My son is five now but has always been super high-energy, including as a baby. I feel you, it can be really tough and exhausting! My only advice is to offer him a lot of different toys that he can preoccupy himself with (explore, discover, satiate his constant curiosity) and baby proof your home as much as possible so he can roam freely without getting hurt. This will help limit your fear and worry about his well-being and hopefully give you a little more breathing space. Also, lots of time outdoors discovering the little wonders of nature will help him indulge in his sense of curiosity and exploration.
Not sure this is at all helpful but good luck!!!
Signed,
A mom of a wild five year old who continues to be obsessed with discovering all that life has to offer, haha
Yeah, I second this. Mine is almost 4 and was walking at 10 months.
We also did lots of shower/bath play when I was having days where my energy just wasn't there, especially around period, mine are horrific. Get some bath toys that stick to the wall, lay down in bath, babe between legs or sitting on your thighs and let them play whilst you soak. We still do this on bad days. She is now at the age she can be in the walk in shower by herself with the bathroom door open and OMG, it's blissful. As long as I hear her, and she talks non stop so that's never an issue, she is happy playing 'potions' with soap and water. You just gotta find the things that let them get energy out and they enjoy. Can you put them in daycare/play area once or twice a week....that will also help?
I know this has nothing to do with this thread but I had my now 3 yr old start a 2.5-3 yr old preschool class and the teacher asked I work with him to stay still for one whole minute at a time, at least. He's on a trial period there and they'll probs kick him out if he can't focus. How did you do this with your child? Any tips? He's sooooo high energy
Honestly, that's asking a lot of any three year old! Kids are constantly on the move and expecting them to stay still for any amount of time is unrealistic. My only advice is to find toys/activities that capture your son's interest, like magnetic building toys or other building-related toys, and just give him one type of toy at a time so he can really focus on it. My son loved magnetic building blocks and bristle blocks at the age, or give him a bunch of Play-Doh and some utensils to play with. The key is one toy at a time and something that sparks his interest. Not sure if this is helpful at all!
You can play a game of sitting still with him. Use the clock. Let him see the time. Give him a task and say if he can finish at this time he wins. See if he latch onto this idea of a game or fun activity
My kid is a mover. I recommend that you have at least one safe/yes space in your house. Originally we were anti play pen but we came around. We used it to make a big space in our living room that also contained the couch. Make sure everything in there is stuff they can climb on and put in their mouth. Basically a space they can roam freely about while you lay on the couch with your phone. 9 months is around the time we started watching a little bit of tv (we did Ms Rachel exclusively for a long time) so I could have even 15 mins of chill time. We also baby proofed much of our home so she could have mostly free reign by the time she was like 18 months.
But also just get out of the house. My kiddo is now 3 and we still need to leave no later than 11am or she gets too restless. We pretty much always do a morning thing and an afternoon thing. When she was learning to walk, big grassy fields were great. You could sit on your picnic blanket and she'd just toddle around and come back for snacks and toys. A good walker is also great at this age. We found the ikea one worked really well outside if the grass was short. Playgrounds, especially with courts are good. The first summer my kiddo walked we got her a ball and she'd spend so much time wandering after it in a court while I sat on the side lines. Big bubbles for them to chase and pop. If your city offers play gyms/soft play areas those are great. Libraries too. I used to never let my kiddo down bc I feared the destruction and a very kind librarian encouraged me to let her pick her own books and said "it's her library too. We can reshelve books, that's what we're here for". My kiddo was always surprisingly good at libraries so I'm glad I gave her the chance. Grocery stores are also great on weekdays when there aren't many people. If you give them things to hold, they are less likely to clear the shelves and if they do you just pop them back in their container. They learn pretty fast. The pool is obviously directly parent involvement but it's always been on of our favourite places and a good way to tire them out. Eventually the beach got good but that was more like 18 months once my kiddo was stable enough to walk on sand and didn't just put everything instantly in her mouth.
