Playing With a 6 Month Old Baby By:Jan Murray

Babies grow and develop at their own pace; however, there are some general milestones that you can measure your baby's development by. The five main areas in which a baby's development can be measured by are:

Gross Motor Skills

6 - 9 months
?Reaches out when lying on their tummy
?Pushes them self into a crawling position of sorts
?Sits unsupported for a short period
?Can roll over (usually both ways)
?Wriggles forward or pivots
?Can take weight briefly when they are on their feet
?Head control complete and strong
?Transfers objects between hands

Fine Motor Skills

6 - 9 months
?Pulls pegs out of a peg board
?Clumsily picks up small objects
?Swallows foods that have a thicker consistency than milk

Social Skills

6 - 9 months
?Pats breast or bottle while feeding
?Enjoys 'laugh and smile' games
?Social interaction and exploration of familiar faces
Would often rather be up socialising than sleeping

Language Skills

6 - 9 months
?Makes sounds such as 'mum-mum', 'dada'
?Imitates sounds such as a cough, clearing throat, clicking tongue
?Squeals with pleasure or frustration
?Laughs and chuckles
?Tuneful vocalization

Cognitive Skills

6 - 9 months
?Bangs objects
?Imitates hand movements - knocks blocks over, clap hands, waves goodbye
?Uncovers partially hidden objects
?Briefly shows anger if a toy is taken away
?Anxiety when approached by strangers
?Indicates to repeat games
?Turns decisively to the side to locate a noise

The following games and activities are great ways to interact with your baby to help them develop in all their 5 senses - taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell.

MOBILES
- Keep them out of reach to encourage reaching
- Use bright colours and shapes
- Make your own from a coat hanger
SEE and WATCH
- Hold object about 20cm from your baby's face, move it side to side, up and down
- Have your baby on their tummy and raise a toy to encourage head movement
HEAR and SPEECH
-Talk, sing and hum
- Loud to soft, high to low, short to long
- Rhyming games, rubbing and patting hand on tummy such as Pat-a-Cake
- If your baby makes a sound, cough, or babble make it back to them with a smile in an interested tone
REACHING and POSTING
- Have a container with fun safe objects in it
- Your baby can search through the container (ice cream container)
- Have a lid with a cut out hole so they can post toys back into it
- Dangle toys in front of your baby's face to encourage reaching such as cotton reels on string
SOUND and MUSIC
- Plastic juice bottles filled with bits and pieces, glue on lid
- Make noise with bell or drum when baby not looking, if interested let them play with noisy objects
- Music of all varieties
- Put music and their toy together; see if they can find the beat!
KICK
-Have hanging toys on stroller or across chair if lying on the floor to encourage kicking
HIDE and SEEK or PEEK-A-BOO
-Hide yourself or hide an object under or behind something
-Praise them when they successfully find it
CHASING
-Crawl after them taking your time to catch up
TUG OF WAR
-Have scarf or tea towel just out of reach, when they take it gently tug on it and if they make an effort to hold on let them have it to play with as a reward.
CUPS and BLOCKS
-Pile them, push them, stack them, roll them put things in them and probably throw them!!

Enjoy them...

Lovely Animal Baby Shower Supplies For a Colorful Animal Themed Baby Shower By:Jenny B

Are you throwing a baby shower? Make sure you have the right party supplies. Luckily that's easy thanks to the many delightful choices available today.

If you're looking for an animal themed baby shower, Animal Mobile would be just the right baby shower theme to decorate your shower. Start your party planning off right by using the Animal Mobile Invitations. They set a cheerful mood that will make guests want to rush to the party.

Make your party chores easy by getting the basics out of the way first thing with the Animal Mobile Baby Shower Box. This package includes plates, cups, napkins, and cutlery for 8 guests. It also holds a tablecover, balloons, and more animal baby shower supplies to decorate your party room. This animals baby shower theme generates images of a mobile hanging above the baby's crib, something you'll be seeing a lot in the near future.

When it comes time to serve some tasty cake, continue the theme by using a Baby Cake Pan. The aluminum Wilton cake pan is shaped like a baby stroller, making it the perfect kitchen aid. This mold produces the ideal platform for your creative frosting design. Use an Animal Mobile Centerpiece on your table and your guests will enjoy that delicious cake even more.

For a lovely variation, try a Duck Cake Pan, or the Stork Cake pan. They all look great topped with special candles, like the Baby Candles shaped like a baby bottle, a pacifier, booties, and a rattle. Or, go for the Duck Candles, a six pack that tops off your cake in true ducky style.

Use that same duck design in your game room by selecting a Duck Mini Pinata. To match the Baby Cake Pan, try a Baby Carriage Pinata. Whichever you select, fill it with Baby Party Sweets. Each package holds 50 creamy buttermints that are also highly decorative. Mix in a few packages of Jordan Almonds, filled with 100 pieces in multiple colors. Use the packages as is or open them and pour them into a Blue Favor bag drawstring cachet.

