Suitable Play Equipment for a Baby - 3 to 6 Months

Baby
Bouncers
Baby
Rockers
Baby
Swings
Baby
PlayMats

Baby
Play Gyms
Baby
Walker
Baby Door
Bouncers
Baby
Jumper

Baby bouncers are a helpful, portable and popular accessory for parents of young children. When our daughter was a newborn she had definite grumpy moments.

We quickly learned that the only thing that would settle her mood was to be put in her bouncer. It was amazing how quickly this scowly screechy ball of discontent could turn into our darling daughter!

Rockers and Swings are great and definitely have their place in a parents toolkit but there is something so simple and elegant about a baby bouncer: Lightweight, easily stored and they have a small footprint so can be used on tables, work surfaces or the sofa.

We have put together a Top Ten List of the Best Baby Bouncers...

Back to the List

baby rocker helps baby sleep by recreating the reassuring sound and comforting rhythmic motion experienced by baby being rocked back and fore in a mother's arms. The baby rocker can solve baby sleep problems by gently soothing your baby.

Suitable from birth until about 6 months, a rocker can give your arms a break without you having to lie your baby down. A rocker may be able to be reclined at different angles, so baby can look around and still see you while you get on with some chores.

Rockers come in a few variations: Some are simple seats, while others have toys and entertainment bars on them to help keep your baby occupied. The really high end models have options that play music or that you can plug your MP3 player into.

Below is our Top Ten List of the Best Baby Rockers ...

Back to the List

Baby Cradle Swings are a wonderful way to soothe, cradle and entertain baby right from birth.

Many swings are portable so they're easy to move around. For entertainment they have toy bars, mobiles, lights, sounds and music. With all this going on baby is going to be thoroughly entertained and it enhances baby's development.

There are several types of baby soothing device on the market: Baby Rockers & Gliders, Baby Bouncers and Baby Swings.

Below is a link to the Top Ten Best Baby Cradle Swings ...

Back to the List

Baby Play Mats are a safe, warm, cushioned environment for young ones to play, explore and learn. Many people inter change the terms play mat and play gym - and some products on the market can perform the function of both.

In my mind a play mat is large rug with a colorful theme and possibly some textured or raised areas to make exploring more fun. I see play mats as a great way to encourage crawling and rolling.

A play gym on the other hand has loops crossing over the play mat with lots of toys on it and often incorporates a kick cushion that makes lots of fun noises.

I see a play gym as something for a very young baby - 0 to 3 months - whereas a play mat can be used for years and often by the whole family, not just baby.

Below is a link to the Top Ten Best Baby Play Mats...

Back to the List

Baby Gyms are amazing things! I had never really seen one before our daughter came along. Some friends of ours suggested getting one during one of the many baby related conversations while my wife was pregnant.

So I went virtual shopping and was amazed at the huge range of products available. We eventually settled on a gym and our daughter took to it instantly. There were smiles, giggles and lots of foot kicking and arm waving - In case you don't know, that's baby talk for 'I like this'!

Since that first hurried purchase I have learnt rather a lot about all things baby, so when some friends of ours asked me to recommend a good baby gym I did a lot of research and this Lens is the result of that research - our friends took me advise and bought the Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies and Lights Deluxe Gym (#1 on this Top Ten List) and have been delighted with it.

The link below is to our Top Ten Best Baby Gyms Lens...

Back to the List

A walker is one of the more controversial products designed to encourage your baby to walk unaided. Most walkers are suitable from around 6 months, or when your baby is able to sit unaided. They provide a seat and frame with wheels, so your baby is supported, but uses their own feet to move the walker. Most also have play trays or toys and lights on to entertain your child.

Some say baby walkers ideal for encouraging your baby to take their own weight, but others say they hinder development because they stop your baby exploring their environment naturally.

This is really a judgment call for you to make - if you live in a house with a lot of flat and even surfaces for your baby to roam, a walker may be ideal. However, if you have steps or different levels, it may be more trouble than it's worth. You baby can be injured if they end up going down a step in a walker - the walker can topple with your baby in it. Either way, it's important to make sure that your baby isn't left on their own in the walker. To find out more about this debate and to compare the best Baby Walkers, see our Are Baby Walkers Safe Lens.

Back to the List

Watching your young one in a doorway jumper for the first time is both wonderful and hilarious all in one go. I love the fact that they are so portable and can be setup anywhere there is a doorway with an architrave.

Baby Door Bouncers are portable devices that can be attached to most door frames and provide a sprung seat for baby to bounce up and down while being kept safe in a secure 'bucket' seat.

Click the link below to see our Top Ten List of Baby Door Bouncers...

Back to the List

Baby Jumpers are the modern incarnation of door jumpers - devices that clipped to the top of door frames and allowed your baby to bounce around safely. These modern versions are free-standing and incorporate an Activity Center which surrounds baby and provides stimulation with light and sounds.

Below is a list of our favorite baby jumpers...

Back to the List