Activities W/ Infant

The exersaucer is the best! Definately worth every penny! Read books to her - I have been reading to may son multiple times a day since he was a newborn and he LOVES books! Let her listen to music instead of having her watch TV.

Definitely work on finding activities to do with her and you've gotten some great advice. 20 minutes of television at a time is not going to hurt her though. No, tv is not ideal, but it is not going to harm her, either. I used to put on home videos when I had to run do something so my son could hear familiar voices and if he looked at the screen he would see family. Short infant-appropriate cartoons or videos though are perfectly fine. Do not keep her too close to the screen and give her other things to do so that the tv is incidental and not what she has to be focused on. Or, if you have a play yard or a safe, contained floor area, give her some toys and just let her roll around and play while you are out of the room. Music is also a good alternative if you are concerned about the tv.

Try signing up at www.freecycle.org and join a freecycle group in your area. You can probably get an exersaucer for free. She will love that, andit gives you some time to get some stuff done.

Get down on the floor with her, talk with her about what she's doing, talk about what you are doing while she watches you (like, Mama's pouring this bowl of cereal! Time to eat! etc). Take her for walks. And join a mother's group with playdates!

Dear Rose,

I agree with the other moms on TV -- 6 months is just too young. In terms of activities, though, you might look around for a Music Together or Kindermusik class, or some kind of Gymboree (baby gymnastics) program. I was home full time with my son when he was a baby, and I swear, I owe my sanity to the fact that we had scheduled classes at certain times. I got to get out of the house and speak in complete sentences to adults, and the music was wonderful for my son. He's 3 now, and he's just started Suzuki-style violin lessons, which he loves.

Good luck!

Mira

Yes it is not good to have a six month old infant watching t.v. A baby does not need t.v. - if you train her on this now, she will never be able to entertain herself. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend any television before the age of two. Babies can't properly process these images. A six month old should be able to play with toys on a blanket, sit in the exersaucer to play, play kiddie music for her and dance with her, and babies are never too young to be read to!

A jumperoo is wonderful too! But at 6 months, a child will just love to sit on a carpet or mat and play with anything large and colorful.

Also, read lots to your baby. I highly recommend Sandra Boynton books, Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Catepillar and all of the other classics. Also, books with sensory development tools are great, too.

Six months - too young for tv. I used to put my son in his seat and let him watch me work or put him in in a play pen so he could see me and play with his toys (stuffed animals, rattling toys, toys that lit up and made some kind of noise).

My son was more engaged by people than by TV. He just turned 15 and is still that way except for sports (football, basketball, baseball, etc).

Reading books is also a great thing to do. She will learn an appreciation for reading. Loads of pictures, touch books or pop up books. The more the better. There are plenty of great stories out there.

Newly mobile infants find everything interesting. She's a little young for television and it's probably not a habit you want to get into. Better to teach her how to entertain herself! When my son was this age we would put him on a large blanket with bright toys around him. He had tons to look at and had to roll to get to them!

Depending on your finances, an exersaucer is a great investment ($50-$100). My son used his starting around six months and was in it until his first birthday. Look for one with buttons, lights, sounds and lots of toys. When I needed to get things done, I put him in his "office" to play. He loved it and would entertain himself long enough to get dinner started or eat a sandwich. Check-out garage sales and Craig's List as well for used stationary entertainers.

Lots of options other than t.v. and most are better for her development!

As others have said, a 6-month-old does not need to (and should not) be watching tv (especially cartoons). Even so-called educational videos are not what children need at this age. The research has shown that talking, singing, and reading to your child are the most important things for brain development. Look for toys that say they are for age 6 mos and up. Reading books (especially ones with textures for her to feel and flaps to lift up), listening to music (look for Laurie Berkner or Dan Zanes at the library), putting things in and out of plastic containers, banging on pots and pans... there are many things you two can do at this age. For some specific ideas check out websites like Babycenter, Parenting, etc.:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_lets-play-weekly-activities-f...

And an exersaucer is a great way to keep your child safe and occupied if you need to eat, go to the bathroom, etc. Look on Craigslist for a used one for less money. If your daughter isn't really moving around yet, you can even sit her down on the floor with a few toys, and she can play by herself (supervised of course) while you eat. Hope this helps.

Hi Rose,

I'm sure others may disagree with me, but this is something I feel very strongly - There is absolutely no reason what so ever that a child under 12 months should be watching tv, and cartoons are th worst. There is NO value in it, and it is a VERY BAD HABIT to develop for both you and your daughter.

If you need a few minutes, put her in a secure area like a playpen, high chair, or crib and give her a few toys to play with. There are tons of age appropriate toys that will assist her in developing her motor skills.

Tummy time is also very important. It gives her an opportunity to practice rolling over and begin crawling.

Now is the perfect time to begin reading to her. Put on some music and dance around the room. Sing to her.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with 20 minutes of tv...throw on a baby einstein dvd tho instead of cartoons...

not a good idea to have a baby watch cartoons! It's too much stimulation, you will find yourself with an overstimulated baby, and it will only get worse as she grows. while, it's nice to have time for yourself, this is really not good for the baby in the long run. Onstead you should take her out for walks and enjoy the weather while it's nice. the fresh is much better for her than sitting inside in front of the TV.
you can take her to a park and let her roll around on a blanket, this will also get her tired, and possibly get her to nap longer, so you can still have a little personal time.

Hi Rose,
As a Music Together teacher, I am going to suggest some musical things you can do with your daughter. All children are drawn to music and it is a wonderful fun way to bond with your child. I would suggest playing some music that you enjoy and dancing around while holding her. She will love feeling your motion. Babies love to be swung gently to the beat. When you are sitting with her sing some songs that you know. Babies love hearing your voice since its the first one they heard. It doesn't matter if you are singing it right or not. Babies are very keyed in on facial expressions so sing so she can see your face. When she makes sounds repeat them back to her. This will encourage her to experiment with her voice. Touch is also very important so you can gently tap on her feet or arms the beat of music you are listening to. If you can get some age appropriate instruments it is fine to help her hold them and move them to the beat. Once she is 8 months or older it is better to let her use her own motions.
And of course if you are able to check out Music Together classes. I am sure there is one near you.

Certainly, I've used TV as a "babysitting" tool, but probably not at 6 months. If anything, maybe you could buy those Baby Einstein videos or some other type of "educational" videos, rather than cartoons... Because the weather is still nice, it would be great if you could take walks with her in the stroller so you can both get outside. It's hard when you're stuck inside all day.

If you need some "me" time, perhaps get a playpen or pack n play and put her in there with some baby toys. At that age, my kids liked their baby swing and soon she can use an exersaucer. If you are watching her, letting her be on her stomach on the floor with some toys is good for her to build up strength too.