Staying at home with a baby aged 6 months and older can be quite demanding because they are now crawling and trying to move more, so our attention is constantly focused on them. This period in a child’s development is extremely important from the aspect of bonding since they need your help to explore the world around them. To combine fun and usefulness, we suggest a few games that your baby will find very interesting, and you can make the “toys” yourself.
Make a Bubble Bottle or Lava Lamp
Preparation time: 5 minutes | Materials: plastic bottle, dish soap, food coloring, tape
Find an empty plastic bottle and fill it about one-third with water. Add a few drops of dish soap and a few drops of food coloring. Tightly screw the cap on and tape it securely to make it safer. Give the bottle to your baby, showing them how shaking the bottle creates colored bubbles. Encourage your baby to shake the bottle and/or roll it on the floor and watch the water move. You can make several different bubble bottles – each in a different color. You can also try making one with an extra drop or two of oil – for a lava lamp effect.
Make a Friend from a Toilet Paper Tube
Preparation time: 2 minutes | Materials: toilet paper tube, scissors, marker
This is a super-quick idea for playing with your baby. Even better, it helps develop their fine motor skills. The instructions are very simple: just draw different faces on the tubes and then trim the top with scissors. Your child will surely love looking at the different faces and pulling at each piece, so besides being an interesting toy, an ordinary toilet paper roll also acts as a sensory toy.
Create a Soft Playground
Preparation time: 2 minutes | Materials: soft toys
For this sensory play experience, you will need a large container, box, or playpen where your baby can sit, or you can use a baby support seat. Gather a bunch of soft toys and place them all around your baby so they can easily grab and feel each one. The wonderful thing about this is that, while each toy will be soft and cuddly, they will also have different textures – from fluffy to furry, to textured or smooth – for your baby’s hands to touch and explore.
Bring the Kiddie Pool Indoors
Preparation time: 10 minutes | Materials: shower curtain, kiddie pool, bath toys
Place a large splash mat on the floor (a shower curtain is ideal), then set up a kiddie pool in your living room. You don’t need to put much water in it, but make sure it’s warm. Then add some bath toys and let the fun begin. Essentially, it’s bath time earlier in the day – but babies love it. They will enjoy every splash of their little hands, which makes this idea a great physical activity for your baby.
