Entertaining 6 mth old , feeling guilty

Hi all

Soz I don't come on here much at mo....... Elise is 6 mths old tomorrow, wow so quick!!
My prob at the mo is I don't know what to do to entertain her. Add to that I live in south of France and its roasting now, so its too hot to go outside alllllll afternoon, every afternoon. So all I do is sit on the floor in the sitting room with her and she has some toys and I watch some tv and play with her. But I can't play with her constantly and sometimes I give her her toys and feel like I'm just leaving her to play alone with the same rotation of toys. ..... and I feel guilty.
But I dunno what else to do???? she's at that between stages where she wants to crawl but she can't so sometimes she seems frustrated........
Any suggestions people for things for me to do with her while we're stuck at home all the time??

Gonna get a little paddling pool to try in the garden, maybe that'll kill half and hour some days

Thanks Lea and Elise xxx

Hiya,
I was a bit like this. Now my 1st is 3 n I still sumtimes get disinterested in playin or she does!
Its very difficult 2 find easy n effective ways of playin 2getha. I am a trained childcare worker so was feelin very guilty when she was little as I couldn't think of owt 2 do with her.
Don't feel guilty though as if she is happy n ain't cryin she obviously isn't phased n enjoys what shes doin. The bubbles r a good idea. Kids love em!
I also hava bumbo seat 4 my now 10 wk old 2 grow in2! They r fab n child can sit up, play easier n without u havin 2 watch there every move.
From experience with workin with kids they do like tactile stuff,
a basket with natural items; eg, pine cones, natural sponge, textured fabrics, colourful balls etc. Anything big n safe really that they can smell, touch, is a good sensory way 2 play also.
It must b hard in the very hot weather though. Isn't much fun!
Good luck, mummyand2. xx

Hi lea

I bet you used to moan about British weather eh? and now you moan about the heat, ha ha, us women are never happy are we? I'm currently moaning, because today we've got some nice weather, but it won't last more than a day or two, so there is no use me getting used to it, ha.

I think Eleanor was about 6 months old when we got her bumbo, have you got one? She would sit in it, and it was at about that age I got the finger paints out, I stripped her down to her nappy, the paints went EVERYWHERE! but we had fun.....that's only one idea I guess, but I think a lot of mums are like you at that 6 month stage, Eleanor & I would dance to music, I got her a really good disney cd when she was just a few weeks old and we would dance and sing, sometimes I felt guilty, and I would let Eleanor play on her own, she would roll about the room and play with toys, but I think that time is good for them too, to help their confidence and independence and learn how to play on there own, there is never always someone for them to play with. Have you thought about going to an indoor swimming pool with her, or if you have shade you could both go in the paddling pool in the shade?
I never did but I know some people would let their baby cool off & play with bubbles in the kitchen sink. Eleanor used to watch me alot, whilst I was preparing dinner for example, she would watch and i'd give her raw pieces of veg as I went along, she'd either try & nibble or play with them & chuck them on the floor - either way, it kept her ammused.
You could get bubbles and blow them, Eleanor loves those, you know the bottles of bubble you buy?
I can't think of what else, like you say, you have toys, and she will soon be crawling and into different things. Maybe other ladies might have other suggestions.
....But don't worry and don't feel guilty, if she's happy playing on her own sometimes, leave her to it. My OH always fusses her even when she's happy doing things on her own & I do tell him to try and leave her at those times, she seems more grotty when he does, like she's saying ' you've interfered but not done what I wanted to do with that toy Daddy!' ha ha.

Well, best of luck.
Rachael & Eleanor (17 months next week)