How to Encourage Your Child to Play Independently

Alone time, or solitude, is healthy for everyone, including babies. Playing on their own helps children develop their own interests. It's important to spend time with your child, but it's also important to give her time to get involved in her own activities.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baby Monitors
• Safety Gates
• Cabinet Safety Locks
• Play Yards
• Baby Toys
• Chidren's Toys
• Children's Puzzles
• Infant/toddler Toys
• Plush Toys
• Toy Blocks
• Toy Chests

1. Provide a 100 percent safe play environment for your child. While it isn't practical or even possible to childproof your whole house, set up a playpen, a room or a gated-off portion of a room for your child's play. (A younger baby can be happy in a playpen; a crawling or walking child will need more space.)

2. Place simple toys that she can mouth, touch and explore, such as balls, stuffed animals and teething toys, in the play area.

3. Set up a baby monitor if you're out of seeing or hearing range.

4. Tell your baby that you're going into the other room. If she fusses, go for a minute or two, then come back. Build up her tolerance by going for longer periods each time.

5. Check in frequently to make sure she's all right. You may be amazed to find that your baby is totally engaged in her play.

6. Avoid interruptions. Most of us don't like to be disturbed when we're reading the newspaper or concentrating on a task. Respect your baby's play. It's an important step in her development.

Tips & Warnings

• You can start giving your baby alone time provided that she doesn't have a medical condition or other reason that requires constant monitoring, or when you're comfortable with the idea.
• The key to your child being able to separate and enjoy her alone time is being fully with her when you're together. Spend a few moments on the floor with her, actively present and engaged. Then you can say, "It's time for me to start dinner now. I'm going into the kitchen."
• Leaving a baby to play alone for a time under your supervision is different from leaving her unattended. Listen to the baby monitor and be sure to check on her regularly.
• Take heart. Parents may feel left out when they see their baby so wrapped up in her play. Resist the temptation to rush in and distract her.