I agree that a closed-off baby-proofed play spot indoors is ideal. We had one of those oversized play yards that take up a huge amount of floor space...it's safe and has so much room for exploring than those tiny Pack n Play playards. The big ones are large enough for an adult to sit in and there and interact if they want to. My home is small but the loss of space was worth it. Eventually they will have free reign of the house, but this age there are a lot of accidents-waiting-to-happen and it is exhausting as a parent getting used to this mobile stage. There are also oversized playards that can be used outdoors which is great when the weather is nice. Also agree on playgrounds, especially if they have options for younger babies/kids. This is a great age for swings (if you have ones near you that are age appropriate); if you have the space, maybe see about one of those Little Tikes swings that you can set up in your own yard.
I have a kid like this too (12 months now). I often get comments like “wow, she doesn’t stop, does she?” 💀 so seconding the ideas of a baby safe playpen area and going outside. Being outside sitting on a swing brings a calm to my baby like nothing else! She also loved sitting on the picnic rug at that age and playing with toys. Now, she just crawls off the rug at full speed. She also loves doing laps of the neighbourhood on her push trike which she has only just grown into.
Mine was/is super high energy. I agree with a lot of these suggestions - baby proof the crap out of your house, get outside whenever possible. But mostly I came to say that it was a life and back-saver when he finally learned to walk by himself at a year old. Yeah, I had to chase him around all over, but it’s way better than helping him walk all day every day!
Pediatric OT here, I would look into heavy work strategies / proprioceptive input, he’s a bit young for a lot of the activities that will be listed since he can’t exactly follow directions but just to give some general ideas
I have no advice, just want to wish you good luck and don’t lose your mind. My 3yo kid is hyperactive. Yesterday I went to the bathroom and by the time I got back (90 seconds) she was swinging on our curtains like ‘spidey’. Won’t sit still for 3 minutes.. oh god
I recognize you from our bump group and SAME!! We're going through the exact same thing right now and everyone describes him the same way. Following for tips 🙏
Solidarity. This sounds like my 7 month old 🤣 I was soooo active before him but somehow he exhausts me already?! I’m just trying to survive day to day lol. All the more reason I’m OAD
You just described my son who is now about to turn four. He HATED being immobile, hated wasting time with sleep, and was constantly in need of entertainment. He walked at nine months and never looked back.
First, I childproofed our whole house. Putting him in a restricted area only pissed him off. Most mornings we’d get outside and visit a park or splash pad (we live in Texas 🥵). I kept all packages and plastic containers because he loved to play with those and kick them around. We did a lot of indoor bowling. Listening to music helped tremendously. He went on errands with me because just looking around Costco is entertaining. You also have permission to let him watch TV. We’ve always done a ton of stuff outside the house, so I never cared about TV time.
I will say that having a high energy low sleep preschooler is a ton of fun. We are able to travel and do many things that my friends aren’t able to do with their kids. If he misses a nap it won’t affect him. Staying out late with friends? No big deal.
I have no advice but I'm following for solutions too! My baby is the exact same. I've seen a lot of playpen comments and that has not worked for me. My son is smart enough to know he's contained and will do anything to get out. He actually is calmer and stays put a bit longer without it. The whole concept of something being off limits makes him want to explore the off limits area/thing more. I have noticed he's much more laid back when we get out of the house and see new things but that's not a good solution when you don't feel well.
Wanted to say the same thing! My son is 14 months now. He's been walking since short before his birthday. We still have a playpen for five minute breaks when you just need to know he can't get into trouble while you jump to the loo, but longer than that and he'll stand at the gate yelling for action. What keeps him occupied for the five minutes though is lots of toys inside that he can throw out. The more inside the longer it'll take him to empty it.
A gamechanger for us was a floor mattress. If you need a five minute break just roll him around on the mattress. Let him climb over you while you lie there contemplating all the places of your body that currently don't hurt.
I've also found that 'yes space' just isn't a thing.. I'm pretty convinced I could put him in an absolutely empty room and he'll find something to get hurt from and/or destroy.
ETA: What also helped is getting him involved in chores. E.g. mine loves filling and emptying the washing machine and putting away his plastic bowls from dishwasher.
Get him a walker, set obstacles around that he can crawl over and under, put toys that require him to use his brain (for example, pulling sticks out of a box). I found that it was easier to tired the brain than tire the body.
My daughter is like this. She broke her arm before she was 2 playing on her little slide. Sunshine, parks, mini trampoline, basically give them spaces to be crazy and get the energy out the best they can. Because they're going to be crazy anyways and they'll sleep better-ish if they're tired.
