Around age 4 months, many babies tire of their view of the floor and want to get upright and exercise their legs. Experts tend to frown upon the use of traditional non-stationary walkers, including the American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene even suggests that these walkers might actually delay baby’s walking skills. Stationary activity centers and play saucers can help entertain babies by letting them safely rock, spin, jump and bounce. Keep your baby’s temperament and personality in mind when choosing a play sauce--some babies find too many lights and activities over-stimulating.
Walk-Around Models
If your baby wants to get on the move, try putting him in a baby saucer that keeps him active. In walk-around models, the play seat revolves around the activity table, allowing baby to safely practice his walking skills while exploring the toy’s full range of options. When he outgrows the play ring, you can remove it--turning the toy into a toddler play table. Standard activities include a piano keyboard, teethers, spinning balls, mirrors, lights and sounds.
Combination Play Mat/Saucer/Activity Table
Lighten the load of baby toys cluttering your house by purchasing a combination play mat, stationary activity center and play table. The toy starts out as a soft play mat for newborns, then transforms as she grows older into a traditional play saucer where she can spin, rock and bounce. When she starts standing and pulling up, it converts into a toddler play table. Developmentally appropriate toys enhance baby’s learning experience through the various stages and you can adjust the play saucer’s height as your baby grows.
Spring-Mounted Saucers
Use this stationary version of a traditional doorway jumper to safely entertain babies who love to jump. The seat mounts on springs and a full range of activity toys--many of which include lights and sounds--surrounds it. Baby can jump without the fear of knocking his head against the door jamb or falling from the doorway.
Center Seat Models
Keep baby occupied in a center seat stationary play saucer jam-packed with developmentally appropriate play activities. A 360-degree swivel seat allows her to spin, bounce and rock while exploring interactive toys that introduce her to early learning concepts such as colors and textures. Some models even include bilingual learning activities that introduce simple English and Spanish vocabulary words. If your baby tires of toys quickly, look for a model that comes with a variety of interchangeable toys that allow you to change things up.
