How to keep her entertained?

[Aprilsmum]

Hi Ladies,

I have a 4 mth old little girl and I find that at times I'm a little stuck for things to do with her during her waketime. The activities that I do play with her are:

Reading books together
Tummy time and back time (?) on her playmat
Bouncer
Play gym

I also take her for walks in the pram and on outings to the shops. Do any of you have any suggestions of what other activities she may be interested in? Or is this enough already? I don't want to be one of those mothers who overloads their children with activities. I just don't know!

All suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Bess :o

[wattle]

That sounds like heaps! I don't think they need constant stimulation, it's nice for them to have time to daydream and imagine. We have lots of music on at home and sometimes we dance together, which is fun. It's nice to sit outside too.

Ds also loved a scrunched up piece of magazine paper, kept him entertained for hours. I just made sure I got the really thin stuff so he didn't get a paper cut.

[Merlion]

I do all the stuff you do as well. But sometimes after I feed her (rice cereal) I give her the spoon and she will happily play with it for about 1/2 an hour while I start dinner or lunch or whatever I have to do. She just loves sometimes sitting in her rocker playing and talking with her toys too

[Aprilsmum]

Thankyou Allycat2 & Wattle for your replies. Wattle - she really liked the scrunched up mag idea and Allycat - I will try the spoon thing when I start her on solids. I'm soon learning that it seems to be the simple things which keep them entertained.

I don't know why, but if she is just lying on her playmat watching me wash the dishes, I always think that she is bored and that I need to go and play with her, but I think I'll just sit back and leave her in her own little world for a change. After all, the last thing I need is a baby who needs constant stimulation and can't play on her own.

Thanks again,
Bess :o

[wattle]

Great. Actually Max's favourite toy at the moment is a small plastic ruler! He would much rather play with that than his 'proper' toys. Oh to be so happy with so little. :)

[Chickadee]

You can also try an onion bag stuffed loosely with crinkly paper. Or a simple shaker out of a clean plastic bottle (narrow diameter makes it easy to hold) and large beads or buttons inside. I didn't have any laying around so used coloured clothes pegs & sparkly bits of paper. Use electrical tape or similar to make sure bub can't get the cap off.