The process is important, not the product.
Rotate your toys - in this way your child will have a renewed interest in them.
Provide variety. Use varied textures - wool, cotton, tin, wooden, rubber.
Constructive toys, fantasy toys, toys that promote physical skills and exploration, creative toys are all equally important. Home-made toys can be just as effective as bought toys.
Allow for messy play - prepare the area to minimise the stress. Put newspaper on the floor, have a bucket of warm water nearby to clean hands and bodies!
Encourage your child to clean up afterwards - with help from mom or dad as this can help to develop organisational skills.
Safety - be aware of safety at all times. Small objects may cause choking and never leave bottles of paint within reach.
Storage - make sure your child is able to reach his toys easily. Open baskets on the floor make access and exploration easy. It may look good to have his toys on pretty shelves and inside heavy lidded toy boxes, but its not always practical.
Enjoy and have fun - relax - if you can! And go with the flow. It doesn't matter if it doesn't work out the way you expected it to. Let him know that you love him, that you enjoy his company and that you are interested in his interests and in having a good time together.
Ways to Play
What is the best way to play? How do we know that our children are getting the right type of play? Where do we start?
Lets look at two types of possible play in a day or "stimulation time."
The first type could be seen as direct play. This the time that you spend doing specific activities with your child at some time in that day.
Depending on the time you have, it could range from playing with blocks together, building puzzles, rough and tumble play, climbing and chasing to reading stories.
This is specific time you set aside for you and your child, where you can focus on him entirely.
If you have more than one child it becomes a bit more of a juggling act. These special times can be done as a family or one on one.
The second type could be seen as indirect play. These are the times in the day when you are for example driving in the car together.
Play during this time by singing songs, making your child aware of where you are going, forwards, backwards, looking at interesting sights and listening to sounds.
While cooking supper, play by sharing with him the smells and the shapes and by cooking routines - bread cut into squares, round oranges, quarter of a spoon, sizes, lengths, full, empty.
Bath time and dressing time are great opportunities to play together.
Play by bathing together, talk about hot water, cold water, pop bubbles, slippery soap and rough face cloths.
Talk about body parts, name clothing, what goes where - does my sock go on my hand or on my foot? Can you find my other shoe? The one that looks the same as this one? Think of sequencing - what do we put on next - your vest or your shirt?
These are daily activities that we can use as play situations and to stimulate learning that doesn't take any extra time and that your child most definitely enjoys.
You don't have to stimulate your child all the time. Take cues from him and go with your instincts. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Your child needs quiet times, times to play alone and active interactive times.
Don't feel guilty that you are not around enough if you cannot be with your child as much as you would like.
Rather make the time you do spend with your baby stimulating even if it's for short periods each day. And, of course, give lots of love.