Anastasia Elise
Miracle Baby,
25 week preemie
Tips for Buying & Making Preemie Clothes
Tips on Preemie Development (including links to great toys)
How to Help Parents of Preemies
Recommended Books About Preemies
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Toys for Preemies
Several popular toy brands try to convince parents their toys are the only developmental toys out there. But when we're talking about babies, all toys are developmental. Babies are exploring a brand-new world, and even a simple plastic spoon is fun, fascinating, and yes, educational for them.
Some preemies are easily overstimulated by toys with lots of bells and whistles. Fortunately, the toys experts believe are especially helpful are simple, classic toys (like balls and blocks).
One mom of a preemie I know says that Early Intervention told her to buy toys that were just a little advanced for her preemie, even if her child couldn't play "right" with the toys. For example, she bought a stacker for her child at 5 months, even though he couldn't actually remove the rings many months down the line. "My son has never been far behind developmentally, and I think this is one reason why. I'm always gently introducing new toys and games to encourage his development." I think that's great advice!
Relying on the opinion of child development experts, here are some recommendations for your preemie.
For expert advice on toys and games, please click here.
For ideas on free or really cheap toys you probably already have laying around, click here.
Blocks are one of the best toys you can give any baby. They encourage preemies to build eye-hand coordination, and teach shape, size, and color recognition. Trouble is, there aren't many blocks rated for children under one or two, and all wooden or hard blocks could be dangerous when baby is learning to sit, crawl, or walk. But these soft blocks are safe for even very young babies, are chewable, and have interesting pictures on them. They're even good for sensory development, as their sides vary from slick to nubby, soft to firm.
Every baby should be frequently exposed to images of herself (and her parents!) in a mirror. The bathroom mirror works fine, but this baby-safe, no-break mirror is ideal for the tummy time every preemie requires.
Stackers encourage babies to sit and learn about shapes and sizes. Preemies also develop important arm muscles and coordination from stackers. This stacker rewards babies with music, too.
Sorters encourage babies to sit and learn about different shapes. Wooden versions are fine for older kids, but babies (who are likely to chew on the parts) should have a plastic version. This shape sorter has blocks small enough for babies as young as 6 months or so to grasp and each block contains a three-dimensional object. Blocks can be sorted by shape, color, and theme.
Babies never seem to tire of this toy. Colorful, soft, chewable, and with a mirror hidden under a squeaky nose, this is an ideal toy, and attaches easily to car seats, strollers, cribs, and other baby gagets.
By the time your preemie is 9 or 10 months old corrected age, it's important to start offering drawing materials. Pens can be unhealthy for your flooring, and your baby may tend to eat crayons or pencils. Aqua Doodle solves both problems by using a "magic" water-filled pen. It can't harm your home, and if baby wants to suck and chew more than draw, mom needn't worry.
It's amazing how many mobiles are made for parents, not babies. For preemies, it's especially important to have a baby-friendly mobile; preemies need a head-start on interesting and stimulating toys.
When you're considering any mobile, imagine what it would look like if you were laying beneath it. Would the shapes look flat and similar? Would you be able to see the faces on the critters dangling down? Look for a mobile, like this one, with bright colors, some black and white things (which may be easier for younger babies to see), and actually looks interesting when you lay beneath it. I highly recommend this mobile. Anastasia adored it from the moment she came home and still wanted to play with it once she was big enough to grab at it and pull it down. (At which time I had to put it away.)
Rattles should be light-weight, easy for small hands to grasp, and (at least until baby learns to control her movements) soft. This colorful set fits the bill.
Balls are also important for a baby's development. The Jellies O Ball is a great preemie toy. It's soft and malleable and very easy for little fingers to grab. A plush ball is also great, once a baby is 9 months corrected age or so.
Every baby should have a crib toy. The toy should have buttons and/or rollers that enable the baby to turn it on. This should be rewarded with good music, some lights, and some movement. The best crib toys also have a "cry sensor" that turns on soothing music when the baby cries in the middle of the night.