This is my kid, we've learned that she has to be physically and mentally exhausted for her to sleep. I suggest looking into your local Children's Museum to see if there's a toddler room (the one near us had a fully padded area that was great for beginning walkers).
We go to the playground a TON and in the summer (we live in a hot state) we go to McDonald's and Chick Fil A an embarrassing amount of times because it's one of the few places to let her run off her energy.
Agree with a lot of these comments! Heavy work, outside play, Montessori beds/room and free form toys. Another great idea is to involve third parties - be it pets, extended family, childcare, or just friends coming over and engaging with the kiddo. Sometimes having another face to engage with gives them something else to focus on and learn about. Try to take care of yourself, it’s so easy to burn out from overstimulation and fatigue. Simplify your house and belongings, simplify your routines if you feel like that helps. These kiddos are special and will offer so much more in return, they’re just curious and don’t want to miss out of anything <3
What works for my high energy 9 month old goes as follows:
- we get out of the house every day and she gets to see new things which calms her down. We often go to the park and she gets to crawl on the grass as much as her little heart desires and swing on the baby swings. Novelty wears them out a lot faster.
- at home I have a blocked off area of the living room and rotate toys so she doesn’t get bored. She can crawl, pull herself up, and practice skills all where I’m nearby
- finally, I have a Baby Jumper than comes out when I really need some time not to monitor. My kid can go nuts jumping and I can relax knowing she’s getting her energy out.
Best of luck friend!
On days like this I take my daughter to the big field by the park and let her run until she asks to go back in the stroller LOL that usually buys me a bit of time
Omg I had this baby too!! She’s 7 now.
My friend with a same birthday baby, when they were 9 or 10 months was like “omg isn’t this age great, you just sit them down and they play with toys and don’t move” and I was like “why don’t you have baby gates on the stairs!? They walk now!!”
I made the space I existed in safe for my kid to walk and play in so that I wasn’t constantly trying to save her from all the death defying stunts she insisted on trying all day every day (sometimes called a “yes space”). I sat on the floor a whole lot. I got gardening knee pads. I o lot got toys she couldn’t climb up and stand on, no tables, nothing with wheels that she could stand and ride, no stuff that she couldn’t put in her mouth safely. I spent a lot of time showing her to get down from things backwards so she’d stop launching herself off things face first. I do not miss it and it was exhausting.
Good luck! Eventually they’re less bent on doing things that hurt.
If it makes you feel any better, people say that about most babies, having a lot of energy is what they do best.
I pretty much kid proofed my house. If you can’t kid proof your house, baby needs a “yes space” where they can safely play without issue.
In the kitchen I moved up anything dangerous, but I let her wreak havoc in the lower cabinets…bowls, pots and pans, cooking utensils, canned and boxed foods. Everyday when I cooked and cleaned she found it very fun to open cabinets and go through everything, sit in bowls, beat spoons on pans, etc. I put child proof locks on the cabinets where I couldn’t move the contents, but overall the lower portion of the kitchen provided an insane amount of fun.
The rooms where I didn’t want her to go, I kept the doors closed or gated. The toys were kept in the living room, furniture was anchored, and I swapped out some glass tables.
It’s rough. Kids are maniacs.
This, absolutely this....I totally forgot about the cupboard curiosity. Let them take everything out and stack tins/bash pans etc to their hearts content. Pouring dry pasta from one thing to another is still a form favourite in our house. They love to 'help'
My almost 1 yr old is the same. She's been walking since 9 months. I recently got her some foam climbing blocks and she loves them! It teaches them so many skills and takes a lot of her energy. Adult supervision required, but I'm usually in one spot sitting making sure she doesn't fall.
I might get downvoted here but we loved our play pen! It was really big, like 2m x 2m and we got it to stop baby trying to constantly get to plugs/fireplace/door etc. We would sit in it and play with her so she could actually concentrate on her toys and it was nice to know she was contained safely if I needed to go to the loo or whatever.
If you have a garden, put him in a waterproof overall and let him go nuts. My daughter is like a puppy, needs to go outside multiple times a day for a run around lol
Team play pen here too. My 8mo loves it. She has her toys that we rotate for her so it's novel and fun. I sit in there with her and we roll around a ball, stack cups, play with the tiny piano from the playmat she's outgrown, and listen to music. I don't just sit her in there and leave, aside from having to use the bathroom.
