Our baby just turned 8 months old. It is amazing how time flies. I know that every parent says this, but you really realise this when you have a baby. Although time flies, we still need to keep our baby busy. She was able to sit by her self when she was 6 months old and now she is starting to move a bit around. But how to keep busy for the first 6 months? Well, the first two months were all about breastfeeding and sleeping, but after that she was much more observant. Here we would like to list our favourite toys that kept her mostly busy between feeding times and sleeping – of course we also play with her, but she is also very good at keeping her self busy.
One tip, I would like to start with. Keep it simple. Babies do not need a lot of toys. Things like tupperware lids can be the most interesting things the baby can reach. Just be careful that the things that you give your baby does not have sharp edges, can sustain fluids (babies that are + 2 months old tend to drool alot) and make sure that it can not be rapped around their little neck.
Her very first toy was a colourful fabric book, which she has also used later to chew on. She loved it when she was just 1,5 months old. She could look at it for a while and found it very interesting. She has of course learned to play with it more now, especially after she started sitting.
The rattle from ambi toys has been a lifesaver. The previous owner of this rattle is actually now a parent, and our little girl was lucky that her grandparents had kept it for the last 30 years so she could inherit it. This rattle makes a really nice sound; it is not too loud, but loud enough to catch the baby’s attention, and the sound lasts for few seconds. It is a bit heavy for a small baby to hold, but it is perfect if they are a bit fussy and you want to distract them. It is still being manufactured by ambi-toys; the look has been slightly changed, but surley it still works wonders.
Another favourite toy is a slightly smaller and lighter rattle. It is much easier for a 2-3 months old baby to hold this rattle, than the sunflower from ambi toys. I would still say that the sunflower is a “must have” toy.
Another must have is a fabric book that you can attach to a bouncy chair or a car seat. This one from Galttoys has travelled with us to several countries. It is very colourful, makes crinkle sounds and has different textures. Our baby loved to look at it and touch it.
Our baby loves to play with her pacifier, and the clip. She often chews on the clip rather than the pacifier – although she is also a great fan of the pacifier. Simple things can keep the baby busy for a while.
Toys with short ribbons are excellent! The picture above shows what we are referring to – our small one is so fascinated by colourful ribbons. She spends a lot of time touching the ribbons with her fingers.
Like we mentioned above, simple things are often the best things. This box is for toys, but our little one loves to play with it, espeacially after she started sitting by herself. We often fill it with toys, and then she empties it. Great work out for the parents and for the baby.
