Veronika hasn’t spent much time playing on her back lately; as soon as she learned how to roll, that was it… My little girl likes tummy play! As a result, I dismantled her play gym, and she spends most of her time playing on her belly.

But today, I wanted to focus on her grabbing skills and hand-eye coordination, so we made this cute boomerang toy.

Simply cut open a strong rubber band and attach to any soft small toy. (Make sure this is tied very securely, so the rubber band doesn’t become a choking hazard).

While your baby lies on his or her back, bounce the toy above them. Pull down so the rubber band snaps back. Well wouldn’t you know, Veronika went wild for it!

Her eyes were wide with delight, and she loved grabbing for it.

Gotcha!

And kicking it with her feet.

When I made a silly “boing” sound, she began cackling and giggling.

What an absolute delight it was to watch her joy.

You can also purchase toys that mimic this rubber band bouncing. We have an old stroller toy from when Travis was a baby that retracts on a string. This one also elicited lots of giggles and grabbing.

She got it!

Here’s a quick clip of that great laughter.