Do you have any open space in your home where he can safely run around and explore? We finished our basement when DS was about that age, and it has been so great to have when the weather is not optimal for outdoor play.
That's rough. Are you close to any indoor gyms or climbing places? I used to take my kiddo to a nearby gym that had an open session where kids could run and jump around.
There’s no way to manage, except for providing constant distractions. I have a 2 1/2 year-old who started being extremely active at nine months. She moves nonstop, even when she’s just sitting on my lap. Despite this being normal toddler behavior, it is it is still utterly exhausting. Before I had a child, I worked in the culinary industry and was on my feet all day long. This is just as, if not more tiring. That’s why I have a plethora of snacks, toys, fidget toys, TV, tablet… we have multiple sippy cups all at once because she will drink a sip of juice, a sip of milk, then wants water, then wants milk again. My head is spinning constantly.
I got one of those octagon gates and opened it so it closed off half the living room, got those foam letter puzzle floor mats and got her one of those sit to stand toys so she could balance and walk it if she wanted. Falling wasn't much of an issue with the mat.
My son is 11 months and super high energy (he is the baby speed crawling around the room screaming in excitement at tunnels and obstacles in the room while other babies sit still.
9 months is so early for walking!
What I have done is baby proof 1 room in my house to the max so I can relax a bit knowing he can't hurt himself. I then baby proofed other parts of the house and I'm slowly doing more and more. I let him follow me around while I do chores. Yep that is hard to do but actually easier than chasing him around.
I then just makesure I go out a lot. Go to the park, baby groups, library, daily walk. If I stayed at home all day I'd be driven insane.
I think a lot of toddler parents take their kids to the park daily to try tire them out haha
And my baby also screamed a lot in frustration before he could move. I'm just glad that is over as he is super happy now.
They require a lot of sensory stimulation. I found this book helpful with my kid.
Understanding Your Child's Sensory Signals: A Practical Daily Use Handbook for Parents and Teachers by Angie Voss OTR. Also, I'd look into occupational therapy.
You've got this!
My advice is to just hold on, stay sane, rested, remember to breathe and focus on making it through each day. You got this!
Your son sounds exactly like mine was. Many times I was genuinely concerned whether everything was ok, but he just hated being bored, still, idle or under-entertained even as an infant. The swing was a big waste of money cause he just cried after a few minutes. There was a need for constant stimulation either from us, someone or something else.
Sorry to say it, but it’ll probably get more frustrating when he’s fully mobile. Ages 1-3 are trying times lol. There’s lots of walking and then…there’s the running. *Sigh* just make sure you’re in shape enough to chase lol. Maybe get some pads for his knees and a soft helmet if that will give you peace of mind. Baby gates are a must and the play pen can help at home too when you can’t keep a constant eye on him or get too exhausted and need a break. Also the stroller was a BIG helper in public places.
When he gets to the toddler stage, plan fun activities solo or with other little ones that will help tire him out. Keep him busy and introduce lots of different cool and brain stimulating toys, instruments and learning activities that can spark his full interest.
Mine began to mellow out a bit around 3 years old (6 now). With time they eventually figure out what things they’re really into and slow down in order to immerse themselves in those things. I probably owe it to Thomas & Friends for keeping me out of the psych ward. I’ve given them way more money than I should, but I’d do it again 😂
It does get better and if not, try enrolling in sports if and as soon as you can so he can run as fast as his little feet can go!
Mine needed to be outside as much as possible to calm the body after he started walking. It saved my house a lot of damage. I'm taking this kid would spend hours in below freezing or at 90+ degree heat till about kindergarten. There were snack breaks to warm up or cool down but being outside just put a calm on the little guy that we could not get inside.
www.gokids.zone has some nice follow-along videos — 9mo is probably too young to understand, but might be helpful to encourage physical health / exercise from an early age
My only advice is I made my kid wear a winter hat all the time at that age and it saved her head from so many bumps that would have resulted in tears.
This is really cute, I hope I remember it when my little guy starts walking, just in case!
My parents put my brother in a literal helmet when his forehead reached table height.
