Entertaining a 10 Month Old

Do you have any friends with babies? Maybe you could swap some toys so she has some new items to play with. Then after a week or so swap them back and they'll be 'new' again.

That's tough--I work at home also and it is very difficult (my daughter is 2 and goes to preschool now--phew!). I had a giant activity book for toddlers and every night, I'd put together 2 activities for the next day for when she tired of her toys. Okay, so that takes up about 30 minutes--ha ha! My godsend was actually the little 4 year old next door who would come over after school to play with the baby. I'd keep them both within view, but she would entertain my daughter for hours! Her mom liked it too--free babysitting. Maybe you have a neighborhood child you could bribe? I know you said she isn't interested in TV, but have you tried the baby einstein videos--I've never met a baby they didn't mesmerize. Sometimes it helps to set up their toys in new locations--it's like they think the toys are new or something. If you have a laptop, you could work in different rooms and set up her toys in a room you don't normally play in. One last thing--filling a normally off-limits cabinet or drawer with treasures is a great trick. They can just be dad's socks, measuring spoons, whatever. My daughter will play for hours with things she thinks she shouldn't have. Those are all of my tricks--hope some of them help! When all else fails, give her a new box of kleenex and let her go to town--that's at least another 30 minutes!!

you can google entertainment for toddlers and see what you come up with. try to plan an schedule in how you can keep her busy for the day music, arts and crafts, and etc. if you need my help let me know and i will help. you might need to put her in a homecare or daycare part-time.

childcare provider and a mother of 3

M. I do not know if you get many breaks but you might want to find a mommie and program that you can be a part of, or a play group.It sounds like your little one is bored.Hope it all works out for you.

You need a variety of interactive toys with different functions, but your daughter also needs some physical activity with you every day, some playtime in the park or in your yard to break her boredom with being inside. As for what toys: soft building blocks and small wooden building blocks, a pull toy, a push toy, a soft baby-safe babydoll, a large ball -- in other words, the basics, should all be available to her. Also, at that age, children really enjoy putting things into other things and taking them out again. M. & Doug make several such things, but you also can accomplish this with pots and large wooden or plastic spoons and an old purse with some baby-safe items placed in it for her to take out and put back in. I would not expect, however, a 10-month-old child to entertain herself for long periods of time. Her attention span is not possibly developed enough to keep her occupied alone for very long. If it were me, I would hire an older woman, a grandmother type, or a teenager to play with her and supervise her while you work. This person would be there at your home with you, so you would still see your child and be there for her, could still take some breaks to play with her, but while you're working, your daughter will be entertained and supervised. This person could be there at least during your busy mornings, and leave when your child goes down for a nap, so it wouldn't be very expensive to do it. If that's not possible, then perhaps you can move your work schedule around to give yourself more time to devote to her in the mornings.

M.,
One thing that has helped me is filling several cabinets in the kitchen with baby friendly kitchen things. I put our plastic cups, a set of small plastic bowls (nesting), measuring cups and spoons, big ziploc bags with plastic silverware, our popsicle molds. She also has access to all of the tuperware lids and bowls. She can sit and play with all of that. Yes, she makes a mess, but I know she is safe and entertained. I also have several baskets around the house that are filled with toys I have picked up around the house, she can go and pull those things out. We have given her some old wallets with old id cards that she loves to pull out and play with. We have several push toys that our daughter enjoys pushing around. I also keep two bags full of toys and books that I pull out if all else has failed and she loves to pull things out and look at them and occasionally will put the things back. Basically, I have a bunch of different places that she can get into safely. I kind of just ignore the mess until nap time and bed time and then I clean up.

I also work from home part-time. I have my son barracaded in the living room with me, therefore, I am always able to keep an eye on him. He has an empty diaper box and a toy box in the living room. He takes toys out of the toy box, and will put them in the diaper box to clean up after destroying the living room. (hahaha) He also loves music, so if children's shows aren't entertaining him, I put on some music and he dances around the kitchen and living room. I take frequent breaks to play with him or to just love on him. On these breaks, we also go for a wagon ride around the yard.

When I am in the middle of something, where I have to finish before I stop, and my son is begging to get in my lap for some one on one attention, I open up an email window, and let him type a message for his daddy, nana, Aunt, Uncle or cousin... Then I put a cute little translation underneath.

