as I clean ... I tell them everything I'm doing or just babble on about things and make a point to go by them every few minutes and tickle them or something, they like it! "Naked time" is hugely popular around here too, I get them down to their diapers and lay them in the crib on a fleece blanket and turn on the mobile, they can play for about a half-hour doing that. They get so happy being naked, then I'll take turns dancing around with them, they love it. We also do short trips a few times a week to Target or the grocery store - I put one carseat in the front part of the cart and the other carseat in the main part and we shop, at the grocery store I point out different foods to them and chat with them (if they aren't sleeping from the carride) ... yes, I'm one of "those" moms who babble to her kids in the store but hey, they are learning and getting entertained!!! They love their activity mat too, I'll plop them on that for awhile ... and remember, you don't need to entertain the kids every second of the day. I figure they need to learn to entertain themselves too so I give them plenty of alone time and hop on here, fix a snack, whatever, I leave the room and just let them be. I need to cherish this time when I can leave them alone and not have to keep an eye on them every minute of the day and you should too!

 

QUOTE(twomore @ Apr 19 2007, 11:52 AM) [snapback]226750[/snapback]
As bad as it sounds, I used to, and still do let them cry once in a while , when I am working. They need know that you are not always going to pick them up. You know it works, there used to be times where I was so frusterated, and fed up, that I just left them be, and after no more then 10 minutes, they would actually stop crying. My girls really like the mobile, and I will put them under that and just leave them, they will fuss for a while, but they do stop, and then they actually enjoy it.

I don't think this sounds bad at all. My brother and I were just talking the other day about how I really try to limit the t.v. being on at all in our house. I don't mind when they go to others houses and the t.v. (s) is on and they see it, but I don't want it to be a staple in their day, kwim?

Anyway, we both agreed that kids just don't know how to be bored anymore. That being bored is how an imagination is formed. At least, that's what we thought.

SO, I agree with you. I think letting them be fussy for a little while is not a bad idea. Unless it turns into hooting and hollering!

 

Really at that age there isn't MUCH you can do as far as entertainment... because they really don't 'get' it, kwim?

I sang and danced... put them in the floor under their play mats... that was about it.

 

Do you have any Baby Music CD's? Mine LOVED them and it often kept them entertained just listening to them. We have Baby Mozart, Peter - Paul - & Mommy, and about 10 others. (they were all given to me) If you'd like any of them, PM me and I'll send some your way. Kathleen