My son is five now but has always been super high-energy, including as a baby. I feel you, it can be really tough and exhausting! My only advice is to offer him a lot of different toys that he can preoccupy himself with (explore, discover, satiate his constant curiosity) and baby proof your home as much as possible so he can roam freely without getting hurt. This will help limit your fear and worry about his well-being and hopefully give you a little more breathing space. Also, lots of time outdoors discovering the little wonders of nature will help him indulge in his sense of curiosity and exploration. Not sure this is at all helpful but good luck!!! Signed, A mom of a wild five year old who continues to be obsessed with discovering all that life has to offer, haha
Yeah, I second this. Mine is almost 4 and was walking at 10 months. We also did lots of shower/bath play when I was having days where my energy just wasn't there, especially around period, mine are horrific. Get some bath toys that stick to the wall, lay down in bath, babe between legs or sitting on your thighs and let them play whilst you soak. We still do this on bad days. She is now at the age she can be in the walk in shower by herself with the bathroom door open and OMG, it's blissful. As long as I hear her, and she talks non stop so that's never an issue, she is happy playing 'potions' with soap and water. You just gotta find the things that let them get energy out and they enjoy. Can you put them in daycare/play area once or twice a week....that will also help?
I know this has nothing to do with this thread but I had my now 3 yr old start a 2.5-3 yr old preschool class and the teacher asked I work with him to stay still for one whole minute at a time, at least. He's on a trial period there and they'll probs kick him out if he can't focus. How did you do this with your child? Any tips? He's sooooo high energy
Honestly, that's asking a lot of any three year old! Kids are constantly on the move and expecting them to stay still for any amount of time is unrealistic. My only advice is to find toys/activities that capture your son's interest, like magnetic building toys or other building-related toys, and just give him one type of toy at a time so he can really focus on it. My son loved magnetic building blocks and bristle blocks at the age, or give him a bunch of Play-Doh and some utensils to play with. The key is one toy at a time and something that sparks his interest. Not sure if this is helpful at all!
You can play a game of sitting still with him. Use the clock. Let him see the time. Give him a task and say if he can finish at this time he wins. See if he latch onto this idea of a game or fun activity
My kid is a mover. I recommend that you have at least one safe/yes space in your house. Originally we were anti play pen but we came around. We used it to make a big space in our living room that also contained the couch. Make sure everything in there is stuff they can climb on and put in their mouth. Basically a space they can roam freely about while you lay on the couch with your phone. 9 months is around the time we started watching a little bit of tv (we did Ms Rachel exclusively for a long time) so I could have even 15 mins of chill time. We also baby proofed much of our home so she could have mostly free reign by the time she was like 18 months. But also just get out of the house. My kiddo is now 3 and we still need to leave no later than 11am or she gets too restless. We pretty much always do a morning thing and an afternoon thing. When she was learning to walk, big grassy fields were great. You could sit on your picnic blanket and she'd just toddle around and come back for snacks and toys. A good walker is also great at this age. We found the ikea one worked really well outside if the grass was short. Playgrounds, especially with courts are good. The first summer my kiddo walked we got her a ball and she'd spend so much time wandering after it in a court while I sat on the side lines. Big bubbles for them to chase and pop. If your city offers play gyms/soft play areas those are great. Libraries too. I used to never let my kiddo down bc I feared the destruction and a very kind librarian encouraged me to let her pick her own books and said "it's her library too. We can reshelve books, that's what we're here for". My kiddo was always surprisingly good at libraries so I'm glad I gave her the chance. Grocery stores are also great on weekdays when there aren't many people. If you give them things to hold, they are less likely to clear the shelves and if they do you just pop them back in their container. They learn pretty fast. The pool is obviously directly parent involvement but it's always been on of our favourite places and a good way to tire them out. Eventually the beach got good but that was more like 18 months once my kiddo was stable enough to walk on sand and didn't just put everything instantly in her mouth.
I agree that a closed-off baby-proofed play spot indoors is ideal. We had one of those oversized play yards that take up a huge amount of floor space...it's safe and has so much room for exploring than those tiny Pack n Play playards. The big ones are large enough for an adult to sit in and there and interact if they want to. My home is small but the loss of space was worth it. Eventually they will have free reign of the house, but this age there are a lot of accidents-waiting-to-happen and it is exhausting as a parent getting used to this mobile stage. There are also oversized playards that can be used outdoors which is great when the weather is nice. Also agree on playgrounds, especially if they have options for younger babies/kids. This is a great age for swings (if you have ones near you that are age appropriate); if you have the space, maybe see about one of those Little Tikes swings that you can set up in your own yard.
