SAFETY
First let’s think about safety. When your baby begins to be mobile (turning over, rolling, creeping, crawling, sitting on their own, standing and stepping out), take a walk around your living space. Think of what your baby can do and imagine what he/she will be doing soon. A cruising baby can reach most surfaces and a toddler will climb and make their own step stool out of whatever is handy.
For most of us total baby proofing is daunting. Concentrate on gating off dangerous areas (stairs/kitchen) and making the rooms where you and your baby spend the most time, as safe as possible. Make at least one room, possibly the baby’s room, so safe you could leave the baby unattended for hours and nothing harmful could happen. A doorway gate could convert this room into a large, safe play space. Cover electrical outlets, hide or secure all cords—lamps, appliances, computer, TV; safety lock all sharp items and chemicals (kitchen tools, knives, sewing aids, cleaning and repair products, personal care products, vitamins, medicine, art supplies, etc.); check for pinching hazards (doors, rockers); cover sharp edges/corners of furniture and fireplaces, put small items (paper clips, tacks, nuts, paper scraps, packing filler, etc.) and all plastic wrapping out of reach.
If you have an older child, watch out for objects which could become choking hazards (broken crayons, legos, dice/game pieces, balloons, Barbi accessories, hair barrettes, broken bits of brittle toys, small stones, leaves, twigs, etc.). You can make a cooperative ”I Spy” game out of capturing all these tiny things and creating a special place for your child to keep them. Give your older child a choke testing tube so he/she can size test houseful objects. Approach it as an appropriate way to teach your child responsibility.
SPACE
Now let’s create an optimum environment for baby’s exploratory play. Floors can be hardwood, cork, linoleum/tile or carpet; you could add a soft non-shedding, washable rug. Include surfaces of different textures and heights to be sat on, crawled or climbed over, under, around and through: a low platform, cardboard cartons of varying sizes, a hollow cube for tunneling or climbing, hard bolster pillows/small mattress. Choose only a few of these furnishings, as the most important part of the environment is space to allow your baby to move freely.
WHAT ABOUT TOYS?
Toys and objects should be accessible where your baby can reach, choose, touch, finger, grasp, push, pull, mouth, chew, hold, hug or carry them. A low shelf makes toys more visible; a toy box can become a junk heap. Many items are common household objects chosen because they are light weight, washable, safe (no lead paint, no toxic chemicals, no small parts or sharp protrusions), and non-breakable (no brittle plastic or tiny hard eyes). Simple toys allow inventive and open-ended activities with multiple possibilities for manipulation and use. More complicated toys may have a limited, or only one use. A toy that encourages the infant to be active, while the toy is passive, is the truly creative toy.
Instead of being passively entertained, the baby is the active player.
Your imagination is the limit. Keep in mind light-weight, washable, easy to grasp, safe and unbreakable toys or objects that encourage the baby to focus, experiment, practice and move. Some toy ideas for an exploring baby, in no particular order are: balls of all types--rubber, plastic or cloth, textured balls, o-balls, wiffle balls, large or small, partially or fully inflated beach balls; stuffed animals and dolls; a stiff cotton scarf, washcloth or napkin; soft blocks, cardboard blocks (and later hard blocks); inflated swim rings; assorted teething toys; small cardboard baby books; measuring spoons; small plastic cups; nesting cups; colanders; shiny metal bowls; toys that make sounds--rattles, shakers, bells, squeaks, crinkly noises; rolling toys; pull apart “pop” beads; shower rings/links; tiny totes with handles--purses, baskets, cloth bags.
You don’t need to hand things to your baby. Place the item where the baby can see it and be challenged to reach, turn or move toward it, but close enough not to be an unattainable frustration.
Watch your baby’s play to see what really interests them. There are an endless number of baby appliances and gagets to buy or recycle. Manufacturers claim their item is “educational” or “developmental” and give too broad an age range. Be selective, rotate toys and equipment to give “new” value. Less is better. Your baby needs space for mastery play and movement.
