Showing posts with label waketime activities. Show all posts

McKenna Newborn Summary: Week Two

Week two has continued on smoothly with little or no incident. Here are some updates on our second week of life.

GAS
I decided I didn't want McKenna to have more medicine than she needed. I am not one who likes medicine, but if it is necessary, I will definitely use it. I started to cut back on how many doses she got in a day. I first cut out one, then a second, then a third. By the time I had cut out the third, she woke with gas pains. I decided to go back to giving gas medicine after each feeding for a couple more weeks. I will then start to cut them out, but do so much more slowly. I think I will just cut one out a week.

NURSING
McKenna now eats on both sides for about half of her feedings each day and just one side for the other half. I still wake her for 6 of her 8 feedings each day (I keep track). She is growing right on track and doing well. My friend Rachel left a comment on the blog about how she would burp her son after he unlatched the first time, then continued him nursing on the same side. She would then switch sides after he unlatched the second time. I have done this with McKenna and am often able to get her to eat on both sides when I do this. It works great for her. This is the reason it is great to have people to ask questions to. There are so many tricks out there. Some work for some children and not others, so it is great to have lots of ideas to draw from.

I have also found that if she refuses to nurse the second side, I can get to do so sometimes after a diaper change. That didn't work in week one, but it worked in week two.

To sum up, this is what I do. I start her on one side. When she slows down or unlatches, I burp her then continue her on the same side. I let her continue on until she is done with that side. She usually unlatches, but sometimes she lazily sucks without a swallow. I read (I think in Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems or What to Expect the First Year) to switch sides when baby sucks about 6 times without swallowing. I then burp her again and start side two.

BURPING
McKenna has also changed in what works best to burp her. We are getting much faster at it. She now works best over my shoulder with her legs straight. It is hard to get her to uncurl those little legs, but it is what works best to get a burp out of her.

WAKETIME
Her waketime length has increased slightly and her alertness has also increased slightly this week. I introduces two new waketime activities this week. One was to sit in her swing with it off. I haven't turned the swing on with her in it yet. It is just a place for her to sit right now. The other is tummy time.

She doesn't really have any obvious sleep cues yet. There have been a few times she has yawned. Usually what happens is she just starts to fall asleep if I haven't gotten her down in time, which is quite typical for a newborn. At least it was for Kaitlyn and is for her :).

I have started watching the clock this week for waketime. I put her down either by first sign that she is ready or I start the process after she has been awake for 40 minutes. That way she is always down by the time she has been up for 45 minutes, which I think is realistically all she can handle at this age.

NIGHTTIME SLEEP
This is still going well. There hasn't been any change. She usually wakes for her first feeding in the night and I usually wake her for the second. We are still doing two night feedings in order to have 8 feedings in a day. On the last night of her second week, I moved her to her room for night sleep instead of sleeping in my room. I sleep much better when the baby is not in the room with me.

SWADDLE
I still swaddle McKenna for naps and night. A great thing about her is that she often breaks out of the swaddle but still stays asleep, or, rather, goes back to sleep. So she likes to be swaddled, but it isn't something necessary for her to sleep well.

NAPS
McKenna's naps are great. She still has yet to cry at all before a nap. She often wakes at a transition and goes back to sleep, all without crying (I know this thanks to my video monitor :) ).

OUTINGS
We took McKenna out for the first time this week to buy some new shoes for Brayden and Kaitlyn. She slept the entire time. It was a short outing and I am being very cautious with her. It is still RSV season here until May 1, and this year it is strongest right now.

So there is our uneventful second week.

HELPFUL BOOKS
I didn't actually consult any books this week. I am sure if this were baby number one or if I didn't basically have Babywise memorized I would have consulted some books. So the books I listed last week are still books I would recommend at this stage, as well as the first Baby Whisperer book.

RELATED POSTS

Newborn Summary: Week One
The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems
gas (blog label)
newborns (blog label)
Swaddling (blog label)
nursing (blog label)
newborn summary (blog label)

McKenna Newborn Summary: Week One

I thought it would be interesting, and hopefully helpful, for me to summarize life each week. I will do this until it doesn't seem worth it anymore :). These first weeks can be so hard and require so much troubleshooting that it can be nice to see what others have done.

Before I start, please do not be discouraged by the smooth things for us. Not only is this my third baby, but in writing this blog I think about this stuff all the time. All the help that I have given to others has taught me a lot. So not only do I have my personal experience, but I have learned a lot through the experiences of others. With that in mind, here are some interesting points from our first week with McKenna.

GAS
While still in the hospital, my husband and I noticed that McKenna had gas pains. Brayden was also a baby who had gas pains, though we didn't notice until he was 6 weeks old. And when I say we, I mean a friend of my little sister's noticed. Her baby (who was then 9 months old) also had gas, so she recognized the symptoms. Luckily for McKenna, we were much faster at noticing her gas pains.

Kaitlyn never had gas pains. Because of our experience with Brayden, I bought several bottles of the gas drops before she was born, only to literally throw them away last fall when they expired. This time, we didn't have any purchased. My husband went to the store and bought some gas drops before we left the hospital. I then started giving her gas drops after every nursing.

The first couple of nights home, McKenna had severe gas pain for a period in the middle of the night. Since then, however, she has been fine. The gas drops seem to be doing the trick.

NURSING
McKenna is a great nurser. She is efficient and has an excellent latch on. She has nursed well from the beginning. In The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems, Hogg mentions that your baby needs to nurse at least 15 minutes on one side to get all the fatty milk she needs, but preferably a lot more. She suggests you shoot for that length of time before switching and offering the second side. She wants you to focus on single-side nursing.

I have always been a two-side nurser. McKenna does both right now. About half of the time, she literally refuses to even open her mouth for the second side (not to try to put actions in a newborn that aren't there; she just really isn't interested in that second side). It isn't even that she is asleep and hard to wake up. Her eyes can be wide open and she just isn't interested.