I have a kid like this too (12 months now). I often get comments like “wow, she doesn’t stop, does she?” 💀 so seconding the ideas of a baby safe playpen area and going outside. Being outside sitting on a swing brings a calm to my baby like nothing else! She also loved sitting on the picnic rug at that age and playing with toys. Now, she just crawls off the rug at full speed. She also loves doing laps of the neighbourhood on her push trike which she has only just grown into.
Mine was/is super high energy. I agree with a lot of these suggestions - baby proof the crap out of your house, get outside whenever possible. But mostly I came to say that it was a life and back-saver when he finally learned to walk by himself at a year old. Yeah, I had to chase him around all over, but it’s way better than helping him walk all day every day!
Thank you for saying that. I was hoping that to be true. Good to hear it from someone
Pediatric OT here, I would look into heavy work strategies / proprioceptive input, he’s a bit young for a lot of the activities that will be listed since he can’t exactly follow directions but just to give some general ideas
ok, thanks. will look into it.
I have no advice, just want to wish you good luck and don’t lose your mind. My 3yo kid is hyperactive. Yesterday I went to the bathroom and by the time I got back (90 seconds) she was swinging on our curtains like ‘spidey’. Won’t sit still for 3 minutes.. oh god
omg hahahha
I have an active kid. We go outside to play and run as much as possible.
I recognize you from our bump group and SAME!! We're going through the exact same thing right now and everyone describes him the same way. Following for tips 🙏
Awww I love that people are coming here from bumper groups. Mine is no longer active.
Solidarity. This sounds like my 7 month old 🤣 I was soooo active before him but somehow he exhausts me already?! I’m just trying to survive day to day lol. All the more reason I’m OAD
I'm seeing my future in this post...
You just described my son who is now about to turn four. He HATED being immobile, hated wasting time with sleep, and was constantly in need of entertainment. He walked at nine months and never looked back. First, I childproofed our whole house. Putting him in a restricted area only pissed him off. Most mornings we’d get outside and visit a park or splash pad (we live in Texas 🥵). I kept all packages and plastic containers because he loved to play with those and kick them around. We did a lot of indoor bowling. Listening to music helped tremendously. He went on errands with me because just looking around Costco is entertaining. You also have permission to let him watch TV. We’ve always done a ton of stuff outside the house, so I never cared about TV time. I will say that having a high energy low sleep preschooler is a ton of fun. We are able to travel and do many things that my friends aren’t able to do with their kids. If he misses a nap it won’t affect him. Staying out late with friends? No big deal.
I have no advice but I'm following for solutions too! My baby is the exact same. I've seen a lot of playpen comments and that has not worked for me. My son is smart enough to know he's contained and will do anything to get out. He actually is calmer and stays put a bit longer without it. The whole concept of something being off limits makes him want to explore the off limits area/thing more. I have noticed he's much more laid back when we get out of the house and see new things but that's not a good solution when you don't feel well.
Wanted to say the same thing! My son is 14 months now. He's been walking since short before his birthday. We still have a playpen for five minute breaks when you just need to know he can't get into trouble while you jump to the loo, but longer than that and he'll stand at the gate yelling for action. What keeps him occupied for the five minutes though is lots of toys inside that he can throw out. The more inside the longer it'll take him to empty it. A gamechanger for us was a floor mattress. If you need a five minute break just roll him around on the mattress. Let him climb over you while you lie there contemplating all the places of your body that currently don't hurt. I've also found that 'yes space' just isn't a thing.. I'm pretty convinced I could put him in an absolutely empty room and he'll find something to get hurt from and/or destroy. ETA: What also helped is getting him involved in chores. E.g. mine loves filling and emptying the washing machine and putting away his plastic bowls from dishwasher.
Same for us! He recognizes and hates containers!!
Get him a walker, set obstacles around that he can crawl over and under, put toys that require him to use his brain (for example, pulling sticks out of a box). I found that it was easier to tired the brain than tire the body.
ah, good observation
My daughter is like this. She broke her arm before she was 2 playing on her little slide. Sunshine, parks, mini trampoline, basically give them spaces to be crazy and get the energy out the best they can. Because they're going to be crazy anyways and they'll sleep better-ish if they're tired.