Not only does this make him happy, but it also brightens the other person's day. My husband's cubicle walls are covered with his emails.

Have you thought of hiring someone in your neighboor hood to watch your daughter? My friend down the road watches a child who is 14mo from 9am to about 2-3pm. The mother was also having a hard time keeping her son entertained while making phone calls and working on the computer. Do you think your older children would help out when they got home from school?

Olivia 4.26.04 37lb Britax Regant, Graco Nautilus
Makayla 9.16.06 25lb 33in RF Britax Wizard

Old catalogs, my little explorer LOVED to shred old catalogs.

And we also had a room just for her when she was working from home with Daddy. She could see him. She also was very busy and very nosey (still is) and wants to be involved with all we are doing. If you don't already have a set lunch time for yourself, start trying that. (I know when I worked from home it was time consuming and I felt torn between playing and finishing a task. It helped me to set time limits on ME to keep things sane.)

We also wore her in a sling so she could be involved with what we were doing and she'd become bored and just nap at times. Sometimes the just need to feel connected to you and your world.

Just FYI, but the AAP doesn't recommend TV for kids under two. She may however enjoy cd's of Dr. Suess books and other kids stories, though.

Hi M., I am so glad to meet you and maybe my advice will make you glad to meet me.

Clean out a bottom cabnet and start storing some pots and pans and especially some pot lids. Dont show her this special place, let her discover it for her self, trust me, this will keep her entertained for hours and her imagination will soar. For a special treat, add a wooden spoon. Believe me when I say, "ToysRUs doen't have anything to match this idea" it had worked for centries.

V. Twiddy
Grandmother
http://Greenseeker.MyWorldMoms.com

Hello,

I have a 10 month old too. This link is to an "Electronic Baby Room". It will get you up to 30 uninterrupted minutes, I placed it beside my desk so that we can see each other. I fill it up with her favorite toys and she's happy for a while. It's MUCH larger than it looks plus it's and sturdy & safe.

http://www3.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=52440&Cat...|
Keep trying
Christina

I would see about getting the poseable gate/playpen pieces from One Step Ahead so you could "corral" her in one room. Old magazines to look at and shred, giant cardboard brick blocks and an incredibly interactive exersaucer helped my son when he was that age, but I hate to tell you -I finally had to send him to 1/2 a day preschool twice a week and hire a sitter 8 hours a week in order to get anything done! He just wasn't going to do much on his own without my attention. Good luck!

Does a playpen help at all? I would try that and if it doesn't work, I would make an area(maybe even her bedroom) 100% baby-proof and use a baby gate to keep her in there(as long as she isn't a climber). Set it up with activity mats and toys and maybe some music and see what happens. Sometimes even just some drawers that she can get into to explore (obviously that contain things she is allowed to have)can help-they can even be in her room. I would also even use some empty boxes b/c if she is anything like mine at that age, it is all about the boxes instead of what is in them. Blocks can be great, too. Good luck!

You have your hands full! I have an 11 month old and can't imagine trying to work at home with her. However, here are a few things I have found that seem to keep my little one busy. I do not leave all of her toys out all the time for her. I have divided them up into a few containers and then I switch the containers out every week or so. When I bring out a new container of toys, it is ilke Christmas. It usually occupies her for quite a while at least on the first day. Also I give her various things from my kitchen cabinets to play with...big spoons, pots and pans, small cups, etc. I try to steer away from TV as much as possible, but have found that she loves Baby Einstein DVDS. She is very interested and will often sit near the TV and watch for quite a while. I hope some of this helps and that you get some great ideas from others.

I agree with the previous person on kitchen stuff. My daughter would be entertained for quite some time with pots, pans and spoons. Big magnets, books, puzzles and the like were all starting to get her attention too. She also liked tissues - a box would have made her a very happy girl. Variety is good, but you don't need expensive toys. You would be amazed at how a piece of tissue paper and box can keep them entertained.

Also, start thinking about art projects. Crayons or paint would be fun, although she would need to be supervised.

buy an aquadoodle- we have the travel size- buy at target and they are safe and fun. we actually tied the 'pen' with a little ribbon to the book. also, books- board books. and any little flat piano or toy that makes different sounds. another find in our home-- those cards that you open and sing or say something. my babies love love these. over and over again.