Once your preemie is starting to toddle, she should have a few push and pull toys:
Any type of combined toy that can be pushed and ridden on is a great choice for babies learning to walk.
If you can't afford a ride on toy (or even if you can), corn poppers are a classic toy toddling babies love. As they push, little balls bounce inside a clear dome, making popping sounds.
And as babies develop their
walking skills, they also love pull toys. This one is a classic.
In our area, every pediatrician's office has a busy cube, and every developmental expert we talk to recommends these toys as an excellent toy that will interest a child for many years to come. The trouble is, they are expensive. A decent one is easily over $100. Cubes that are a little less expensive are usually either quite small or poorly made. But here is a busy cube that's made of wood, is a decent size, is colorful, has lots of activities...and is only $50. I highly recommend this toy for babies a year and up.
For babies with special needs, check out this toy catalog: http://www.tfhusa.com/
Not all toys need be purchased. Here are some cheap ideas for developmental baby toys:
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Buy an inexpensive plastic purse-sized photo album and fill it with photos of your family and pets, or of interesting people, animals, and objects from magazines.
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Give the baby a big plastic spoon and pot lid to "drum with." (A pie tin and a spoon work well, too.)
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Measuring spoons and nesting measuring cups are a baby favorite.
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Babies also love to play with coasters. (Just make sure they don't have cork on the bottom, which can be chewed off and become a choking hazard.)
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Put a favorite toy or food under a clear plastic cup and let baby figure out how to get at it.
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Link your baby to her mobile with a soft ribbon tied to her toe. Baby will love that she has control over her mobile. (This game should be supervised.)
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Draw a simple picture of a baby, or cut one from a magazine. Cover the baby's eyes, nose, mouth, hands, knees, and feet with a piece of paper or fabric and some glue. Lift one piece of fabric at a time and tell baby what part you're showing: "Here's baby's foot!...Here's her nose!" As your baby gets older, ask her to find the baby's hand, nose, etc., and she will lift the appropriate pieces of fabric.
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When baby's in the tub, give her a plastic cup to fill and pour with water. Outside of the tub, try putting Cheerios (or some other small treat) in the cup.
Find more cheap toys (mostly for toddlers) at "Parent Made Developmental Toys." Scholastic's Parent & Child magazine also regularly features activities and homemade toys for babies. For game ideas for toddlers, see Family Fun magazine.
Other ideas for playtime:
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Play peek-a-boo.
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When your baby can support her torso, hold her in the air and gently let her "fly."
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Change the position of baby's high chair, crib, etc., every once in a while so she has new things to see.
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Have a conversation with baby where you imagine what she might be saying and reply accordingly.
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Count things for your baby: flowers, Cheerios, toys, whatever.
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Walk around the house (or outside) and point things out to baby. While pointing, tell her what the object is. For example: "This is a pretty flower. It's red. It smells nice, too."
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Play make believe with a fake phone, with stuffed animals, etc.
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Put scented things under baby's nose and tell her what they are. Ideas: vanilla extract, scented flowers, cinnamon, garlic, aftershave.
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In the mirror, point out baby's (and parents'!) parts: eyes, nose, mouth, etc.
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Say "goodnight" and "good morning" to things in the house. When baby gets up in the morning, for example, carry her through the house, waving at various objects. "Good morning couch! Good morning tea pot!"
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Play patty-cake, Pease Porridge Hot, and any other rhythmic, clapping rhymes are also perfect games for baby.
"Baby Games" (Pampers)
"The Benefits of Play" (Family Fun Magazine)
"All About Blocks" (Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine)
"Block Play for All Children" (Scholastic Instructor Magazine)
"Supporting Your Preemies' Development" (Pampers)
"Miracles are a retelling in small letters
of the very same story
which is written across the whole world in letters
too large for some of us to see."
C. S. Lewis
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