Activities for Three 2 Month Olds

i babysit my granson. he is now 4 months old. he was preemie so he is still pretty small and had lots of problems. someone gave him a shower gift that has been a lifesave for me. i think it came from walmart. the brand is Kids II. but i dont know the name of it. it is a blue cloth with bright suns and stars on a metal fram. it has a thing in the middle that holds the baby in. it has a music box and a vibrator thin on the bottom by the feet. i have been putting him in it since he was born for a few minutes each day. more now. i face it towards me when im doing chores such as folding laundry, i talk and sing to him and have begun reading books. he loves it and sometimes falls asleep in it. i have also started putting a toy gym over the front of it because he is starting to grab at things. i cant hold him all day long anymore because it spoils him when he goes home to mom and dad in the evenings.

Hi Julia,

I basically had a mini obstacle course set up for my daughter starting at about 6 weeks of age. After I fed her I would place her in the bassinet of her pack n’ play where I had a little floor gym rigged that she could bat at while listening to a CD with children’s music on it. She would usually make it through one round of the CD then I would transfer her to her travel swing and put in Fun Baby or Calm Baby in the DVD player. These two videos were a lifesaver and she enjoyed them so much more than Baby Einstein. Then after the video was done it was play time with mommy and daddy. She’s now 19 months old and talks up a storm. She started singing Old McDonald, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle, Twinkle little start at about one year of age. So contrary to what studies say, I don’t believe that the videos have hurt her development in any way. I hope this helps and good luck.

Congrats Julia! I would do things with them like put them on the floor for tummy time on a play mat. Get down on the floor with them and play. Help them touch toys and explore things. Like many others have said - play music for them or movies like baby einstien. I would put a toy in front of them as motivation to start moving around. You can sing to them too. Most of all try and have fun!

As for advice on entertaining I would say just basic laying on the floor play time,Not much help there huh? I am sure with three that its hard. I am a home daycare provider in Goodyear. I wanted to let you know I would be willing to donate a few hours of free daycare for your you/your family. Not sure how much help you get but I was thinking if you want to come meet our group maybe someday if you would like I can watch the 3 of yours so you can go home and rest or go shopping in peace, or get a pedicure, really whatever you want to do. I will give you 3-4 hours of care. I know its kind of a strange offer and dont feel obligated I just know I would probably need a break if I were you. Please call me and let me know if you are interested, ###-###-####.

Hi Julia, Congratulations on your triplets! I'm a mother of twins and a singleton. What helped me tremendously was my mothers of multiples group. The one I belong to has several triplet moms. Check out www.nomtc.org. to find out info on a group near you. It's an invaluable resource for a multiple mom. The benefits are many. There are also multiples web sites and message boards that you can find answers to any question. The approach is different to parenting multiples than it is to singletons. Where yours are most likely preemies, the developmental expectations are different for the first year or so, and what would work with a singleton, full-term baby won't work with multiple preemies. My kids are 6 and 3 (and 3) now, we still have days where there's a lot of crying, but nowhere near the constant wailing of their infant days. I remember and feel your pain so well! This shall pass, I promise.

Hi Julia, I will pray for you. :) My youngest is 6 weeks and sometimes I play classical music, or even put on the Baby Einstein videos. I know she can't see it, but it is a great distraction for her for a little bit. Hope this helps. Do you participate in any mommy groups? Sounds like you may need a network of SAHM's to help keep you sane.

Hi Julia,

Right after my son was born I was also whatching a friends daughter who was only a month older. She was really fussy, the only thing she really liked was a swing with music. You probably have one, if only one I would get another. They also liked to lay on a blanket next eachother. you can find activity blankets with noises and mirrors and textures. Have a friend or family member come over and help keep you entertained and help take the load off. Props to you. Mobiles are good, bright colors and things that move are good for that age. When they get older I definately recommend an exersaucer- Its the greatest invention in the world as far as I am concerned.

Good luck.

I bought these really neat flash cards at the learning store a few months ago and they are wonderful. They have a lot of sensory activities to do with your children. The cards are by "PAL TOYS" and they say "Bright and Beyond" on the front. I bought the cards for children over age one, but they did have them for infants. Here are some fun activities that I would suggest:

-Turn on the radio and DANCE, DANCE, DANCE. The babies will love it. It will help you feel better too. Buy colorful scarves at the thrift store and dance with those or even colorful men's ties. Hold one or two babies at a time with the other(s) watching. It really helps to change the mood of the day.

