Mobile Play

Paisley loves talking to/looking at/playing with just about anything she sees. I put her in her bed for nap times and she loves to talk to the animals on the mobile. The mobile in her bed is too high for her to touch, but that doesn't stop her from interacting with the animals on it. She waves and chatters and watches them move around, and more than once she has even talked herself to sleep.

So other than keeping her entertained for a few minutes here and there, how does a mobile (or something like it) help a baby to learn? If the mobile is like the one in Paisley's bed (too high to touch), a baby can still track the objects with her eyes to help develop good vision, and interact socially with them. If you have a play gym, with the toys dangling just low enough for the baby to bat at them and grab them then you reap all the benefits of the mobile, with the added benefits of fine motor skill development, hand-eye coordination, and tactile stimulation.

Don't have a mobile or crib/play gym? No problem! Just follow this link for a great DIY alternative!