How to keep your baby stimulated during home isolation
Keeping babies stimulated and learning is easy when you have the whole world to explore, but things are a little different at the moment!
By Bianca Bootsma @mumma_and_her_babes
There’s been so much talk lately about how to keep kids entertained during home-isolation – but as a mum of three under seven years, I would argue that I’m having the toughest time keeping my 10 month old stimulated.
The older kids have schoolwork to focus on during the week, and they’re pretty good at occupying themselves in the afternoons – weekends is where we get creative and do as many fun activities as we can as a family.
My 10 month old however – has the attention span of a goldfish, ha! He’s adorable, don’t get me wrong, but man, does he demand my attention. While trying to juggle home-schooling my knowledge from being an early childhood teacher has come in handy with my youngest.
Below are my top 5 tips for keeping babies stimulated during home-isolation:
Mum of three and early childhood teacher, Bianca Bootsma shares her tips for keeping bubs stimulated during home isolation.
Bath crayons/water play
This obviously requires supervision, but depending on the temperature we’ve been utilising water play in the bath tub or in the baby pool in the backyard. Toys, bath crayons, you name it…he will play with it for ages!
Dry rice or pasta shaker
A staple you most likely already have in your house. Secure the food tightly in a container or bottle and BAM you’ve got yourself a shaker to provide endless noise, but also endless stimulation.
Bear hunt around the neighbourhood
Some communities like ours are putting teddy bears in the window for families walking past to do a ‘bear hunt’. Admittedly I didn’t have a teddy bear (shame on me, I know…) so I had to buy one along with the essential “my baby has already grown out of this” stock up from Best&Less. I also grabbed a few extras so we can have a teddy bear picnic indoors on rainy days.
Bear hunts are a gorgeous way that communities are staying connected.
Mirror time
Simple, yet effective. I honestly have never seen anything more entertaining than watching a baby look at themselves in the mirror. The confusion, curiosity and wonder in their eyes makes me smile for hours on end. Plus I can put away a whole load of laundry during the process.
Tummy time with toys
While this seems simple, it’s another one with endless opportunities to achieve housework. Whether it’s a plush toy, rattle, or their own dummy – just make sure you have them all within reach so you don’t have to bring it back to them every time they throw it across the room.
WATCH: New mums Sylvia Jeffreys and Jayne Azzopardi reveal how they’re coping with in self isolation with their newborn babies
