I feel like i'm boring my 13 month old to death!

[megs4413]

I need some play ideas for DD. I don't know what to do with playtime anymore. It din't used to be structured in anyway, but now I feel like I need to come up with actual activities. She has a large playroom now with all her toys and we go in there for a few hours a day (not all at once) to play together and i let her do some independent play as well. She enjoys it, but I feel like sometimes she gets bored with the things I'm trying to do with her. Is that normal?

For instance, she could care less about me reading a book. She doesnt want to sit on my lap and listen to it at all. I try to be fn and creative and do all the voices and point out the illustrations, but she really doesn't seem interested at all. I also like to sing songs with her, but I am running out of song ideas! I want to do some "guided" play so I can teach her skills she doesn't have mastered yet and so she knows I care and am involved and am not just a "babysitter". Any ideas?

How is it possible she's outgrown me at 13 mos???

[tarabenet]

Poor mama! I know for sure she hasn't outgrown you. Heck, I'm 40, and I haven't yet stopped learning from and being interested in and entertained by my mother!

She's just delighting in working on skills that don't have anything to do with sitting still. Imagine what it is like to be learning to move your body and manipulate objects, etc, for the first time ever. Just follow her lead on things, and you'll be surprised how soon she'll be running to you with stacks of books to read to her.

As for repetition, that is how we learn when we are little. She won't get bored by hearing your same songs over and over. She'll insist on reading the same books a dozen times in a row. You'll be sick to death of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" while she is still thrilled by making the motions at being able to sing and do the motions at the same time.

If you really feel upset by all this, you might give something like Gymboree a try. As much fun as I had taking Aubrey, though, I can tell you what I remember most about it right now: she gravitated toward the same equipment over and over, and preferred the songs she knew well to the ones we'd only sung a few times.

Maybe she's not bored with the activities you want to introduce, but she's just not through with the activities she's still learning from/through.

[kedss]

that's a tough age, my DS has never really been interested in books, so i understand your frustration. Have you tried puppets? How about playing with bubbles outside? or fingerpainting?

or maybe make some playdough she can play with?

as far as songs:

the wheels on the bus
itsy bitsy spider
london bridge

hth! I know she loves that you are with her even if it feels like she doesn't care. Big hugs!

[ellies mom]

Oh sweetie, she has not outgrown you. She doesn't need guided play at all. Just interact with her at her speed with her taking the lead. A good book that might help out is "Einstein Never Used Flashcards". It is an excellent book and I think it might make you feel better.

Also as far as reading goes, that is all normal. If she isn't interested at the moment, try again later. If she wants to turn the page, let her. She maybe way more interested in picture books with just a picture and a word. I know Ellie loved them at that age. Especially the books with babies faces. Just relax and enjoy your daughter. There will be plenty of time for teaching skills later.

[maestramommy]

I'm sorry to laugh, but it sounds so funny! For FWIW, all the mommies I know (including me) sometimes feel like yesterday's news. Then Daddy walks in and they're so excited! Grump. It's impossible for one person to keep entertaining all day every day. I can only stack the blocks so many times before DD doesn't want to knock them down anymore. She's still under 8 months, but I think young uns just have a short attention span. But do you know what she can play with forever? crunchy Plastic bags, strapping tape she rips off the wall, and the strap on my diaper bag. Go figure.

I've given up reading for now except pointing out pictures in the one cloth book we have. I think a toddler would be even more restless. As for singing, maybe you can find a children's songs CD and sing/dance along. I joined a music class to learn songs but if that's not doable a CD should work just as well. I'm sure there are people on this board that can give you ideas.

[Tondi G]

My DS is almost 13 months and he isn't all that into books either... he'd rather just pull them all off the bookshelf! LOL

He is very into being outside and VERY into water! He loves the sand and water table (w/ no sand) heck he loves a small puddle on the sidewalk! He loves to take walks and check out different plants/leaves/rocks! He likes the big blocks he got for his birthday... we stack them up and he knocks them down (I try to show him the letters and the animals/pics on individual blocks). Oh and music.... he loves music... sometimes I just put on the radio and dance around the room with him.... he just laughs!

I am considering making an effort to make at least weekly park trip and bringing sand toys for him to play with. And my neighbor just signed her 15 months old up at Gymboree and said he just loved it... we may go ahead and join too!

Good Luck... she's not bored!

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01 and Aidan 5/4/05

[megs4413]

I should also mention that she's a big fat chicken! she is my girly girly girl. No getting dirty, no running around outside, no climbing on anything EVER, and definitely no swinging or trips to the playground. We do take a walk everyday and I point out all the animals. She LOOOVES that. If the zoo was in my backyard we'd be set. DH has suggested getting a dog, but i think that's more for him than for her...

[nfowife]

I started feeling like this too when we were at playgroup and one of the boys (who is about 6 weeks older than DD) was able to match up pieces to the pages in this book he had! I felt like I needed to do more interactive stuff with DD, big time!

