- Play is an important part of learning.young baby with toy image by Photoeyes from Fotolia.com
Around the age of 6 months, a baby will be able to sit up on her own. This opens up a whole new world to your baby, a world viewed from a different perspective. It also is time to get toys for your baby, as she will be interested in new things at this age. - A baby doesn't always need the latest technology in baby toys or the most complicated playsets. Some basic well-loved toys are: stacking cups, stacking rings, dolls, wooden or soft blocks, toy cars and rattles. All of these encourage good hand-eye coordination and help your baby develop his fine motor skills. Toys such as terry cloth animals, floating boats and rubber ducks can make bath time more fun.
- Now that your baby can sit up, activity centers will be lots of fun. You can find activity cubes that include shape sorters, buttons to press and moving parts that your baby can open, spin and pull. These toys are great for learning cause and effect. There are also activity play mats. Your baby may have had one as a younger infant, where he laid down on a mat and looked up at toys hanging above him. Many of these mats are convertible to accommodate a sitting baby. You will also find circular activity centers that have a place for your baby to sit in the middle. With toys all around, your baby can spin around in the seat to have access to all the toys and activities.
- Getting new toys for your baby doesn't have to cost a fortune. A baby may enjoy playing with the box to a toy as much as he likes the toy itself. A box, along with a few of your baby's small toys, makes a good toy. Babies like to put things in and take things out. Another good household toy is a pan and some wooden serving spoons. Your baby will enjoy making music with this makeshift drum. A cup or small plastic container is good for pouring water in the bath.
- Continue reading to your 6 to 9 month old and begin getting her a few board books that she can hold herself without ripping the pages out. Now that she can sit up, she will enjoy looking at board books with big, bright pictures. She may even learn to turn the pages herself. Good book choices for a 6 to 9 month old include interactive books like touch-and-feel books and lift-the-flap books. You can also get a book that has pictures of things in her life, so you can point to the pictures and teach her the names of the objects.
- Sometime within the time frame of 6 to 9 months, your baby may begin to crawl, pull himself to stand, stand on his own or even walk while holding on to furniture. You want to help develop and encourage these skills, and there are toys that help do so. For crawling, lots of tummy time is required. There are activity play mats that encourage crawling by placing exciting toys out of your baby's reach. Once your baby begins to stand, you can get him a push toy, which provides your baby with support as he learns to stand and eventually take his first steps.
