Playing with a 4 month old

[Mara'sMommy]

What are appropriate play things/toys for a 4 mo old? What did you all do with your lo at that age?

I read books to dd, she loves that. But she seems completely uninterested in any toys/rattles. Is she too young still? My family seems to think she should be holding on to things intentionally. As in reaching out, picking it up and holding on If I put something in her hand she might hold it for a couple of mins, usually she just tries to eat it. But I can't tell if that's because she would be eating her hand anyway, and now there's something in it.

[ArtyMtnMama]

That seems pretty normal, she may do more intentional grabbing soon and I think it helps to spend time with a toy even if you have to repeatedly put it in her hand. She will become more conscious with the repetition. I am an educational consultant with Discovery Toys. If you'd like info about specific toys to give her, pm me.

But just keep doing what you are doing if it really bothers you or if you see no progress then talk to your pediatrician and ignore others comments if they are annoying you. Just tell them all children develop differently and if an issue arises you will deal with it appropriately with professional advice/therapy.

[DevonP]

I don't remember my son being too into specific toys at that age. My son is 6 mos. now and we used his play gym on the floor quite a bit at that age. I would change out the toys hanging from it every so often. I found this website where I could download a calendar of developmental milestones and activities to do for each week customized to your baby's age. You could even download one to import into your calendar on your phone. I looked and looked and cannot find the darn site!! But for mine it said at three months they should attempt to reach for toys or other objects above them. The activities suggested during this time were lots of tummy time, talking to your baby and playing simple games like peek-a-boo. I will post the site if I can find it.

Yay! Found it! It was driving me CRAZY! I don't have enough posts to put up links yet, but it is pathwaysawareness dot org and click on "For Parents." Then you can click on "Milestones & Activities Calendar." I have liked it to reassure me my son is on track.

[hippieintraining]

At that age, DS used to love watching me fold towels and sort diapers. I'd sit him in the middle of it all (in the bumbo) and he'd giggle as I'd fluff the towels or use his lap to pile wipes... not much else entertained him at that age so it was VERY nice to kill two birds with one stone!!

[corinne76]

DS is 4 months and has no interest in toys. We look at his face in the mirror, watch trees, watch TV-yeah I know. but he likes to look at the colors!
I just play with him, make up silly songs. he likes it when I use his own hands to tickle himself.

[Alleeta]

I don't know if this is at all helpful, my 4 1/2 month old does play with toys, his favorite is a long string of rings that hangs down from the top of the bed (we have a 4 poster with rungs across the top) that was really the first thing he started reaching out and grabbing. I recently changed the rings to the oval kind so they didn't accidentally detach. He also has a nest on the couch with one of the Lamaze butterflies stuck in an embroidery frame stand and a Tolo Dragon (which would be similar to a baby gym, I just never got one) and loves to play in there also.

[Anniee19]

DS is almost 4 months, and really likes to hold onto and feel different things. He loves his OBall because he can grasp it really easily and doesn't just drop it. We give him blankets with different textures like silky, minky, etc to hold onto and he just feels them over and over. He also loves looking in the mirror, and when we put him in his highchair in the kitchen while we're cooking dinner, doing dishes, etc with the radio on.

[B's Mommy]

My dd is 4 months and she gets bored easily. She does like to play with a silky, and she likes my necklace (nursing necklace I made) and my bracelet (it's like 6 thin metal rings all linked together). The only thing that will hold her attention for more than a couple minutes though is her Baby Signing Time DVD . I can get about 15 minutes to throw a meal into a crockpot if I sit her in her Bumbo in front of that. She'll only do it once a day though. She does grab things, but she doesn't seem to like rattles or anything. She prefers stuff she can easily chew on.