How much time should you spend stimulating your baby?

mookiandco

Also a first time mummy, I worried that I was not doing enough with my little one. At 10 months, she's still not that interested in toys (prefers loo rolls, spoons, straws and any other random bit of rubbish she can lay her hands on) and would rather sing or read a book (she laid 5 books on the floor tonight then picked up the one we read everynight before bed to show me it was book and bedtime).

We chatted alot right from day one and I always gave her a running commentary on everything I did. I sounded like a loon no doubt (mummy is taking off your nappy, mummy is cleaning your bits and pieces now, mummy is getting your new nappy, mummy is putting on your new nappy etc etc)! We sang alot too. Quite often made up songs or nursery rhymes changed a bit to include her name etc. She is a right little chatter box now and can say goodbye, hi, give me (rude child!), mummy, daddy, grandad, whats that? etc. She dances whenever she hears music and claps and trys to sing along.

Whilst I was just filling in the silence, she was absorbing it all. Its amazing what they take in. As long as you spend time interacting with the baby and having lots of eye contact then its enough. But its also important that they spend time playing on their own (under the play gym etc) as they then learn to be a little independent and enjoy their own company (and you can have a well deserved cuppa).

ellay864

I think I overdid the singing in summer....forgot about the open windows and a neighbour told me how much her BBQ guests had enjoyed my rendition of Nellie the Elephant while it was my son's bathtime!!!

Becles

I'm another chatter box! I'd have them in a bouncy chair or mat on the floor while I was busy and give a running commentary, even for boring things like cleaning the bathroom. They liked shopping too and I'd say things like "let's get some carrots" as I lifted them into the trolley. You do get into the habit though and sometimes I say things like "ooooh yummy red apples" when I'm shopping by myself :rotfl:

I did sort of half and half play. I'd play with them for a bit, then go and do my own thing but observe. They need to be taught how to play, but it's important that they learn to play independant too, as you can't play 24/7.

Don't get too hung up on how much is right though. Best just to relax and go with the flow.

xmaslolly76

mookiandco wrote: »

Also a first time mummy, I worried that I was not doing enough with my little one. At 10 months, she's still not that interested in toys (prefers loo rolls, spoons, straws and any other random bit of rubbish she can lay her hands on).

Those are toys to a ten months old its amazing the money we waste on expensive carp from toy shops when the simplest things give them hrs of pleasure. My 7 months old loves spending time just putting two different sized cups inside each other he thinks they are the best thing since sliced bread :-)