Over the past few weeks I had been thinking of putting together a little play area for WB, now 7 months old. WB is definitely our laid back kid, compared to her wild-child, older sister. She is perfectly content sitting back and observing the world around her. WB can roll over and push herself up on her belly, but she doesn’t do it very often…so I thought a little play area may be fun and may encourage her to move around a little more. And boy was I right…she LOVES it! When I saw some long mirrors for a good deal at Lowe’s last week, inspiration struck and WB’s play area was put in motion!
Materials Needed:
- comfy, colorful blanket
- long mirror
- 2 med-sized boxes
- 6 to 8 bricks (or other heavy items)
- colored paper
- tape or glue
To hold the mirror in place, in a safe and sturdy way, I decided to fill a couple boxes with bricks. (We just happen to have a pile of them sitting outside of our house, leftover from a patio project.) You can also use heavy rocks, bags of sand, or whatever is most convenient for you! Brighten-up a plain cardboard box by taping colored paper to it. I originally planned to cover the diaper-box I was using as well, but then I remembered how much babies like other smiling babies and kids, so I only partially covered it. The box was colorful already too!
Other things you can put in or near your baby’s play area include:
Sensory Bags (DIY link here.)
Sensory Bottles for Baby (link here.)
Sparkle Bottles (link here.)
Plush Animals and Toys (DIY bunny link here.)
Colorful Garland…I put this feather one up above for WB to look at while on her back. I love how the feathers gently “dance” continuously. (DIY feather garland link here!)
What will you include in your baby’s play area??? As always, never leave your children unattended and make sure all toys you put in the play area are baby-safe! Have fun watching your little ones explore!