Stumped for a game? Try the Baby Shower Bingo Game. The package holds 24 cards ready to play everyone's favorite classic party game. The cards also feature delightful baby-themed illustrations and phrases. Each card holds 30 call-outs.

Take lots of photos at the celebration and make sure you have a great place to store them. The 12-page Baby Shower Photo Album makes that easy and beautiful, thanks to the same delightful colors used in the Animal Mobile items. It's the perfect keepsake to give to the mommy to be.

Creative and Easy Art Activities For Infants and Toddlers By:Gareth A Williams

Parents and Teachers are always looking for a fun, easy, and inexpensive art projects for their young children. There are many books available at the library and Parenting or Educator Message Boards available online where you can find some creative and easy art activities for infants toddlers. In general, infants really have no idea of what they are doing. Although, it is fun to use their little hands, fingers and toes to create special projects to give as gifts to Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, and even to mom herself! Older babies do have fun getting their fingers messy and exploring in different types of arts and crafts activities. Most toddlers love art activities and will run to the table at any mention of the words arts and crafts.

Art activities for infants toddlers can range from the simplest to the most complex. Paints, play dough, stickers, making cards, Christmas Ornaments, fun snack foods, and die cuts are fun ways to explore the world of art with babies and toddlers. Paint and play dough is pretty self explanatory and can be used with age appropriate children. The biggest factor is to watch out for the ones who will eat it. There is a recipe for edible Peanut Butter play dough that is fun to make with this age group though. Another idea is to make your own bubble mixture at home and then to go outside and blow bubbles. Young children love bubbles!

You can use food to make themed snacks. For example, if you are reading the book "Going On A Bear Hunt," you can use a bear shaped cookie cutter to make bear sandwiches. Little children can help press the cookie cutter onto the bread, meat and cheese to make the sandwiches. On the side you can serve Teddy Graham cookies as well. Making homemade Popsicles is pretty simple to do and many different yummy recipes can be found online to make them. The art activities for infants toddlers are endless when using food. It just takes a little bit of imagination!

Great art activities for infants toddlers can be lots of fun and even free. For instance, if you or a neighbor get a new appliance the box can be used for an art project. Cut holes for the windows and door, then give the kids paint, markers, or crayons and let them go crazy decorating their new house. This is a great craft project, especially if you have just read the children's book "Not A Box" by Antionette Portis. Kids just love to explore their surroundings and use their fingers to create something that they find beautiful. As parents and educators, it is our job to give them the materials that they need to explore the world of art.

Baby Safety Monitors For Piece of Mind By:Marky Martin

When you have your first baby, you're nervous.? You want to make sure that you're doing everything within your power to ensure that your child grows and develops in a safe environment.? You think about everything; giving your baby the right food, making sure that they are safe, warm, healthy and more and the task can be overwhelming.? Thankfully there are so many support resources for parents, as well as tools and equipment that can be used to ensure the safety of your little bundle of joy.

One of the most common items that every parent needs as soon as they bring the baby home from the hospital is a baby safety monitor.? If you're not familiar with what they do, they are essentially like a hands-free walkie talkie.? There are two parts to a Baby safety monitor;? One part stays in the babies room and the other part stays with the parent.? When it's turned on, you can hear ever little sound that is coming out of the nursery.? You can hear sounds like a baby crying, trying to talk, coughing and even breathing.? What these monitors do is give you peace of mind when you can't be in the room with the baby.

It's not only those with large houses that need baby monitors either.? No matter how big or small your home is, a baby monitor will ensure that you always know if your baby is safe and healthy.? For those that are heavy sleepers, having a baby safety monitor in the bedroom is necessary so that you hear when the child wakes up during the night.

There are many different designs and features available in baby safety monitors and they range in price from very affordable, to very expensive.? One of the most important features to check is the range of your baby monitor.? The longer the range, the better you will be able to hear sounds, even if the baby is on the second story of the home while the parent is in the basement. Most baby monitors will have a range of at least 100 feet, but many can go even further.? You can even purchase a safety monitor that keeps track of your babies breathing, guarding against SID's or other illnesses in which a baby's heart may stop beating. For such a small investment, a parent can really have peace of mind.

Baby Nursery Bedding Tips For You By:Bethany Bien

If you are a new parent, or going to become one, and this is your first time, then we all know the number of thoughts running through your head, and the numerous things that you need to take care of before the baby comes into this world. One of the most important aspects of this process is choosing the perfect baby bedding for your child.

Most of the requirements of parents who are new to this situation are taken care of by family and friends. Baby showers are the perfect opportunity to gift the new parents various important objects that they will need once the baby is born. However, most of the time, people want the opinion of the parents before presenting them with something so that it is of use to them and matches with the style and taste which the parents harbor.

Baby bedding, however, needs to be decided and bought by the parents. This is the most important thing that your baby needs once it is born. The first few years of its life is going to be the most crucial period of growth through its entire life. Therefore, where it sleeps, rests or spends a considerable amount of time (the bedding) needs to be perfect and comfortable.

There are many pre-made baby bedding options that to-be parents can check out before buying one. These come in various sizes, designs, colors and with different accessories. They are also economic; although we perfectly understand you want to buy the best for your baby.