Anyhow, here's what we do:
-gymboree (my local one has an unlimited summer package so we can go pretty much every day for a class if we want!)
-I bought some very beginner Melissa and Doug wood puzzles at TJ Maxx. One has a bunch of little hinge doors on it that open and inside the door is a wood magnet that sticks in there (not too small to choke on). DD likes to open and close the doors and pull out the magnet piece right now. Another one is about 7 farm animals with pegs to pull them out, and if you put it in the right spot it makes the animal's noise. Sometimes I sit with her and we do it together, other times she plays with them alone, just playing with the pieces.
-DD is VERY into nesting cups. She will put them together and take them apart. Also containers with small items inside, to transfer between containers is a big hit with her.
-She likes the tupperware drawer very much!
-She loves to crawl along the couch cushions as well, much better than the floor.
-we have some mega blocks (giant legos) and she likes for me to stick a bunch of them together and the she pulls them apart.
-She got some lift the flap books for her birthday that she loves, they are this series:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0689835604&itm=1
-She really likes for me to sit with her and do these books (I don't let her do them alone because she will rip off the flaps!).
-My DD does like to look at books, especially brown bear brown bear.

[JTsMom]

My DS is a month younger, and I feel your pain. He LOVES one book, yes, just one, although he has a million. It's Touch and Feel Baby Animals. We "read" it about 10 times a day. I make up my own words, and we read whatever page he chooses. For example, we sometimes start in the middle, read page 1 3 times over, then read page 5, then 2. Instead of reading what is written, I tell him things about each animal that I think he'll like- for the bunny page

(Put on your squeaky voice)

OH! A BUNNY! What a nice bunny! Bunny has 2 long ears (hold up 2 fingers) and he goes hop hop hopping down the bunny trail!

Next page- ELEPHANTS! HI ELEPHANTS!!! Elephants have a BIIIIIIIG LOOOOOOOOOONG trunk! (Pretend like my arm is a big trunk- swing it back and forth) Elephants say (make elephant noise), then they pick up a peanut, and put it in their mouths!

The hand motions seem to really help. Now that you all know how I spend my days........


We also do My Gym on Wednesday mornings, he got a water table for his b-day that is a big hit, we do a lot of laundry b/c that's fun for him, and he likes to examine everyday things for hours on end- like the dishwasher. See, it's not just you. We all do the same things over and over and over.......

[cbm]

I am quite sure she isn't bored with you. Chances are she isn't bored with what you do either. I believe that everyone feels the way you do at one point or another. I most certainly have/do. When that happens I have to stop and think if DS is really bored, or if I am thinking he is bored. Let's face it, as adults we are jaded, we are always on the go, and we make everything more complicated than it really is. In contrast, in the world of babies and toddlers everything is slow, and there is a great sense of adventure. This is a world were repetition and familiarity gives control and leads to new explorations. About a month ago, my DH said that DS is making him see the world in a different way. I have to agree with him. While we take things for granted, to babies it is all new and wonderous. Remind that to yourself, as I will. It really helps putting things in perspective. Please don't think you are boring her. Think about how you are providing her with love, attention, and security. These are the most important things that no amount of play and learning will be able to give her.

As far as reading, I don't read to my DS. I tried when he was much younger, but he just wasn't interested in listening to me. He is still not interested in sitting there while I read to him. What he prefers is to look at the books on his own and pointing at the pictures so I can tell him the names of things. On my part, I just tell him what he wants to know. Sometimes I describe, other times I don't. It depends on the books and his receptiveness. I don't push it, I don't force him. He has his own pace and I just go with it. We look at books all the time. He likes them. I think it has to do with seeing me reading since he was born (I would read while breastfeeding). I have come to the conclusion (just my opinion) that it isn't a person reading to them that makes them interested in the written word, but seeing the people around them reading written materials (book, magazines, newspaper, catalogs, etc...). By the way, catalogs and magazines with children on them are a hit. For the longest time we only looked at those (Hanna catalog was his favourite :-).) Anyway, if she is touching, throwing, ripping and slobbering on the books, then she is interested. Just wait and see.

If you want to try something that gets you out of the house, how about Kindermusik. We are going to start that in a few weeks. DS loves music. And talking about music, if your daughter knows how to do the animal sounds, try singing Old MacDonald (I hope I wrote it right) and have her do the animal sounds. You may have to do the whole song for a while, but she will get the hang of it. I had this stroke of genious :-) about a month ago. At first DS wasn't sure what I wanted, but he is a pro now. You can do it several times per day, even when you drive. It is a lot of fun!

Have you tried crayons and paper? It has worked great for us especially around bedtime. Usually I draw faces or things while DS scribbles. He loves to look at my drawings and wants to know what they are. On the plus side, it relaxes us both :-).
Keep up the good work. Sorry it ended up being so long.

Claudia
DS 12/18/04

[EllasMum]

LOL! We, too, are stuck on the Touch and Feel series! We have a 3 pack (Costco?) that has Baby Animals, Kittens, and Puppies. DD loves to 'flick' the fur and the little textures (she's very into flicking... evvveryyyythinnnng...) I know what you mean - next to no story but does DD ever love them - and she's only 10 months! I love your description of how you 'animate' the stories - priceless! I'll never look at those books in quite the same way! :)

[Marcy_O]

I'm so glad you wrote this because I've been feeling the same way. :)