Baby Play (Gymboree) [Paperback]

Wendy Masi Ph.D (Author), Roni Cohen Leiderman (Author), Dr. Wendy S. Masi (Author), Dr. Roni Cohen Leiderman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2001 | Series: Gymboree

All new parents are eager to help their baby discover the world around them, and BABY PLAY was designed to help parents engage their infant in activities that will encourage developmental skills. From the first month home through the twelfth, BABY PLAY offers doctor-approved, age-appropriate activities that stimulate discovery, begin communication, and nurture parental bonding.

Developed in close consultation with the play experts at Gymboree Play & Music, the book contains an introduction that explains the value of "play with a purpose," information on how babies learn, and tips outlining what a parent can do to help their little on get off to a good start.

The book also includes a glossary of key terms in child development, beneficial to any new parent, as well as detailed information on how parents can identify development skills as they emerge in their baby. From stretching exercises to puppet games, BABY PLAY encourages learning during that first critical year of life.

Look at what this book offers:

• Includes over 100 activities for babies 0-12 months.
• Organized by appropriateness for each month of life.
• Includes wide variety of play activities, from ball rolling to imitative play.
  
• Developed in consultation with the play experts at Gymboree.
• Contains a useful glossary of key terms in child development.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

About Gymboree. With over 400 Gymboree Play & Music centers in 14 different countries, Gymboree is considered a global leader in parent/child play programs and is linked to quality, education and fun! All Gymboree activities are structured around established early childhood education principles and are administered by trained teachers.

About the Author

Dr. Wendy S. Masi is a developmental psychologist specializing in early childhood. She has designed and implemented programs for preschools, families with young children, and early childhood professionals for more than 20 years. Dr. Masi is the dean of the Family Center at Nova Southeastern University in Florida. She is the mother of four children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Creative Publishing International (April 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865734348
• ISBN-13: 978-0865734340
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 0.5 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (82 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,311 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Parenting & Relationships > Family Activities

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! August 5, 2002

By C. S. Funk

Format:Paperback

With little time to read these days we found this book easy to get through quickly. It's broken down in age ranges so you can read as far as you need to at the time. We got some great ideas from it. My daughter loves the songs and games. You really forget all those little things from childhood and need a refresher. The thing I love most is that it uses things you have around the house. Batteries are not necessary!

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Creative Ideas for Maximum Loving, Minimal Equipment January 24, 2004

By Julie Jordan Scott

Format:Paperback

I am always on the look out for books that can help busy parents come up with creative ways to engage their babies in simple ways that may make a lasting contribution both in their loving relationship as well as help the baby's development over time.

This title does both nicely with colorful, inspiring illustrations as well.

Especially valued as well is the authors intentionally chose activities that are loosely structured, don't require purchase of special stuff and create the context for a lot of loving interaction between the baby and parrent.

Even as a creative parent, I run out of new ideas and love finding new techniques in one place, as Gymboree lays out here.

40 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't mean to go along with the crowd, BUT... June 7, 2002

By E. King

Format:Paperback

As other reviews clearly state, this is an excellent book! I'll give some main reasons why:
1. Provides TONS of ideas for age-appropriate games to play with baby (gets rid of repetitiveness that comes from singing one song or playing one game OVER and OVER...and takes the guessing game out of "What can I do to entertain my baby?")
2. Has vibrant illustrations/photos showing parents and babies playing/bonding during the games (which draws my attention even more to the book)
3. The games can be played practically anywhere, often not requiring toys or juggling acts on the part of the parent (thus leaving the games very versatile, functional, and practical)
Overall, this book is a MUST HAVE for any parent with an active baby. I just wish more "baby games" books were like this one!

82 of 95 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't waste your money February 19, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

I purchased this book hoping it would have good ideas on things to do with my 9-month-old. However, it really adds nothing new at all. Most of the so-called "age-appropriate activities" are common-sense things I do with my baby anyway. For example, the first activity for a newborn is "rock and sing your baby a lullaby". Well, duh! How many of us need a book to tell us THAT? For older babies, suggestions include playing ball or peek-a-boo (gee, now isn't that original!), purchasing a stacking toy, rolling a ball, or reading a book. Virtually all of these suggestions can be found in any general book about babies, e.g., Dr. Sears' Baby Book.
This book also contains lyrics to several children's songs but does not contain the melody - so they're worthless if you don't already know the song. You're much better off purchasing a book-CD set instead, e.g., "Wee Sing for Baby" is AWESOME!
Skip this one- save your money and spend it on a good children's book or CD instead.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book to use through baby's first year January 2, 2003

By Little Greek

Format:Paperback

I got this as a gift when my son was almost 5 months old. I wish I had gotten it sooner because it has so many great ideas. The book is laid out according to age and the games you can play at those ages. Each page describes an activity you and your baby can do together and then explains what motor skills are used and developed. What I really like about this book is that it uses items that you already have around the house to make interactive "toys" for your baby. It just goes to show that you don't have to spend a lot of money to occupy their time. Oh, I almost forgot about the songs. The authors include lyrics to songs that you may have long forgotton since your youth. I had run out of songs to sing until I read this book. Now we have a whole new library!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another awesome Gymboree play book! July 28, 2002

By Julie Lovisa VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Sometimes when you look at your infant, you may wonder...what can I do to entertain him...and myself? This book is full of wonderful songs, games, and activities to foster the growth of your child's budding senses and motor skills. It's broken down into sections of appropriate age games...the nice thing is that while it offers many fun and different songs and activities, it also tells you exactly what and how they are helping your child to develop. Full of vibrant, color photographs, this book is, in my opinion, the best baby game manual on the market. Look also for Toddler Play to continue the fun!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute must for any new parent March 7, 2006

By C. McCann

Format:Paperback

We love this book. This is an absolute must for any new parent. The activites are divided into age appropriate sections (0-3 mths, etc) that offer the right balance of activities and expert knowledge. On the days that you had no sleep the night before and you can not possibly think of an activity yourself, you can open the book right up and the big color pictures are self-explainatory. As my daughter grew, the book became a picture book that provided us with endless stories about the pictures. Also, great to leave out for babysitters and grandparents.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars a good book for first time parents December 30, 2003

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

I was first time parent and never really been around with other kids before. I didn't know what to do or how to interact with my baby. Playing with your baby is such important thing and will help them develop physically and mentally. This book helps a lot and is very easy to read. I would recommend to new parents that are not very experience with kids.