Pre-made baby bedding sets are perfect for parents who are in a hurry to buy one for their soon to come baby. However, those who don't like any of the options out there as far as pre-made bedding is concerned can always go for the custom-made beddings for their little one. In case of this bedding, parents can choose the color, shape, design, size and style of the bedding so that it is exactly how they want it to be.

Human babies have very low immunity during the first few years of their life on earth. Therefore, many germs and bacteria that adults may take for granted (since they are protected from them by their immune system) babies might contract various diseases if they are not protected from them environmentally. This means, that it is important to maintain stringent hygiene in the places where the baby might be. This includes its bedding as well. Therefore, the sheets used should be sterilized before using them even if they are new, and they should be light, comfortable and simple. Quilts or anything with additional accessories should not be used, which includes pillows as well.

In order to make sure that he bedding of the baby is perfectly safe for use, parents can go for organic bedding material instead. This makes the bedding free from any toxic colors or chemicals which might otherwise be present in the bedding of adults. Although money is not a matter when it comes to your child's comfort and protection, you should be happy to know that organic bedding materials don't cost a bomb!

Baby Linens Tips on Choosing the Perfect Style of Linen By:Bethany Bien

Linen is primarily used as fabric when it comes to household materials. Towels, bed sheets, tablecloths and pillowcases are usually made of linen. Over time, linen has become extremely popular and is also used to refer to clothes which are not purely linen or cotton but often a mixture. They are also referred to as white goods and are generally costly. The linen in this context is more often than not, really high quality. A good example could be the baby line of clothes and similar products. There are several categories to choose from when it comes to baby linens. Various styles, new fashions have crept up which have become astoundingly popular and may surely catch your fancy.

Linens for Babies

There is a very wide category of baby lines and the prices are also quite varied. Nursery linens could be anything from being of matching colors and being color coordinated. They can even be solid colors or striped or all of that and then something more. Nursery themed clothes and bedding depend on the gender of the child. Diaper stickers, blankets, crib bumpers and bedding with matching and coordinated coloring and other such accessories are also included.

There are several brands such as Kidsline, Doodlefish and California Kids and Lambs, which aim to please parents by providing stylish, contemporary baby linens. Making your choice of the baby linen is the first step to completing your nursery's color scheme. Several new choices and styles are fast becoming popular and available.

When you're buying baby linens, a good strategy is to buy four top sheets and four bottom sheets. They can either be fitted or flat, and should, most importantly, be uniform size wise. There can be several sizes and many different sizes can be found to fit a cot or crib or even a cot bed. Warmth and allowing you to breathe are two most important factors and a fleece or a cotton blanket suffices nicely. Wholesale fleece blankets make for good savings.

Baby Nursery Decor

The nursery becomes something else with the arrival of the baby, and it is a given that it needs to be striking to the eye. It's time to get really creative now. You have a wide assortment of cotton, silk, flannel to choose from, and these can range from basic to really costly linens. Let yourself loose as far as being stylish is concerned with the nursery looks.

Baby nursery bedding has two factors to be considered: color and style. If the colors are bright and pleasing to the eye at the same time, it counts for something. Or they could be soft and calming to the senses also. It could be fantasy themed or pleasant to look at, full of imagination and creativity. Colors and patterns could be themed on animals and other themes which generally suit babies. What you need is patterns and colors to make your baby feel happy and excited. It has to be very special, since its your baby, the most special new kid in the block!

Baby Crib Bedding Sets and the Safety Concerns When Arranging Your Baby Nursery By:Liz H

First time mothers never forget planning and buying all the necessities for their baby nursery. It's such a wonderful and memorable time in their lives. However, one of the most important decisions new mothers make is the baby crib bedding set and the safety concerns when choosing one. New or expectant parents should educate themselves on all matters concerning safety before even considering the purchase of nursery items.?

Choosing a firm mattress with tight sheets prevents the newborn from being uncomfortable. As well, never put too many pillows, stuffed animals, toys, or similar items in the crib while the baby is tucked into bed. These are a cause for concern for babies that nibble on things a lot since it could get caught in their mouth. Blankets should never cover the baby's head, it's always best to place the arms on top of the blankets to prevent your baby from covering his or her head as well.

New parents should make sure they buy a standard size crib to make sure they bedding will fit properly. Most crib bedding is sized to fit a standard crib, so this will make things easy for you. The fabric should be durable, yet soft to the touch and comfortable for the baby to sleep on for 18 hours a day. Yes, babies under one year of age sleep the vast majority of the time, so a comfortable bedding set will save you from many trips to the nursery to tend to your crying baby.?

Buying a bedding set is favorable to buying separates when it comes to color coordinating the nursery. Not to mention the choice is made much easier. Just remember that the baby crib bedding set will give the room a base look and feel to work with when decorating. ?Don't be overwhelmed the choice of nursery decorations, and just stick to your budget while buying only the necessities if needed. You can always make additions in the coming months after your newborn is introduced to his or her new home.