Kaitlyn was one who nursed 10 minutes on each side from birth. She gained weight really fast. Despite that, the words of Hogg have been ringing in my ears bringing me doubt in the ability of McKenna to get what she needed in 10 minutes.

Today I read What to Expect the First Year. I like their advice on nursing length. That is that every baby is different and nurses at a different pace. They also mentioned that some younger babies simply can't handle nursing from more than one side at a time at first. McKenna is a tiny baby, so I can see that being true of her.

Ultimately, McKenna is a fast nurser. Sometimes she will take two sides, sometimes she won't. I still have to wake her for 6 of the 8 feedings in a day (including night feedings), so she is obviously getting enough to eat right now. I know I have more than enough milk, so she is just getting satisfied with one side for now.

Something interesting about McKenna that I noticed in the first couple of days of her life is that a diaper change in the middle of a feeding is never productive. This trick was my sure-fire way to get Kaitlyn to wake up to eat for side two. For McKenna, it seems to prevent any chance of her eating from side two. I just have to get her done as fast as possible.

BURPING
I always hate figuring out how to best burp the baby. I don't consider myself a good "burper." What worked for one child isn't necessarily going to work for another. Honestly a very happy time for me is when baby finally gets to that point where burping is easy. Burping is very important. I have had two babies with gas and one with reflux, so I know how vital it is.

Hogg had the trick for McKenna in her book under her section on "gas." That is to rub up the left side of baby's back under the ribs. This is where the stomach is. This works really well for her.

WAKETIME
I am a lot smarter about waketime with McKenna than I was with Kaitlyn. With Kaitlyn, I tried to keep her up for an hour at a time. I have since learned that for a newborn, a much shorter waketime is perfectly fine (when looking toward nighttime sleep) and preferable. McKenna's waketime lengths vary from 30-45 minutes. I do not watch the clock for the length; I watch her. But I do take note of what time I got her up and what time I put her down.

Our activities are very simple. We eat. We change diaper. We change clothes if needed. We do sponge baths and wash hair. We look into each other's eyes. That about does it. There are a couple of times a day that she has interaction from her siblings. They hold and kiss her. But I try to keep those interactions short and few so she doesn't ever overstimulated at this young age. She will also have some interaction with Daddy, but it is calm :).

NIGHTTIME SLEEP
This is a topic of great interest. Here is the rundown of McKenna's sleep since we have been home from the hospital:

Night One:
McKenna ate at 10:15 PM, 12:00 AM, 2:15 AM, 4:45 AM, and I woke her at 8:15 AM. What a night! Why so many feedings? One, she is small. She is under 6 pounds, so I definitely wasn't going to try to hold her out at all if she was hungry. Also, my milk was still colostrum and I don't think that was holding her over. Finally, she had awful gas pains that night, so she woke frequently.

Night Two:
McKenna at at 9:50 PM, 1:30 AM, and 4:00 AM. I got her up at 7:45 AM. This was much better. She did have a gas pain situation this night, also, though.

Night Three:
McKenna at at 9:50 PM, 1:45 AM, and 4:45 AM. I then woke her at 7:45 AM. This was the night that I first had to wake her for a night feeding. I woke her at 4:45. I could let her go up to 5 hours, but I want to keep morning waketime as consistent as possible. I also need to have at least 8 feedings in her and she does better with a longer schedule in the day--resulting in needing two night feedings right now.

Night Four:
McKenna at at 10:15 PM, 2:15 AM, and 6:15 AM. I woke her at 8:15 AM. I woke her for all four of these feedings listed.

Night Five:
McKenna at at 10:00 PM, 1:35 AM (she woke for this), and 5:15 AM. I then woke her at 8:00 AM.

So you can see that nighttime sleep is really going well for her thus far. I would be interested to see how long she would go at night, but my desire for consistent morning waketime along with keeping 8 feedings a day has me setting my alarm and waking her up :)

NAPS
Naps are going really well. I wake McKenna for the great majority of her feedings. This is not uncommon with a newborn.

We swaddle McKenna for all naps and nighttime. She likes to be swaddled tightly.

McKenna also puts herself to sleep. I implemented the 4 S's described in Hogg's book The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems when McKenna was three days old. McKenna goes down for every nap of the day awake and has never cried for even a second. Love it!

McKenna sleeps at night in her bassinet in our room right now. She takes all but one nap in her crib in her room.

So there are the basics of our first week. I have a few things I have learned that I will put into individual posts. All in all, I am completely satisfied with how things are going so far.

HELPFUL BOOKS
These are the books I have consulted this week:

Related Posts:

The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems
gas (blog label)
newborns (blog label)
Swaddling (blog label)
nursing (blog label)
newborn summary (blog label)
Sleep Training: The Four S's

Best Toys for Baby: Ages 0-3 Months

I had a request for a series of favorite toys for each age range of baby. I can share my ideas and then you all can share yours.

o-3 months is a time when your baby doesn't really play with toys. When you consider Hogg's Learning Triangle (Baby Whisperer: Learning Triangle : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/09/baby-whisperer-learning-triangle.html) and Ezzo's funnel, you want to be careful about what you try to have your child play with. This doesn't mean your newborn needs to sit in a state of boredom. For one thing, everything is new and interesting to your newborn; she can easily become overstimulated if you take things to far (which I think is very common for the first time mother, at least it was for me). For another, there are some things I think are good for the newborn. Remember the baby doesn't usually get the ability to grab a toy until 3 months, some closer to 4 months. So we are talking about the newborn who can't move herself or purposefully grab something and hold it.

