Tag: playground

Take a Trip to the Playground

Leave a comment

Trip to Playground (5)

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!

Trip to Playground (1)

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.

Trip to Playground (2)

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.

Trip to Playground (3)

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.

Trip to Playground (4)

Swing Rhythm

Leave a comment

Swing Rhythm (1).jpg

Today was Veronika’s first time in a baby swing!

As a veteran parent, I was ready with a few tricks to sure this first ride in a bucket swing went smoothly. 7 months old is still pretty tiny, so come prepared with a nice soft blanket. This can act as a wedge so your baby doesn’t slide around in the swing (and is also handy for drying off any rain from the night before, in a pinch!).

Well this little lady took to it right away! She looked about as at ease as if the swing were a hammock on a tropical island.

Swing Rhythm (4)

For a few fun games, I tickled her toes whenever she swung toward me.

Swing Rhythm (3)

You can also greet your child with a playful, “boo!” on each swing.

Swing Rhythm (2)

She also loved when I pushed slightly harder and said, “higher higher higher!”

But in general, today was about gentle pushes, often letting momentum take over after only 1 or 2 pushes. She loved exploring the texture of the swing, too.

Does your baby like to swing? Please share in the comments!