Playing with other babies

[miki]

When did your babies start playing with other babies, like in a playgroup? (Or when do you think they are old enough to do this?)

Just wondering. My baby still gets sleepy so fast during the day that I hardly have any time to play with her after she eats before I have to start getting her ready to nap.

[lizajane]

i have been in a mommy group (because it isn't really playgroup yet, it is still about the moms!) since ds was about 8 weeks old. at that point, the babies slept while we held them.

now, at 6-8 months old, mommy group is shorter for those who need to be at home for naps and we use pack and plays scattered around the hostess' house for babies who can take naps without being in their own beds.

i believe it was about a month ago- 6 months old- when the babies started to realize that there were OTHER babies at mommy group! when they started to sit up they could see each other and watch each other playing. now they touch each other and watch what the other babies are doing with different toys. they are really interested in the "live" toys!

i really enjoy watching them realize that they can interact with other babies. i love that they have known each other since they were 2 months old or less. they will get more and more interactive. and since they have been together since before they could play together, i think they will be very comfortbale playing together more and more.

[McQ]

We do a nanny share with a 2 year old and Declan just loves watching everything the little girl does. He's so fixated with her and she just dotes on him and hugs/kisses him all day long. It's funny now that he's got the grabbies. A friend brought her 5 month old over last weekend and while he smiled and patted her some it wasn't the same as he is with the 2 year old. I think that's just because the 2 year old is always moving and playing with him.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

[egoldber]

Well kids don't really play with each other for a LONG time. In my playgroup (now all 2 year olds), the kids will occasionally play WITH each other, but its still very much parallel play. They watch each other and immitate each other, but don't really play together much yet. It isn't until age 3-4 that kids really get playing together.

HTH,