How to Make a DIY Rainbow Themed Baby Gym
Baby gear is expensive. Especially toys. We are told that hundreds of hours has gone into optimising the balance of educational and entertainment value, whilst ensuring these items are safe and suitable for the stated age range and developmental stage.
I am sure that hundreds of millions of pounds have also been spent on clever marketing, presentation and packaging to appeal to children, parents, other care-givers, friends and family members. We are made to feel guilty, that we are doing our child a disservice, if we do not purchase or accept as a gift any item which might support our child’s development.
I believe that crafty parents who are willing to understand the developmental needs of their babies at each stage can stand to gain in a myriad of ways. Not only can they adapt the way they interact with their wee one to maximise and enhance the time spent together, but they can also save a pretty penny by making some of their own toys.
This is exactly what I sought to do with a baby gym for my little one.
In the early months, babies are still adapting to extra-uterine life. Their sight gradually gets better, they begin to gain control of their limbs and they get used to sounds and smells.
The best toys at this stage give baby lots of sensory information to process, to help them understand “cause and effect” of moving their limbs through space and touching their surroundings, and to stimulate the visual and auditory centres within the brain. A variety of tactile, visual and auditory stimuli are ideal.
What is a baby gym?
Baby gyms typically feature a variety of items suspended from a frame. Baby is placed on their back underneath the frame, so that they can observe the items moving, reach for them and learn how to grab hold of them.
Ideally, baby gyms will feature an assortment of toys which are stimulating in different tactile, visual and auditory ways. This supports babies in their development across a range of senses and skills.
More recently there has been an increase in demand for wooden toys, especially those that are in line with Montessori principles. But typically, a baby gym and associated toys would made from plastic. Unless parents take good care of them during the relatively narrow window in which they are used, sadly plastic toys often suffer breakages and fade, so do not age well.
I therefore decided to make my own!
How do I make a baby gym?
You will need:
- Embroidery thread in an assortment of colours
- Assorted wooden beads
- Bells in a selection of sizes
- Ribbons in an assortment of colours
- Macrame rings
- Large dowel or pole
- Large eyed needle
I began by sorting the beads into their respective colours, and finding the letter beads required to spell each colour.
The first element for the baby gym features seven strings of coloured beads, with the name of each colour in the centre of the string.
Take two embroidery threads together fold them in half to make a loop, and secure the loop around the macrame ring. Thread the ends onto a large-eyed needle and begin to pass the beads onto the thread. Try to include beads of various sizes and textures. Thread on your letter beads, and then a few more coloured beads, leaving at least 10cm of thread at the end to wrap around the final bead a few times to secure.
Repeat so that you have all seven colours on the ring.
The second element is very similar to the first, except the strings of beads are adorned with bells instead of the letter beads.
The third element is a ribbon kite. Very simply, the ribbons are looped over the ring and secured. I singed the ends of the ribbons to prevent them from fraying.
I have hung the rings on an old curtain pole which is clamped to the top of the play pen to ensure it is secure. My little one loves to bat and grab at these while I’m making dinner.
I am thinking of making at least one more element; a felted rainbow with a crinkle sheet in the centre. Do let me know if you have any ideas for additional toys that I could make!