Blanket: A blanket can be a good "toy" for a newborn. You can do tummy time or lay your newborn on her back to just observe what is going on around her.
Playpen: A playpen can be used instead of a blanket, or in addition to a blanket. You could put mobile on the playpen (mobiles are discussed below) a stuffed animal in your baby's view, or even the gym in the playpen and the baby at the playpen. I find this nice if baby has older siblings that aren't quite aware of how to handle baby yet. For example, Brayden was 22 months old when Kaitlyn was born. He has always been a cautious person and was never too rough with her, but I wasn't about to leave them in the room alone together or leave her in his reach without my supervision. Putting her in the playpen offered a buffer for me to be sure she was safe. Our playard is a Graco brand, but there are lots of brands out there: Playards
Bath: Once the umbilical cord has fallen off, you can bath your baby as a good "toy" for this age if she enjoys it. Before that, just a sponge bath. See this post for my favorite bath items along with many ideas from readers: Baby Stuff I Love: Bathtime : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/08/baby-stuff-i-love-bathtime.html
Massage: Your baby might enjoy an infant massage. See this post for more on that: Baby Whisperer: Infant Massage : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/09/baby-whisperer-infant-massage.html
Parent's Voice: your voice can be interesting for your baby. Think back to those nursery songs and sing them to your baby, but be sure you don't take it too far or for too long. Some of my kids favorite songs were The Wheels on the Bus (doing actions of the bus with baby's body, so for wipers, I would take their hands and swish them back and forth), 10 Little Monkeys (my fingers were the monkeys), and the Itsy Bitsy Spider (me doing actions).
Puppets: Your newborn might enjoy looking at a hand or finger puppet on your hand. Be mindful that you don't get too crazy with it. For the older newborn, she might enjoy if the puppet tickles her or kisses her. These are great toys because they can grow with your child. Your child enjoys watching them more as she grows, then she enjoys putting them on her hands, then she can do puppet shows. I have found finger puppets to be especially nice at church. Hand Puppets and Finger Puppets
Simple Pictures: You can draw a big black circle on a white piece of paper and set it somewhere for your baby to look at. Not very exciting to the adult, but stimulating to the baby.
Gym: A baby gym is a great place for a newborn to play. It is a great "medium" for independent playtime (see Independent Playtime: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/independent-playtime.html). At first, she just lays there and looks at the things around her (be sure you don't leave her there too long and overstimulate her). Between 1-2 months, she might start trying to grab or kick the items she is looking at. She also might coo at it. As she approaches 3 months, she will at first accidentally grab an item, then start to move more purposefully in trying to grasp those toys. Many baby gyms are designed to grow with your child. Baby Gym
Mirror: A baby safe mirror can be fun for your baby. Your baby will enjoy looking at herself. You can get a crib mirror and have her lay in the crib or playpen and look at herself or get a car mirror and use just in the car or move it back and forth. Be sure if you put it in the crib that you take it out for naptime or she might admire herself rather than sleep. I highly, highly recommend a mirror in the car. It was an absolute must with Brayden. For Kaitlyn it wasn't as necessary, she was more interested in looking at Brayden, but she still enjoyed it. Baby Mirror This is my favorite car mirror: Fisher-Price Rainforest Deluxe Auto Mirror -- it isn't the nicest adult-looking toy, but the baby loves it.
Mobile: The only mobile we have ever had is a simple mobile with three bears hanging from it (it came with our playard). They don't have music and don't move or anything. This sounds really boring, but for the newborn baby, it is fascinating. Brayden was always really active, even as a newborn. He was standing (supported by us) before two months old. He wanted to move. When it came to these bears, however, he would just lay and watch them. I had them by his changing table. He would watch them while I changed his diaper and then want to lay there some more to continue to watch. They are also the first things he ever talked to. He talked and talked to them. Baby Mobiles
Bouncer: This is another good "medium" for independent play in those early months (Independent Playtime: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/independent-playtime.html). It is also a nice place for baby to be while you fix dinner or something. As your baby starts to develop some head control, the bouncer can be a fun toy. There is no shortage of different bouncers out there, so find one you think you will like. Ours is a kick and play where things happen when baby kicks. It was fun for teaching cause/effect. Here is the one we have, but there are lots of fun options out there:
Fisher-Price Kick & Play Bouncer
Swing: I love the swing. Brayden wasn't ever one to sleep in it, but he would sit and have some playtime in it each day. The lifesaver of the swing came with Kaitlyn. For one thing, she had reflux and there were times she needed to sleep in the swing. It was also a good place to put her to sleep if she had been up too long and overstimulated while she was sleep training instead of the crib (like when she was at church). It also helped train her through the short naps (see Waking Early From Naps/Won't Fall Asleep For Naps: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/waking-early-from-napswont-fall-asleep.html). Another reason it was great is when you have two children (or more), you can't always give your full attention to the baby, so it is a nice place to put baby for a few minutes if she wakes early and the older kids are in need of something (say it is their naptime). The swing we have had for both was the Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium swing. Once again, not something that looks nice in your house, but the kids love it. We have decided to buy a new swing for the next baby; it will be the Fisher Price Rainforest Swing. The reason we are going to get that one is it can plug in, but also can run on batteries. Baby Swings
Books: It is no secret that I love books (Non-BW: The Value of Reading: http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/01/non-bw-value-of-reading.html). I plan to do a Baby Stuff I Love post on books that I love, but I will also include books especially good for each age group in this post series. For this age you are really going for books to look at and books with fun rhymes. Your baby won't be touching on purpose yet, so I won't list touch and feel for this age. If you are interested in good touch and feel books, I will list them in the 3-6 month post. Books that are excellent for words are the Baby Einstein books. I especially like the bath books for this age and older. The older newborn is accidentally grabbing stuff, or perhaps trying and getting it by chance. These books are basically indestructible. Baby can slobber all over them without problem. When baby gets older, they can go in the bath with her. The first four books on this page are the bath books we have: Baby Einstein Bath Books. I also recommend any Baby Einstein book really, but one I would find especially good for this age is the Mirror Me Board Book. It has mirrors on each page along with a fun character. It can be a fun book for baby to see herself: Baby Einstein: Mirror Me! (Baby Einstein). Another type of book I would recommend for this age is the cloth book. They are soft and safe. Baby Cloth Books. One in particular my children both liked is Circus McGurkus 1, 2, 3! (Dr. Seuss Nursery Collection). The text is in rhymes and each page has something fun for baby. For example, on page has a rattle.
Other toys you can move: You can get toys that your baby can't hold or play with yet to entertain with (like a rattle). Just be sure you don't overstimulate and you don't become baby's primary source of entertainment. For a list on toys like this that I recommend, see the 3-6 month age post.
Stroller: I felt comfortable taking both of my children on walks once they were 6 weeks old. Brayden's birth took me a long time to heal, so that is part of the reason he was that old. I could have done Kaitlyn earlier, but we had a double stroller that wasn't as good for a newborn as our single stroller, so at 6 weeks I thought she was strong enough to sit in it. Also, for many babies that is the youngest they can be and stay awake long enough to eat, change diaper, and go for a walk. If you want to take baby for a walk (for your sanity as well as theirs), one tip is to have the stroller and everything ready to go while baby is napping. Then you can feed, change diaper, dress appropriately, and take off. For a single baby, I really like our Graco stroller. It has several reclining positions, all the way to fully laying down. It is really easy to push; you hardly feel the weight at all. You can maneuver it with one hand. It is bulky, but where I live and walk that isn't a problem at all. Our double stroller is the Jeep Wrangler Twin Sport All-weather Umbrella Stroller. Both seats recline and it is really small for a double stroller. It isn't as easy to push as our solo Graco, but I didn't like how long or wide double strollers could be. Also, I don't think any double stroller is as easy to maneuver as a solo stroller. I wanted a stroller they were sitting next to each other but could still realistically fit in normal places. It is pictured on this page: Strollers (right now it is number 20).
Whoozit Activity Spiral: This is something I got for Kaitlyn and I love it. It can go on a car seat, stroller...pretty much anywhere you can get it to go around. It is an award-winning toy that is fun through many ages: Whoozit Activity Spiral