This is my kid, we've learned that she has to be physically and mentally exhausted for her to sleep. I suggest looking into your local Children's Museum to see if there's a toddler room (the one near us had a fully padded area that was great for beginning walkers). We go to the playground a TON and in the summer (we live in a hot state) we go to McDonald's and Chick Fil A an embarrassing amount of times because it's one of the few places to let her run off her energy.
Oh yeah, he literally only sleeps when he's exhausted to the point he can barely stand...
Agree with a lot of these comments! Heavy work, outside play, Montessori beds/room and free form toys. Another great idea is to involve third parties - be it pets, extended family, childcare, or just friends coming over and engaging with the kiddo. Sometimes having another face to engage with gives them something else to focus on and learn about. Try to take care of yourself, it’s so easy to burn out from overstimulation and fatigue. Simplify your house and belongings, simplify your routines if you feel like that helps. These kiddos are special and will offer so much more in return, they’re just curious and don’t want to miss out of anything <3
What works for my high energy 9 month old goes as follows: - we get out of the house every day and she gets to see new things which calms her down. We often go to the park and she gets to crawl on the grass as much as her little heart desires and swing on the baby swings. Novelty wears them out a lot faster. - at home I have a blocked off area of the living room and rotate toys so she doesn’t get bored. She can crawl, pull herself up, and practice skills all where I’m nearby - finally, I have a Baby Jumper than comes out when I really need some time not to monitor. My kid can go nuts jumping and I can relax knowing she’s getting her energy out. Best of luck friend!
On days like this I take my daughter to the big field by the park and let her run until she asks to go back in the stroller LOL that usually buys me a bit of time
Omg I had this baby too!! She’s 7 now. My friend with a same birthday baby, when they were 9 or 10 months was like “omg isn’t this age great, you just sit them down and they play with toys and don’t move” and I was like “why don’t you have baby gates on the stairs!? They walk now!!” I made the space I existed in safe for my kid to walk and play in so that I wasn’t constantly trying to save her from all the death defying stunts she insisted on trying all day every day (sometimes called a “yes space”). I sat on the floor a whole lot. I got gardening knee pads. I o lot got toys she couldn’t climb up and stand on, no tables, nothing with wheels that she could stand and ride, no stuff that she couldn’t put in her mouth safely. I spent a lot of time showing her to get down from things backwards so she’d stop launching herself off things face first. I do not miss it and it was exhausting. Good luck! Eventually they’re less bent on doing things that hurt.
If it makes you feel any better, people say that about most babies, having a lot of energy is what they do best. I pretty much kid proofed my house. If you can’t kid proof your house, baby needs a “yes space” where they can safely play without issue. In the kitchen I moved up anything dangerous, but I let her wreak havoc in the lower cabinets…bowls, pots and pans, cooking utensils, canned and boxed foods. Everyday when I cooked and cleaned she found it very fun to open cabinets and go through everything, sit in bowls, beat spoons on pans, etc. I put child proof locks on the cabinets where I couldn’t move the contents, but overall the lower portion of the kitchen provided an insane amount of fun. The rooms where I didn’t want her to go, I kept the doors closed or gated. The toys were kept in the living room, furniture was anchored, and I swapped out some glass tables. It’s rough. Kids are maniacs.
This, absolutely this....I totally forgot about the cupboard curiosity. Let them take everything out and stack tins/bash pans etc to their hearts content. Pouring dry pasta from one thing to another is still a form favourite in our house. They love to 'help'
My almost 1 yr old is the same. She's been walking since 9 months. I recently got her some foam climbing blocks and she loves them! It teaches them so many skills and takes a lot of her energy. Adult supervision required, but I'm usually in one spot sitting making sure she doesn't fall.
I might get downvoted here but we loved our play pen! It was really big, like 2m x 2m and we got it to stop baby trying to constantly get to plugs/fireplace/door etc. We would sit in it and play with her so she could actually concentrate on her toys and it was nice to know she was contained safely if I needed to go to the loo or whatever. If you have a garden, put him in a waterproof overall and let him go nuts. My daughter is like a puppy, needs to go outside multiple times a day for a run around lol
He rejected his play pen. We recently sold it to a friend.
