Big brother Travis is in camp these days, and I can tell Veronika misses watching him play. So I tapped into the perfect place to go when you want a baby to be exposed to big kids in a safe environment…

The playground of course!

If you’re a first time parent, don’t assume that playgrounds are just for kids who are old enough to climb the equipment. I remember taking Travis to the playground for the first time when he was about seven months old and marveling at the fact that the other kids were wearing shoes. As a first-time mom, it was something I literally hadn’t thought of for a non-walker!

I’m more of a veteran with Veronika and she’s been to the playground a few times. Favorites already include a gentle whoosh down a slide with my arms around her, or the baby bucket swings.

Also look for playgrounds with a sand play area. Now that she doesn’t automatically put everything in her mouth, this is a great soft spot for an eight month old. Shovels are fantastic to wave and tap.

And her head was on a swivel watching the big kids play. Suddenly she was so happy to have this built-in entertainment again as older children drove around trucks in the sand, went on the swings, and more.