In no way are all of these things necessary, but they are all ideas for you and your newborn. Please share any great toys you have found for babies ages 0-3 months old.
Related Posts:

Reader Advice:

Elizabeth said...
Our 2 month old daughter loves her toys that have faces far better than any others. She loves to sit and stare at them, talk to them, and smile back at them. She wants nothing to do with the ones that don't have faces for her to look at!
December 1, 2008 7:36 AM
Plowmanators said...
Thanks Elizabeth!
December 2, 2008 2:10 PM
Rachel Stella said...
One of my son's favorite things to do at this age was lying down on his back on my lap with his legs facing me. He couldn't get enough of this!
December 2, 2008 11:14 AM
Plowmanators said...
Thanks Rachel. Those simple things are very common "toys" for babies this age.
December 2, 2008 2:11 PM

Baby Stuff I love: Art Time

image source

I don't consider myself to be artistic. I sew, scrapbook, make jewelry, etc. I can be creative if I do something for a while (I call them marathons), but I when it comes to drawing, painting, etc., I am not artistic. Despite that, I have some thoughts for art time activities. I am sure many of you have better ideas, so please share!

Fat Crayons: Crayola makes fat crayons that are easy for those little hands to grasp. They are also nice because the child can push hard with the crayon and not break it. Kid's First Larger Size Washable Crayons, 8 Color/Pack (BIN523280) Category: Crayons
Fat Paintbrushes: After the fat crayons, I found some fat paint brushes at JoAnn's.
Washable Paint: Brayden loves to paint. It about gives me a heart attack every time because I am OCD. He talks and moves his brush around, and while he has never made a mess, I have visions of paint everywhere. At least it is washable! I know, I need to chill out. I try to hide it. Our paint is Crayola brand. Crayola Washable Kid's Paint (6 count)
Blank Pad of Paper: We got Brayden an artists pad of white paper. I had looked at them at Michaels, but they were about $10. One day I found one at a dollar store. That is perfect for a young child. I have read it is good to have your child draw/color/paint/etc. on blank paper so he can be creative and not get discouraged by the lack of ability to stay in the lines.
Coloring Books: I still like coloring books. In the last month, Brayden has started to be able to color in the lines (3.25 years old). I think it is good for him now that he is interested to be able to practice the fine motor skills of staying in lines. Coloring Books
Foamies: These are foam pieces that are of different shapes. Brayden's are cars and trucks with street sign shapes. They have a sticky back. Brayden loves to play with these. Tub O' Foamies Cars/Trucks Sticky Back Shapes & A-B-C-1-2 Foamies & Foam Bucket Noahs Ark
Magnetic Sketch Board (Magnadoodle): I love these. They are absolutely perfect for my OCD self. I don't have to worry about anything getting messy when the kids are drawing on the magnadoodle. We also have small travel magnadoodles which are good for car rides and places like church. They keep the kids quiet and they have no chance of writing on something while not supervised (in car) or on something important (at church). Maga Doodle
Play Doh': This is always fun. Play Doh
Sidewalk Chalk: This is fun for outside. Sidewalk Chalk

There are my ideas. Share the fun art ideas you have for kids!
Reader Advice:

