Toy ideas for an eight month old
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Anonymous
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My eight month old has basically not gotten any new toys since he was born - he's got rattles, and teethers, and some of those cloth books that crinkle, plus one of those little stacking towers, but all pretty basic. He needs some new stuff.
He's a very strong sitter (sitting independently since 6 months) and can actually hold all his own weight on his feet and stand independently for a minute or so at a time leaning on a foot rest. We think he'll be an early walker. But he hates being on his tummy, and has made no progress on pushing up to all fours or anything - I think he might be one of those kids who never crawls and just goes right to walking. Pretty solid fine motor skills. Suggestions? I'm interested in some things he can hold and play with while sitting, and then maybe something that would help him with his gross motor movement - he LOVES practicing standing, but there's a limit to how many minutes a day we can help him! Maybe something like a jumper or an activity center? I've heard those aren't great for kids development though. Thoughts? |
Anonymous
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Get a walker. That has been a valuable one for me. And some puzzles that are simple with handles like this one:
https://www.melissaanddoug.com/large-farm-jumbo-knob-puzzle---8-pieces/3391.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=10759286638&utm_content=104913626374&locphy=9002579&adpos=&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAjw5Kv7BRBSEiwAXGDElaHHh_wYczPb0Cz1t_QfoDfAos2sRsQ1Rp8SHNpjnsFCUSR0j9rn5RoCIekQAvD_BwE I also think the cubes where they have a different thing on every side and a ball maze on top are good for that age |
Anonymous
Walkers are not safe so I would not recommend getting one. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert-answers/baby-walkers/faq-20058263 How about a popper or a toy they can push? Here is a list of good toys: https://www.verywellfamily.com/best-toys-for-8-month-olds-4173907 |
Anonymous
Um a toy you can push is a walker. And the first toy in the link you attached is a walker? |
Anonymous
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Ball drop
chunky peg board activity cube these letter blocks (they are sort of grippy and make it easy for kids to learn to stack them) Little People play sets My youngest is 4, but these are the toys we've kept to have on hand for older infant and toddler visitors. Once he can pull to stand, put them on a low object for him to learn to play with. |
Anonymous
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I think the walker confusion is about two different items. There's a push walker, like this:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/p-VTech-reg-Sit-to-Stand-Learning-Walker-p/5788080?irgwc=1&sourceid=imp_THJU13SamxyOT1-wUx0Mo38LUkiS3PylRQrEXg0&veh=aff&wmlspartner=imp_10078&clickid=THJU13SamxyOT1-wUx0Mo38LUkiS3PylRQrEXg0&sharedid=verywellfamily.com Which I think people are generally on board with, and then there's ride in walkers, like this: https://www.target.com/p/safety-1st-ready-set-walk-dx-developmental-walker-blue/-/A-76431339?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Baby%2BShopping&adgroup=SC_Baby_High%2BMargin&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9061285&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1248099&ds_rl=1242884&gclid=CjwKCAjw5Kv7BRBSEiwAXGDElUzZ2KYH6Of-0OCFQDM-sLwF2J_0ofOFfGtXCWaWEgOxfAniPfRQ5hoCaEEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Which I think are generally considered unsafe. Am I right? |
Anonymous
Anonymous
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Op, if he hates tummy time and is 8 months, don’t put him any as one poster called them “contraption.”
Get him blocks, chunky puzzles, but he needs to be building the physical skills to help him sit independently and start pulling to a stand. My kid was low tone and hated tummy time too. |
Anonymous
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-Ring Stacker
-Push Walker (something like the one PP recommended) -Activity Table -Fisher Price Sortin' Monster https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Silly-Sortin-Monster-Puzzle/dp/B01NCUR51Q/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=fisher+price+monster&qid=1600890838&sr=8-11#customerReviews Your baby might not yet play with these fully as intended yet, but can grow into them and find their own fun ways of playing with them now. E.g. with the sortin' monster, I think most 8-month olds generally won't have the motor skills to put the shapes in, but may have fun pushing on the feeties, taking the shapes out and rolling the ball. I don't have a specific recommendation on the activity table (the one I had isn't available otherwise I would link), but you can find them by searching for infant activity table. When my first started standing, he loved to stand up against his pressing buttons and moving things. It's a little redundant with the push walker, since baby can stand up and play with that in a similar fashion, but might be nice to have for a little variation. |
Anonymous
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Activity cubes, for sure. We had one with an electronic drum on the top - drove us parents nuts, but the kid loved it.
Also something like this: https://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/fat_brain_toy_co/klickity.cfm#product_description It says it's for 1 yr +, but it looks like it'd be fine for an almost-1-yr-old. |
Anonymous
OP - just a note that he can sit completely independently (and has for months) and stand leaning against things, also independently. I don't think it's a low tone thing, he's just much more comfortable upright than on his belly. I do think he's close to being able to pull himself to a stand, so something that would encourage him to do that would be good for sure. |
Anonymous
Sorry, I'm this poster, meant to say that I am the OP. |
Anonymous
You mean he can pull himself to a sit or you put him in a sitting position and he can remain upright? If he cannot pull into a sit at 8 months, then don’t put him in anything. He needs to build the gross motor strength to meet his 9 month milestones: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-9mo.html |
Anonymous
| Exersaucer. |
Anonymous
OP here - ah, you're right, we put him in a sitting position, and he stays there (not briefly - he plays by himself for two 30 min stretches a day where he almost always sits the whole time). He can get down from a sitting position to his tummy and roll to his back. We've been working with him on getting himself into the sitting position, but he's not there yet. I'd guess he'll be there by 9 months. Agree a contraption isn't the best path given that he's generally not too strong on gross motor skills. So my question is - what toys are a good idea? He'll sit up and play with stuff for a long time, but at this point, that's not a challenge for him. We do a lot with him, of course (standing, helping him push to a crawling position, walking, moving to a seated position, etc) but there's a limit to how much time we can do that in a day. He happily sits and plays by himself, or lays down and plays by himself, but I'd love any toys that encouraged him to work those gross motor skills. We've tried just putting toys a bit further away from him, but he basically stretches to try and reach, and if he can't, gives up. I think he might just be lazy, haha. |