100 fun things to do with your baby

A valuable list of very simple things every rookie mom needs to know are included in the new book Homemade Play by early childhood educator Kim Lyons. These are not life-saving skills like how to treat a high fever, but rather revelatory concepts, such as things you can do with a kitchen sponge to entertain a baby. (Throw it! Put it on your head! Pretend it’s a bed for a small doll! Put it in a container of water and watch it float!)

Sometimes I found myself craving or buying new toys as stimulus to interact with my baby. It was guilt-free retail therapy that relieved some boredom for me. Homemade Play offers dozens of new ideas for things you already have around the house — or can find in nature. “The best toys for babies are often the simplest,” says author Kim.

Here’s an excerpt:

This book is an invitation to slow down and be present with your baby, including ideas for tummy time, movements and what to say or sing.

Another excerpt:

Download the Kindle version for $2.99 at HomemadePlayBook.com.

Disclosure: I received an electronic version of the book to review a couple of years ago.

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Whitney

RookieMoms.com co-founder Whitney lives with her husband, son, and daughter in the San Francisco Bay Area where she writes about parenting, crafts, and activities that moms can do with babies in tow. She and Heather also publish 510Families.com, a site for East Bay parents.