Tracy said...
Our parent educator with Parents as Teachers recommended Write Start colored pencils from Crayola. They are fat colored pencils that will work great for my 15 mo. old DS. He always likes to chew on crayons so this will prevent wax in his teeth! :o)
October 23, 2008 7:17 PM
Plowmanators said...
Tracy, Great tip! My daughter is also a crayon chewer. She is getting better, but I will have to look into those.
November 10, 2008 3:41 PM
Rachel Stella said...
I also love the coloring books where you just use a paint brush with water on it. No mess but water!
November 6, 2008 9:34 PM
Plowmanators said...
Oh yes Rachel! I love those too! Great for OCD me! I have had a hard time finding them, though. Where do you get them? (I might just be blind ;) ).
November 10, 2008 3:42 PM

Reader Comments:

Homestic Affairs said...
We have a big blank floor pad of paper that both the kids love. The one year old and three year old learn to share space and color while safely on the floor!I love your list!
October 23, 2008 11:34 PM
Plowmanators said...
Thanks Homestic Affairs! I do like the blank paper.
November 10, 2008 3:41 PM

Reader Thank Yous:

Tanya Hebert said...
Thanks for these ideas! My little girl is 2 and I needed some new activities, so this helps!
October 23, 2008 3:59 PM

See these labels for similar posts:

Baby Whisperer: Learning Triangle

Tracy Hogg has a rule for what you give to your child to play with. That rule is that parent's stay within their child's learning triangle (146). That means you only give your child mental and physical tasks that your baby can accomplish alone. When your baby has a toy, observe rather than jump in.

As parents we are often eager to see our child accomplishing the milestones and to start playing with the fun toys we have available. The child might enjoy certain toys before the toy is age appropriate, but usually only so long as mom or dad is there to help him manipulate it. As soon as the child is left to his own devices, he becomes frustrated because he just can't do it.

To judge what can fit in your child's learning triangle, consider his accomplishments to date. What can he do. Hogg says don't look in a book, look at your baby. Can he sit up? Can he grab things? Here are some guidelines.

Mostly Watches and Listens

6-8 weeks
At this age, baby is mostly one who looks and listens. He becomes more aware of hers surroundings as time goes on.
Babies this age like to look at lines.
You can draw lines on white piece of paper using a black marker for him to look at.
Primary colors stimulate baby.
Pastel colors calm baby.
Machines that mimic sounds of womb might be a good toy for this age.
You can sing or play songs of lullabies.

Gains Control Over Head and Neck

Usually around 2-3 months
A mobile for crib and playpen might be a good toy for this age. Don't position right above because baby turns head to the side.
Pictures of phases are a favorite among this age group.
Mirrors are also a good toy for this age.
Keep in mind that baby cannot yet move herself when something is too stimulating for her. If she starts to fuss and is done, you need to move her or change her scenery.
Hands often become a toy, but usually by accident.
You can sing or play songs of lullabies.

Reaches and Grasps

3-4 months
Anything is fascinating for this baby to grab--including his own body parts.
Most everything goes straight to his mouth.
He loves to play with Mommy or Daddy (or perhaps a sibling).
Rattles and other safe, simple toys are good.
Choose toys that are responsive, generate noise, and/or feel good to the touch.
He loves to explore.
He loves to see his actions cause a reaction.
Comprehends cause and effect.
He coos and knows how to get your attention (he might drop the toy, cough, or cry).
You can sing or play nursery rhymes. Don't do too much (try one song per waketime).

Rolls

3-5 months
Still loves toys that make noise.
Also loves normal household items like spoons.
She is a scientist and loves to explore.
Is interested in playing with shapes, like cubes, balls, or triangles.
You can sing or play nursery rhymes. Don't do too much (try one song per waketime).

Sits Up

6 months old
Can transfer objects from hand to hand.
He can point and gesture.
As he is playing and exploring, give him the opportunity to problem solve on his own. You can cheer him on, but let him control himself (within reason).
Give simple toys that reinforce actions. Simple jack-in-the-box, for example.
You can sing or play nursery rhymes. Try three songs per waketime.

Moves

8-10 months old
Create a safe environment.
Cognitive skills are improving.
She will love to move to work off her energy.
She will find ways to make noise.
She loves toys that encourage her to put things in and take things out. At first they empty. Eventually she will start to put back (10-12 months).
Rolling toys are good, especially ones to pull toward her.
Peek-a-boo is a favorite at this age.
Use household items as playthings.
You can sing or play nursery rhymes. Try three songs per waketime. You can also add movements easy enough for baby to imitate.

12 months old

In your song time, sing or play nursery rhymes. Try four songs per waketime and play each song twice. You can also add gestures.

See this post for more on toys: Out With the Old, in With the New (toys) : http://babywisemom.blogspot.com/2008/07/out-with-old-in-with-new-toys.html

Structured Playtime

There is some confusion as the the distinction between each of the playtimes described in the -wise series. This article discusses Structured Playtime. Structured playtime as defined in On Becoming Babywse II (page 71) is simply independent playtime where mom chooses the toys played with and the time it is done.

In On Becoming Toddlerwise (page 49), it progresses. Mommy picks the activity and the time it happens. This is a good skill because the child needs to learn that he can't always choose the activity. Once your child gets to school, he will have very little freedom about what he does and when he does it. Structured Playtime can be playing puzzles or coloring. It can really be any activity. I would choose an activity that is going to require some concentration and focus. I believe this can be something done in teh presence of others. Perhaps you are making dinner while your child colors at the kitchen table. You can also have all of your children color together. You can have your children play in the yard together. You can overlap structured playtime and sibling playtime. When you instruct your children to play with each other, they can develop important social skills. If your child is resistent to structured playtime, you can start with short increments of time and work up--using a timer.

In On Becoming Preschoolwise (page 97), the rules for structured playtime are the same as in Toddlerwise. Mom chooses the activity and the location of the activity.

I view this activity much like free playtime. It is a good activity for you to turn to when making dinner or other chores. It is good practice time for preschool and on.

See these posts for more on other playtime activities:

How To Use Free Playtime In Your Child's Schedule

How To Use Free Playtime In Your Child's Schedule. What free playtime looks like by age and examples of how to use it in real life.