-Fill an oatmeal container with different objects that will make sounds when rolled on the floor. Bells, beans, rice, etc. Change it daily, so they are always stimulated. Play with each baby individually or put them all in a circle on their tummy's and roll it to each one. I know they can't roll it back, but still pretend and talk like they can and soon enough they will be doing it with you.

-Sing and do finger plays. Put them in their bouncers or swings and sit in front of them while you sing. They do not care whether you have a good voice or not. You can google children's songs and find the words and tunes to many songs.

-Basic tummy time. Laugh and play with them. If you are stressed they will sense it and follow suit.

God bless and good luck.

hi Julia!
I may have met you the other day in Arco AMPM in line for the register. I was there one day and over heard a young women and her friend discussing losing weight and I turned around and responded to what they were talking about. Is this you?
Anyhow, I have a 6 mo old and when she was 2 mos, she slept more and such, but I think what she liked as entertainment was just us looking at her and holding her. We would make expressions in our face (silly faces)and talk to her. From the beginning I would talk to her asking her things and communicating like she understood, 'cause I think she would understand me... plus I just liked talking to her. (have you ever talking to your dog or your cat? it's sort of like this because babies don't talk back yet, but I think it's better because they are little people in a way and not just animals. anyhow, having three babies would be more difficult I would think.
I am still nursing and plan to for a while. I wear my baby and am trying new products like cloth diapers "pockets" and "all-in-ones" and such. my husband and I don't see a doctor and we gave birth in Prescott, AZ under a couple of midwives. I love the "natural" way and find myself odd in most of my acquaintances. so whatever you want to take from me is up to you. I realize what is comfortable for me may not be for someone else.
I am a mother of an almost nine year old step-daughter in addition to my 6 mo old. and she is quite the handful. I had a lot of questions as a new mom when I first got married and even before as I started to take on roll as mom in her life. (she still sees her birth mom too, but their relationship is different then ours).
so to make a long story shorter, whenever I have a question, besides asking people around me, I get on the internet and find out info for myself. I am quite the skeptic and though I value what others have to say, I find I don't often agree with them when it comes to raising my daughters... I have found a lot on the web and have gained confidence and feel more educated in the decisions my husband and I make for our children and our lives.
so, I can tell, I am rambling... in answer to your question: I personally feel it is important to look in the eyes of each of your little ones and hold, hold, hold, snuggle, and touch them and smile, laugh and giggle with them and I believe you will get a great response. Oh, yes, and talk to them, you may feel like you are getting some strange looks from others, but I really think this helps in building the bond between you and your kids both for now and for later in their lives. Oh, and one more thing, sing!
I started singing in the grocery store the other day and I was wearing my daughter in an "ergo carrier" I am borrowing. She looked up at me with such ah... it was a wonderful feeling and a very special moment.
even if you don't sing well, sing anyway or hum and just make soft noises if that makes you more comfortable; they prob won't care rather love you for trying and like it anyway.
sorry this is so long. I hope you can read it all.

Julia - Congratulations - I too am a mother of triplets that will be 6 months next week. I saw your request & started to think back to what I did with them at 2 months - I invested in 3 Boppys - on for each - would do a lot of tummy time. Also did tummy time on just a blanket with the 3 of them at once. Alot of the time they would fall asleep while doing this activity.
I also have a play gym that I would lay them on their backs & they could look at the fish & kick the inflatable ball.
To be honest at this stage in their lives, they are not that interactive yet...but wait they will definitely start interacting more with you once they hit that 3-4 month marker.
We have 3 swings that have mobiles on them - they spent & still do spend quite a bunch of time. Along with a bouncy chair that has music & vibration & a couple toys hanging down.

I hope those ideas help. Feel free to contact me anytime. I know from personal experience how hard it is to care & entertain 3 babies...plus the lack of sleep.

Hang in there - my kiddos are so much fun now - they really interact & have such great personalities. It makes all those long nights of feedings & crying totally worth it!

mobiles---- kids at that age- love to see stuff move and make sound- they also love your face.. can you take them for walks? YOU ARE A ROCK STAR!! (just thought I should add that!)

Hi, Julia. Congratulations and welcome to the club! I also have triplets - mine are 2 1/4 years old. As Nancy C said, I would highly recommend joining a multiples club in the area. I am a member of STORM (Super Twins of the Rocky Mountains). We are a group of parents with triplets and higher order multiples in the Denver Metro area. I know a number of moms with triplets + (there are about 80 active families in our group). We have dinner meetings once a month and a Yahoo group where we can post pictures, calendars, resources, questions/responses, etc. to the other club members.

I am sure that you will be able to find a similar group in your area.

Good luck!

--J.
Mommy to an almost 5 y.o. son, and 2 y.o triplets b/g(f)/g(f)