DD too tall for Activity Garden? (Pic)

[youngmommy]

BS"D

So this morning was the second time that DD landed face first on the floor after going over the top of the Activity Garden!

I saw her do it. She is 8 and a half months old, and she is pulling up on the garden, which I find sturdier for her than the LeapFrog Activity Table. So she stands there playing with the flowers and the butterfly, and then moves over a step to the corner there, and then somehow pulls herself over the top! Is she just too tall for this? Will she learn not to do that? I don't want to risk putting her there again if she is just going to keep doing that. Did any of you have an issue with this?

Oh, here's a picture of what I'm talking about:


http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/21359.jpg

[tigalig]

You don't mention how tall your dd actually is, but our ds (who is almost 40") plays in there without falling over so it must be the impulse to reach out and over that's causing the falls and not that she's too tall for the toy. Perhaps if you put that section of the toy against a couch or other soft item, she would be less tempted to reach over. ? Ours is next to a chair by coincidence and that's why I'm suggesting that.

[Momof3Labs]

Colin did that a couple of times, but finally learned not to do it. If you are concerned, put a folded blanket or something around it, but unless she is falling on a concrete floor (or continues to do it, day after day), I don't think that is a reason to take it away from her.

[youngmommy]

BS"D

Thanks for the suggestions. Do you have any suggestions on a similar, taller toy I could let her pull up on?

ETA: Sorry I didn't answer how tall she is. I guess I just tried to show that in the picture. Not sure exactly how tall she is. We have our 9 month appointment coming up in a few weeks.

[pritchettzoo]

I think the age range on the Activity Garden is 9-36 months. So I wouldn't take it away from her, but just hang closeby while she's in there until she gets more stable. My DD would whack her head on the inside (somehow!) when we first put her in there and she was pulling up at 8 months or so. As she gets older, not only will she get better at standing and balancing, but also her head will be more in proportion to the rest of her body and she won't be so "top heavy." Right now she's probably using her belly to balance on the sides and the weight of her head versus her legs just sends her right over, like a teeter-totter.

She has a sweet little face! :)

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[tigalig]

I'm attaching a photo of our dd for you to see - she's just one now -they're probably close in height. The Incrediblock has been a good toy for her to pull up on and the stand up ball blast (despite the bad reviews) has worked great for both our dd and ds.

*edited to remove picture*

[youngmommy]

BS"D

I missed your picture! Not sure why you took it down, but I'd love to see it.

Thanks!

[Saartje]

Your DD is almost the same age as my DS. He does the same thing -- as others have said, it's not height, it's stability and the head being heavier in proportion to his body than it is in an older child. She'll learn; Ishie's been pulling up over a month now, I think. He at first wouldn't use the AG because it wasn't tall enough. After he started using it anyway, he has taken a tumble over its side now and then; but after the first 1-2 times of that, he figured out how not to hurt himself when it happened. (The last time it happened, I'm pretty sure he did it on purpose, to get inside it without going around to one of the entrances.)

[mamarazzo]

Yes, my DS did this too. That's the most fun part! Well, it is once he learned to control his descent and not get stuck halfway with legs dangling. The photos below are from when he just turned one. Now he's 22 months and STEPS over. :)

http://olivermk.home.comcast.net/images/167_6704b.jpg

http://olivermk.home.comcast.net/images/166_6643b.jpg

MR

ETA: I completely forgot to mention I love the pic of your DD. Gorgeous eyes, and those cheeks! What a cutie. :)

[youngmommy]

BS"D

Too Cute!
Wonder why they made it so short?
DD hasn't done it again for awhile, so I think she's starting to realize what happens when she goes over the top.

Thanks again.