I use free playtime basically as something to turn to at my convenience. For us, free playtime can often move around in our day, though it tends to typically fall at a certain time of day. For my children, free playtime happens when mommy needs to get something important done. This usually is dinner.

Because my children have regular nap(s) and regular independent playtime, I can do my "chores" and hobbies around the house during these times. I can clean, I can weed. I can write articles for my blog. I can answer your questions :). I can sew, scrapbook, read, and make jewelry. I can exercise. I can do the things that interest me and the things I need to get done during these regular, scheduled times.

Read more about Independent Playtime here: How To Get Your Child to Happily Play Alone

Dinner time, however, falls at at time when there are no naps and no independent play going on. I use this slot for free time. Free play is great for helping establish creatvity and imaginative play.

Read more about how to manage dinner prep time here: Managing Dinner Prep Time

For the Pre-toddler

Babywise II talks about free playtime for your pretoddler (page 79). This is not a time for baby to roam the house looking for fun. It is a time you tell your child to play with certain items at what BW II refers to as a playcenter. A child's "job" in life right now is really all about play. It is how they learn.

In the pretoddler months, keep toys simple for free playtime. It can be blocks, balls, books, etc. Be sure they are toys that are age appropriate so your child doesn't get frustrated in either direction (too easy or too hard).

For the Toddler

Toddlerwise talks about free playtime for your toddler (page 49). This is when your child has the freedom to choose what he wants to play with. You carve out the time slot, but he decides what he wants to play with. You don't let him jump from toy to toy. Let him learn to have an attention span.

Toddlers can do a variety of things for free playtime. They can play outside (remember to supervise), play with toys, puzzles, read books, color, etc.

For the Preschooler

Preschoolwise talks about free playtime for your preschooler (97). Free playtime is a time your prechooler chooses the activity. You choose when free playtime happens, but your preschooler decides what to play with.

Preschoolers can also do a variety of things for free playtime. They can play outside (remember to supervise), play with toys, puzzles, read books, color, etc.

Clean-up

No matter the age of your child, be sure he is involved in cleaning up. For the 12 month old, 99% of the toys are going to be cleaned up by mom. Sometimes it might move down to 95% (depending on how many toys are out), but don't expect a huge help. Not because your child isn't trying, but because he just isn't as fast as you are. As your child gets older, you can require more. For example, for Brayden who is now 3 years old, he is required to clean up all of his trucks after playtime all by himself. I then help with the rest of the toys. He does the trucks alone before I start to help at all. Some days he cleans up all of his toys by himself when he is done. For free playtime, fewer toys will be out and you might be able to require your child to clean up all of the toys. Teach your child that playtime is not over until the toys are cleaned up. Make sure you calculate cleaning time into your schedule.

We have always cleaned up with Brayden, and he is an excellent helper. He never forgets to clean up when he is done. Kaitlyn, 15 months, is also a good helper. I say, "Time to clean up!" and I then sing a clean up song. Everyone does their part.

My Examples

Here are some examples from my house for free playtime.

Kitchen. In the kitchen, I have a couple of Leapfrog toys on the fridge. One is the barn and one is the alphabet (incidentally, I love Leapfrog, and no, I have no affiliation). My kids both love these things. I also have magnetic letters and numbers. This is my kitchen "station." Some children might also find it interesting to play with pots and pans and spoons. The pre-toddler often finds various kitchen items fun, and the pre-schooler can do imaginative play.
Family Room. In the family room, we have a large closet. This closet contains games, puzzles, and art supplies, among other things. We have puzzles that are age appropriate for both children. We have a Karaoke machine the kids often enjoy. We keep our library books in there. We have a tote full of various toys they can play with. Sometimes for Brayden free playtime can be playing Mario Kart in the family room.
Master Bedroom. I have a small tote with a few toys. These are just about too young for Kaitlyn (and definitely too young for Brayden, he doesn't have free play in there).
Outside. We have a fully fenced in backyard. In that yard there is a fully fenced in playground area with a swingset, gravel, and sandbox (if you are wondering why it is fenced in, it is because of one of our dogs who is a lab and prone to destroying things with her teeth). The kitchen is also by the backyard so when I am in the kitchen, the kids can be out there and I can hear everything they say. The outside is actually rarely used for free playtime--we use it more for sibling and family time (though you can have sibling free playtime where they have free playtime together).

Those are my typical free playtime activities. You might be wondering about length. There is no definite number given in any of the books. You want it to be long enough learning can happen. The sample schedules in Toddlerwise and Preschoolwise show free playtime as lasting for 30 minutes at a time. For some children, free playtime can happen more than once in a day. Our free playtime in our house is usually around 20 minutes, though it can be as short as 15 minuets or as long as 30 minutes.
Remember to let your schedule serve you. Let free playtime serve your family and the needs of everyone in it.

Related Posts:

Reader Comments/Thank Yous:

Don & Denise Sullivan said...
Thanks for clarifying this! I was wondering about how it worked and I can see what I'm doing right and not so right. haha.
August 12, 2008 1:18 PM
Plowmanators said...
You are welcome Denise!
August 12, 2008 2:36 PM

Reader Questions:

bradysmom said...
My LO is 6.5 months, and maybe this will make more sense when he is older, but I don't understand the difference between independent play time; free play time; and blanket time. Can you clarify? THank you!
August 13, 2008 6:24 AM
Plowmanators said...
Bradysmom, I will do a post on that. But Independent play is alone, whereas free playtime can be in the presence of others or even with others (like siblings). Blanket time and free playtime could feasibly be combined. The differences do grow more as they get older because at 6.5 months, they don't really choose what to play with, which is a part of free playtime.
August 13, 2008 8:27 PM
The Traveling Turtle said...
I think I have the same clarification question, bradysmom. I have a 5 1/2 month old and we typically let her play in her excersaucer or on her activity mat for about 10 - 15 minutes every night while we get her dinner and our own dinner ready. I have done this with her from the get go though - always given her time that she plays when I am not in the room. Even if it is just to be in the swing or watch her mobile. Is that considered independent play time? I am guessing she can't really have free play time right now since she can only roll over and sit up - it makes her somewhat limited in the things she can really do on her own.
August 13, 2008 7:06 AM
Plowmanators said...
Traveling Turtle,If she is alone, I would count that as independent playtime. See the independent playtime post for more on that. I outline acceptable mediums. Independent Playtime.
August 13, 2008 8:29 PM

How Much Time Should You Spend With Your Child Daily

How Much Time Should You Spend With Your Child Daily. How to know if you are spending too much time with your child or too little time with your child.

