The most popular toys for children aged 9 months are all those that help them move and can be opened and closed.
The article will look at why it is necessary to let the child move as much as possible (indoors or out) and what activities children prefer at this age.
Always On The Move
From the age of nine months, the baby is constantly on the move.
Whether crawling, rolling, laying, or even in some cases, walking.
They are probably trying to get up with your help, a piece of furniture, or a walker.
During this period, the child stops putting everything in their mouth.
They already use other means to get to know their surroundings.
What Activities Are Suitable For The Child During This Period?
All toys which can be pushed and help move around. All activities in which objects are thrown into other objects.
Baby Needs Freedom To Move
Babies need to move around and explore in order to learn.
Therefore, it is essential for them to have enough opportunities to move freely in a safe space.
I am not a supporter of playpens because they limit a child’s movement. However, I used it with my first son, and I was happy to have it then.
I put him in when I knew he was already moving a lot. He liked it because he could play with his favorite toys and nothing disturbed him there.
It was a safe space for him.
I never left him there when he asked to get out.
For my second son, I chose a completely different approach that didn’t include a playpen.
Making your home baby-friendly
We decided to follow Montessori pedagogy. So we set aside the whole living room for our son and baby-proofed the area.
We removed the couch, added two open low shelves, and placed a foam pad on the floor.
(photo of the playroom)
Finally, we changed the name from the living room to the playroom.
This is where my son spends the most time.
It is a room arranged so that he can move safely and explore the surroundings when we close the door.
Free to move in order to learn
It is through movement that the child learns the most.
Tim Seldin, President of the Montessori Foundation, in How To Raise An Amazing Child: The Montessori Way, writes: “Creating a child-safe environment will mean your baby is free to do this.”
And with this, he means moving.
To Let Your Baby Play, You Need To Stop Worrying
Many parents are so afraid their children will hurt themselves, so they use aids that restrict their child’s movement for many hours a day.
This can keep them from learning and developing.
They use the previously mentioned playpens, cribs, high chairs, infant seats, swings, strollers…
Seldin further writes: “On one level, it sounds reasonable to confine children because of safety concerns, but parents also need to understand that every hour spent confined in an infant carrier is an opportunity lost.
Given more freedom, their babies could have been developing muscular coordination and strength, along with the sensory stimulation of hands-on learning. “
More Freedom Means Less Stress
It will save you a lot of worry by creating a safe environment where your child can move freely.
In such an environment, you and your baby will be more peaceful.
You will not be afraid that something will happen to them, and the child will have their hands full discovering the world, and therefore they will be both less nervous.
Below you will find a list of my 9-month-old son’s favorite toys that we have chosen for him with regard to his development.
TOP Toys
Basically, it wasn’t until I wrote this article that I realized that more than toys, the activities you do with them are more important to your child.
Below is a list of my son’s favorite toys.
Toy no. 1
Wooden toy car with a racer. He has the most fun pushing the car around the room and moving on his knees next to it.
Here, the child examines how the toy car moves on the wooden floor, how it’s harder to move on the carpet, and what happens if the car crashes.
All of these are important discoveries from the world of physics and mathematics.
It is also fun to pick up and throw a car racer.
Toy no. 2
Walker.
This is something on which experts’ opinions differ. Some argue that it is an unsuitable toy for children because they are leaning forward when pushed, and later it can be a problem when walking.
This walker is already 14 years old. Our younger son inherited it from his brother.
He likes to use it to move around the garden. He found that it hurts his knees a little when playing outside.
I’m not afraid this walker will hurt him because he plays with it for only 15 minutes a day.
On the contrary, it is a different form of movement for him, and thanks to it, he moves much faster from place to place.
Now, he is 10 months old, and he doesn’t want to play with it anymore.
He tries to stand by himself without any help.
Toy no. 3
Books are one of my son’s favorite activities. He has a small library in the playroom, where he goes to read books on his own.
His favorite was this:
He enjoyed pulling and hiding the panda and looking in the mirror.
He was so adorable looking at himself, stuffing his head all the way into the book.
If you haven’t done it yet, it’s definitely great if you make books available to your children.
Ideally, not much at once because the child is overloaded and can ignore the books.
I saw it so many times during my praxis in kindergarten.
It is always necessary to choose some exciting books. Put them in a place where the children can easily access them.
It’s a great idea to read with kids. This way, you will awaken in them a genuine interest in books.
You can choose one part of the day to read with your child. It will last only a few minutes at this age, if at all.
Your child will not want to read much longer than a few minutes.
Bathing Toys
At 9 months, bathing toys will also serve well.
(bullet points for bathing toys or photos)
Some good bathing toys are floating toys, ones that sink below the surface, those that can be inserted into each other, and buckets with a leaky bottom.
Other Great Toys
Pots and various utensils and spoons from the kitchen are also great for playing. Your child has often seen you mix and pour while you cook, and will want to imitate you.
Children at this age can also spend long moments playing in the sandpit. My son received this sandbox as a gift from his grandmother.
We are pleased with it. The roof serves as protection against the sun during the day, and at night, it serves as protection so our cat does not turn it into a litterbox.
Activities to support the development of a 9-month-old child
Allow your child to crawl and discover the space at home and outside as much as possible if you have a garden. Alternatively, use a playground.
Provide the child with obstacles that they can overcome. They can be your thighs, pillows, or more giant toys.
All the everyday activities you can do together are great for you and your child.
Walking outside and exploring the world together will suit you both.
You will breathe fresh air, change the space a bit, and the child will have a lot of new stimuli to observe.
You can allow your child to open and close various cabinets and drawers at home. Then, they can take things out of them and put them back.
Playing with water is another activity that your 9-month-old will love. Let them watch the running water, touch it and soak their hands in it.
Let Your Baby Talk To You
Imagine your baby showing which toy they want instead of grumbling or crying for it. Avoid hysterical scenes and frustrating moments trying to guess what your child needs.
There is a great method called baby signs and has the following unbelievable benefits:
- Less frustration and a closer bond
- A larger speaking vocabulary
- 12 IQ point advantage
You can learn more about baby signs and how you can start with it today in this article>> (link)
CONCLUSION - How to help a 9-month-old baby develop
This could be summed up as follows: allow the child to move as much as possible so they can discover the world.
Minimize all gadgets that make it impossible for the child to move (playpens, seats …).
Do as many activities as possible with them and enjoy your time together.
Enjoy walks outside and reading frequently. Then, have them explore the inside of the cabinets and drawers. Let them pick up things and move them inside and out of the cabinets.
Discover elements such as water, sand, and stones. These all-natural materials give the child space to develop motor skills and senses.
Do you have a 9-month-old baby at home? What are their favorite toys and activities?