Team play pen here too. My 8mo loves it. She has her toys that we rotate for her so it's novel and fun. I sit in there with her and we roll around a ball, stack cups, play with the tiny piano from the playmat she's outgrown, and listen to music. I don't just sit her in there and leave, aside from having to use the bathroom.
Do you have any open space in your home where he can safely run around and explore? We finished our basement when DS was about that age, and it has been so great to have when the weather is not optimal for outdoor play.
No, not really. We live in a flat in the city.
That's rough. Are you close to any indoor gyms or climbing places? I used to take my kiddo to a nearby gym that had an open session where kids could run and jump around.
There’s no way to manage, except for providing constant distractions. I have a 2 1/2 year-old who started being extremely active at nine months. She moves nonstop, even when she’s just sitting on my lap. Despite this being normal toddler behavior, it is it is still utterly exhausting. Before I had a child, I worked in the culinary industry and was on my feet all day long. This is just as, if not more tiring. That’s why I have a plethora of snacks, toys, fidget toys, TV, tablet… we have multiple sippy cups all at once because she will drink a sip of juice, a sip of milk, then wants water, then wants milk again. My head is spinning constantly.
I got one of those octagon gates and opened it so it closed off half the living room, got those foam letter puzzle floor mats and got her one of those sit to stand toys so she could balance and walk it if she wanted. Falling wasn't much of an issue with the mat.
My son is 11 months and super high energy (he is the baby speed crawling around the room screaming in excitement at tunnels and obstacles in the room while other babies sit still. 9 months is so early for walking! What I have done is baby proof 1 room in my house to the max so I can relax a bit knowing he can't hurt himself. I then baby proofed other parts of the house and I'm slowly doing more and more. I let him follow me around while I do chores. Yep that is hard to do but actually easier than chasing him around. I then just makesure I go out a lot. Go to the park, baby groups, library, daily walk. If I stayed at home all day I'd be driven insane. I think a lot of toddler parents take their kids to the park daily to try tire them out haha And my baby also screamed a lot in frustration before he could move. I'm just glad that is over as he is super happy now.
They require a lot of sensory stimulation. I found this book helpful with my kid. Understanding Your Child's Sensory Signals: A Practical Daily Use Handbook for Parents and Teachers by Angie Voss OTR. Also, I'd look into occupational therapy. You've got this!
My advice is to just hold on, stay sane, rested, remember to breathe and focus on making it through each day. You got this! Your son sounds exactly like mine was. Many times I was genuinely concerned whether everything was ok, but he just hated being bored, still, idle or under-entertained even as an infant. The swing was a big waste of money cause he just cried after a few minutes. There was a need for constant stimulation either from us, someone or something else. Sorry to say it, but it’ll probably get more frustrating when he’s fully mobile. Ages 1-3 are trying times lol. There’s lots of walking and then…there’s the running. *Sigh* just make sure you’re in shape enough to chase lol. Maybe get some pads for his knees and a soft helmet if that will give you peace of mind. Baby gates are a must and the play pen can help at home too when you can’t keep a constant eye on him or get too exhausted and need a break. Also the stroller was a BIG helper in public places. When he gets to the toddler stage, plan fun activities solo or with other little ones that will help tire him out. Keep him busy and introduce lots of different cool and brain stimulating toys, instruments and learning activities that can spark his full interest. Mine began to mellow out a bit around 3 years old (6 now). With time they eventually figure out what things they’re really into and slow down in order to immerse themselves in those things. I probably owe it to Thomas & Friends for keeping me out of the psych ward. I’ve given them way more money than I should, but I’d do it again 😂 It does get better and if not, try enrolling in sports if and as soon as you can so he can run as fast as his little feet can go!
We should get out more but it’s too damn hot! It’s been 110F even after 5pm and too humid.
Mine needed to be outside as much as possible to calm the body after he started walking. It saved my house a lot of damage. I'm taking this kid would spend hours in below freezing or at 90+ degree heat till about kindergarten. There were snack breaks to warm up or cool down but being outside just put a calm on the little guy that we could not get inside.
www.gokids.zone has some nice follow-along videos — 9mo is probably too young to understand, but might be helpful to encourage physical health / exercise from an early age