Mom guilt is real. You can easily find a way to feel guilty about any facet of parenting. One major category with potential for guilt is time spent with your baby or child. You don't need to spend every minute with your child. You don't need to focus on your child at all times. Of course you should focus at times. How do you know how much time should be spent focusing on your child? How do you know if you are spending too much time focusing there? How do you know if it is too little?

On Becoming Baby Wise, Book Two (affiliate) says, "It's important to enjoy your relationship with your pretoddler, but you must find the right balance between playing with your child and becoming your child's sole source of entertainment" (page 77). It also goes on to say there is no right amount of time that must be devoted to family time activities.

This is a question that does not have an easy answer. There is no "65 minutes a day" answer. It is really going to depend on your child's personality (is anyone sick of that answer yet :). There are some guidelines that can help you know what is best for your child. Let's discuss.

Why You Don't Want to Over Stimulate Baby During Playtime

How Over Stimulating Baby During Playtime negatively affects your baby. Babies do not need a lot of action to be perfectly content and to learn from the world around them.

As a first time mom with Brayden, my oldest, I thought my job was to make sure he was happily entertained every minute of the day. As he got older and I learned about and instituted independent playtime, I saw that not only was that not my job to entertain him every moment, but it wasn't good for Bradyen for me to do that.

Why Your 9-10 Month Old Is Frustrated

Why Your 9 or 10 Month Old Is Frustrated. What you can do to help your baby be more content and even sleep better.

As your little baby grows up, she will come to find her once beloved toys a bit of a bore. Babywise mentions rotating toys and keeping them age appropriate, but many moms still find themselves handing their 9 month old toys she played with as a 4 month old and wondering why she seems so discontented.

It does seem to happen around 9 months old. They want new toys. They are more mature and ready for a change. My kids have both lucked out and had Christmas shortly before 9 months hit, so they had lots of new toys. If you have a spring baby, your child will likely have the same experience. Otherwise, very few parents are going to think about getting a bunch of new toys.

The obvious main point of On Becoming Preschoolwise is to prepare your child for academic life. When you read that book, you come to realize the far reaching benefits of things you have taught your child since birth. Things like being able to self-entertain, sit still when told, and follow instructions are of such benefit to the school environment.

At some point, you want to have structured, more school-type learning sessions with your child each day. This is discusses in Preschoolwise, and is really geared more toward 3 and up. Preschool age :).

There are things you can do to prepare for that, and fun learning activities you can do with your younger than three year old. You can easily come up with fun activities that also double as great learning opportunities. Children come with a clean slate, so they are actively learning from each experience, for better or worse. Many activities are actually common things you do with your kids, but if you go into them with the idea of it being a learning opportunity, you will find those teaching moments. You know those classic mom moments when they teach you a profound lessen when you least expect it? Those moments usually have the greatest and most long-lasting impact.

Each day, we have a scheduled learning time. Right now, it is not a structured, school-type lesson, but more of a fun lesson. Brayden turns 3 next month. I anticipate starting structured lessons in the fall (September) as though it were a school year. We do one topic a day. You can also try to combine activities (an educational show for TV time--but don't make every lesson come through the TV :) ). Here is a list of topics and ideas for learning within those topics. You will see that once you get going, it is easy to come up with activities.

Reading
I am a huge reading advocate. I truly believe teaching your child to have a love for reading will provide him with endless power throughout his life. If you know how to find answers, you have no limit to the education you can give yourself. Mark Twain said "The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them."

We read books every night before bed (for both children). I just wanted to reiterate that. Our reading lessons are in addition to the reading that already happens at night.
For a younger child, you can do something as simple as sing the ABCs.
Magnetic alphabet letters on your refrigerator.
Foam alphabet letters for the tub.
Writing out your letters. Brayden has had a fascination with seeing how letters are written and loves to see his name written out. You can do this in chalk outside, in crayon inside, on a magnetic writing board, etc. Once your child has uppercase down, be sure to work on lower case. Brayden still insists certain lowercase letters are actually uppercase letters upside down.
Books. It is good to have books about the alphabet. There are countless options out there.
Library trips. There you can check out books as well as attend story time.
Quiz. You can get a poster, book, flashcards, or write out letters and ask your child what letter that is, what sound it makes, what it stands for, etc.
Movie. One of Brayden's favorite shows is by Leap Frog: Letter Factory (link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Leap-Frog-Letter-Factory/dp/B0000INU6S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1209229774&sr=8-2).
TV. Brayden also likes Super Why on PBS.
Type. For an older child, you can let him type on the computer (though I still would supervise). The other day Brayden was typing. He hit "B" several times and said "That's a B!" I said, "That's right." He said, "The B says Buh!" I asked, "What is B for?" He looked at me and said "It's for...Me!" (Brayden). I thought that was cute.
Puzzles.
Toys. Many toys have alphabet teaching with them. I don't have this, but the Fisher Price Little People Alphabet Zoo is one example.

