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Keeping baby twins entertained - any suggestions?

14 replies

glamourbadger · 12/09/2006 14:00

My twins are now 3 months (corrected) and I'm struggling to find ways of keeping them entertained in the house.

We play with toys and look at books but they seem to get bored very quickly. I prop them up in various places round the house and do "exciting" things like fold the washing or make dinner in a suitably animated fashion (if only my work colleagues could see what has become of me!!)

Did any of you twin Mums come up with anything to help pass the time? I don't care how silly. All I can say is it must be a lot easier to entertain a single baby and involve a lot less sitting on the floor!

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MarsLady · 12/09/2006 14:42

I let them entertain themselves lol.

Didn't do anything different to you really, but was really happy when they "discovered" how to "play" with each other.

GB.... have you posted on the D'y ever wonder how life.... thread? Lots of us there... come and join the fun.

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waterfalls · 12/09/2006 14:44

My dts used to lve sitting opposite each other in thier bouncy chairs, they would bounce like crazy and be in fits of laughter for hours.

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Quadrophenia · 12/09/2006 14:45

I used to leave the hhover on in the room when they got bored and I had something to do!Or I used to have very cheap bouncing chairs, a foot on each and Richard and judy on the telly. Go out lots, loads of walks to break the day up. I didn't tend to entertain them as such at this age as they are still very little, I just used to do what i could to manage, fortunately they slept alot too!

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Quadrophenia · 12/09/2006 14:46

oh yeah and laying them naked on changing mats on the floor and letting them kick they loved doing that!

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MarsLady · 12/09/2006 14:47

Quadrophenia... my hero! A foot to each chair and daytime telly! lol My daytime telly was Mumsnet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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frumpygrumpy · 12/09/2006 19:55

Hi GB. I tended to have something in each room that I needed to be in. So I maybe had a playgym and swing in the livingroom, a quilt and bouncy chair in the hall and a quilt and a vibrating chair in their bedroom. I also had a baby bouncer on the door frame. I kind of rotated them throughout the day so that wherever I needed to be they came too and I swapped them about when they got bored. I also added a babywalker when they were old enough (only needed one as they were not old enough to fight about it!). That, plus following the routine of my dd (i.e. feed the ducks, park and nursery) seemed to fill the day.

The telly was on morning noon and night, both for them and for my sanity (so I felt the world was still there).

Don't feel bad that you can't make them laugh and smile all day long - you can't. Mine also spent a period each day in the garden, in the buggy, sometimes sleeping, sometimes crying. Sometimes I needed to straighten up in peace or make lunch for dd and serve it up and I needed them out of the way if they were a bit irritable. She needed me too and deserved a bit of one on one time. What I'm trying to say is that its exhausting keeping them entertained and don't worry if you can only walk away sometimes.

When there is one baby you can do lots of stuff with that one on your hip - make a call, cook, wash dishes!! With two its somewhat different.

My god, I need more adult company, I just get online and taaaaaaaaalllllllllkkkkkk. I swear my fingers are shorter than they were a year ago .

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Quadrophenia · 12/09/2006 21:08

ahh Marslady I wasn't lucky enough to have discovered mumsnet when i had my twins (nearly 7 years ago) but my dp did used to let me have a lay in whilst he played his football game on the pc with the bouncing chairs at his feet!

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glamourbadger · 15/09/2006 13:09

Thanks for the suggestions! I might try taking toys into different rooms and think about getting a baby bouncer. They like to watch each other so I can see it would be entertaining for both of them.

I have a swinging chair but neither is particularly fussed in it - however they can spend ages laying on the mat watching it swing! Strange, unfathomable creatures - it's like having a couple of aliens come to live with you

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JuA · 15/09/2006 13:23

At about this age we borrowed some Bumbo seats - which they both loved as they like to sit upright, they used to sit with me in the kitchen whilst I cooked usually transfixed by the washing machine!

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MatNanPlus · 15/09/2006 13:31

GB, if they love watching the swing work, maybe add a toy so that swings also.

Music - Disco ball - Baby Einstein DVD's

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Sanity · 15/09/2006 13:42

Hi glamourbadger... I have twin boys of 15months...I have to say they did sleep a lot of the day at that age...but I believe in 'twin time' I would put them in their cot bed together and just let them be with each other. Thats all they have ever known, the sound of your voice and each other.

They still have 'twin time' and I have to keep my 2 dds away..they get tetchy without it now...they are connected in a way only another twin will understand and this should be respected....enjoy your twins enjoying themselves.

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Deeda · 16/09/2006 16:40

I know some people might not approve, but needs must sometimes with twins....I used to put my (now two year old identical) boys in their bouncey chairs in front of a Baby Einstein DVD (easily found on amazon). They're designed for babys and children and set simple images of mobiles or lights or moving toys to Mozart or Beethoven. My boys loved them, and still do. They would also love lying on a play mat together, even from a three months....

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mommyoftwo · 04/10/2006 23:50

FrumpyGrumpy....Hi. I am new to this, so bear with me as I attempt to join the conversations going on here.
I totally agree with you, in that there are times I feel like my fingers will fall off or that they have a better friendship with the keyboard, than I do with the outside world. Having 1 year old twins (boy/girl) myself...it is tough at times to find time to do anything but changing diapers, cleaning up toys,preparing food, pouring bottles, dishes, not to mention the piles of laundry everyday... my life before was so different.

Having one baby I think forever changes a person, having two or more(at the same time) is like turning the whole world upside down & re-arranging it. My perspective on life has changed drastically. And I would say for the good overall. I must say, that this first year of having twins (my first kiddos ever) has been more challenging for my husband & I than we thought it was going to be. We had no idea what really was involved. We have learned & continue to learn so much. I love hearing all your different stories.

And as far as "entertaining" twins at 3 months....well, as you have already heard alot...when mine were 3 months they loved sitting in their bouncy seats and loved to look outside the windows, listen to soft music, watch baby Einstien, listen to mommy hum a tune while folding laundry, or just look around at what is on the walls in different rooms. It might seem a little limited right now, but enjoy this time where they just sit in a bouncy seat...because once crawling & walking starts....you enter a whole new deminsion. And it has it's up's & downs....I have to say though that there are times I miss when they would just sit or lay there & stare at you...those days are gone now. And we are off on a new adventure...toddlerhood! It is all about "PLAY"! Anyway, hope that helps you some.

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meiko · 04/12/2006 20:58

any advice on gettin twins to sleep thru night?

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