Religious/MoralHopefully moral training is a constant part of your lives daily. Your religious training will depend on your religious beliefs. If you are a religious person, don't leave your child's training up to his church leaders. They have them for such a short time each week. You have them every day. If you are not religious, don't leave the moral lessons up to the world. You are responsible for teaching your child morals, not society.

Church. This is pretty obvious. I personally wouldn't count this as the religious training for the week, but it definitely adds. I am always pleasantly surprised at what Brayden takes from nursery each week.
Family Night. We also have one night a week where we have a lesson followed by a family activity.
Prayer. Teach your children to pray and to be reverent for prayer.
Scriptures. There are many ways to study scriptures with your children. Actually reading them, telling stories, reenactments, etc. Pick what works for your child. We have a goal (though unfortunately right now an unmet goal) for reading scriptures as a family daily.
Board books. There are countless board books available for children that tell the stories from the scriptures.
Stories. You tell the stories from the scriptures to your children.
Reenactment. You can all get dressed up and act out scripture stories.
Movies. There are movies available that tell the scripture stories.
If you are not religious, you will most likely still want to instill moral values in your children. You can pick books and shows that teach those values you hold, in addition to your daily moral training (there is a lot more on moral training in Childwise).

Art
This is perhaps one of the easiest activities to do with young children. Kids love art. It is also a huge category. So many activities fall under "art."

Color (use different mediums--crayons, markers, etc.)
Paint
Coloring books
Magnedoodle
Play doh,
Side walk chalk
If old enough, those silly little crafts (they sell kits in craft stores if you aren't so inclined)
Make cards for people (paper crafting)
Scrapbook (but use materials that are inexpensive and don't matter to you)
Home Depot and Lowes both do a kid craft each month--free. Home Depot is the first Saturday, Lowe's is the second.
Attend museums if your child is mature enough.

Drama

Act out stories.
Imaginative play.
Attend plays if your child is mature enough.
Puppet shows. Attend them or make your own.

Numbers/Colors/Shapes
This could basically be a math section.

Counting. Count everything you do. This is especially great for younger kids. I would count how many clips it took to clip Brayden's finger nails.
Flash cards.
Chutes and Ladders and other such board games (Candyland, Hi-Ho Cherri-o, etc.)
Books about colors, shapes, and numbers.
Cook. Making cookies is one of Brayden's favorite activities. He helps me measure and count ingredients.
Sing songs that count (10 little monkeys, etc.)
Coloring
Stuff with shapes (geometry)
Have theme days. For example, an orange day. You wear orange, you drink orange milk, eat cheese and oranges, etc. Or a shape day where you cut foods into the shape of the day and you search your house for the shape.

Music
Music is a huge part of my life. I love it, so it is a category all by itself :)

Listen to CDs and music--both toddler tunes, religious music, and mainstream music.
Play piano (we have one).
Music toys (baby grands, music tables, musical instruments for kids, etc.)
Make musical instruments.
Sing songs A'Capella.
Karaoke.
Go to concerts if your child is mature enough.

Science
This can be a really fun one. Science is in everything, so merely explaining how things work and grow is a fascinating thing to your child. If you don't know, don't make it up. They are learning.

Walks.
Search for bugs (get a bug net at a craft store or dollar store--I got a HUGE one at the grocery store for 1.50).
Bubbles--we use the big net to catch bubbles.
Sandbox.
Pull weeds (Brayden really enjoys doing this)
Water plants
Garden if you have one--let them help in ways that are age appropriate.
Fly kites.
Go to the zoo.
Museums.
Go camping.
Go to the mountains or beach or whatever you have near you.

History
Many people dread the subject of history, but knowing the heritage of your family, culture, and country can give you a sense of purpose and pride. History also provides many valuable lessons.

Visit historic sites.
Vacations are a great way to find history. If you drive, you will likely pass many historic sites. You can also learn about the place you are visiting.
Tell stories about family members and historic figures. We have no shortage of amazing people who have lived.
I have seen children's stories that tell historic events.

SocialMany of these activities are part of our lives naturally. When you think of it in the frame of a learning opportunity, though, you will likely be better at displaying proper social graces. For example, perhaps if you are typically an impatient driver, you will be more patient and courteous on your way to grandma's house. You can also do your child a favor by explaining correct behavior before you leave the house, "Now Brayden, when we are at the park, we don't throw the bark." Yes, that is a real experience :)

Have play dates.
Visit friends and family.
Have friends and family over. Be sure to emphasize qualities of a good host.
Go to the park.
Sibling playtime.
Time with Daddy/Mommy. You can do it at home and/or have special "dates."
Go out to dinner, run errands, etc.
Play games. This can include board games as well as those classics like Duck Duck Goose and Hide and Go Seek. Keep in mind that you are teaching social skills here. You don't want to always let your child win. When I play a game with Brayden and he tells me I have to let him win, I tell him I am not going to play with him if he won't let me play. Yes, I take it easy on him, but I don't always let him win. You want him to learn to lose gracefully and that you don't always get to win.

Physical
Getting physical activity in is rarely a challenge for your toddler. The inverse is usually more true. Be sure to encourage physical activity. Being physically fit is of great benefit to your child, and starting good habits now will help him beat the odds in our increasingly out-of-shape society. You can also use this category to help your child improve his fine and gross motor skills.

Play tag.
Play sports like soccer, baseball, basketball, etc.
Go to the park.
String beads or cheerios. This will help with fine motor skills.
Play hopscotch.
Get a big bouncy ball and throw it around.
Play fetch with the dog.
Go swimming.
Take the dog for a walk--Brayden will walk our dogs around the backyard.
Watch sporting events. Go to a football game, basketball game, or rodeo.

You can see that learning activities come quite readily. If you have any activities to add, please do so in the form of a comment. I will add them to the body of the post. It is so fun to watch your child learning new things. They just love to learn.