Bouncers are great things for giving you a break when you need it. Unfortunately the use of bouncers is controversial due to the potential developmental risks. I firmly believe that babies can still learn and development in a bouncer, just on different skills. In this page I want to share some of the accessories you can use with a bouncer to help avoid the risks of the bouncer.
While I do love bouncers, I know that there are risks which I must always be mindful of to allow my child to use them safely. I encourage you to read my page on the risks of bouncers, and also my page on the benefits of bouncers. Read through those to make sure you are approaching bouncers with eyes wide open and you know how to use them properly.
Also be aware that not all bouncers are compatible with all of these accessories. When you look at bouncers or toys, make sure you find ones that are compatible with your situation.
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Detachable Toy Bar/Arch
The primary complaint about bouncers that I’ve seen is the potential damage to a child’s development progress. You can read more about that in the above link to my other page which covers this in detail. This complaint is completely valid. Bouncers do restrict a baby’s movement and ability to explore.
That doesn’t mean though that they stop learning. Toy bars are items which can attach to a bouncer and have a number of toys attached to them. These encourage the baby to reach out and learn how to use their hands, how to grab, turn, and manipulate the toys.
It seems that these items are very manufacturer specific. You need to buy one that is designed for your bouncer, and not all bouncers are designed for one.
Here’s a couple examples from Amazon:
Activity Gyms
For those of us with a bouncer that doesn’t allow a toy bar or arch, all hope is not lost. Consider using an activity gym. The benefit of activity gyms is that you get two uses in one. Outside of the bouncer your baby can lay in the gym to move around and play with the toys. Inside the bouncer you can slide the gym over the bouncer and give your child access to those toys as well. It’s beautiful. Here’s what it looks like: { add photo here }
With the little loops that the gyms use, you can even get new toys and swap them in and out for even more learning and excitement.
Here’s some examples of good activity gyms on Amazon:
Sun Shade/Canopy
If your house gets a lot of natural light, or you want to use the bouncer outside, then a sun shade would be a great addition. Some bouncers already come with one, but if it doesn’t, then you might want to look for one. It’s hard to be active, looking around, and learning if the sun is shining in your eyes and blinding you.
This is one item that can be a little tough to find though. One possible solution is to find an activity center and put it around the bouncer kind of like the activity gym.
Here’s a couple ideas I found on Amazon
As with everything concerning bouncers, I urge caution with these. If you add a sun shade to your bouncer, just make sure that either your baby cannot reach it or that they cannot pull it down over their face. Also be sure that if they pull on the shade it doesn’t make the bouncer unstable.
Infant Support
This accessory is specifically one to help them learn and develop. It’s a support that helps very young babies sit in a bouncer safely. I includes padding that fits around the head to hold the baby in place since the baby cannot move on their own. The ability of a newborn’s head to tilt and cut off their breathing is serious.
Hopefully your bouncer came with one of these. However if it didn’t, and you are planning to use your bouncer with a baby that cannot support their head on their own, then you need one.
Take a look at some of these examples from Amazon:
Toy Strap
You don’t need a toy bar or activity gym to give your child toys in their bouncer. Toys that are loose and portable also work. You can set them in the bouncer with the baby so they can grab them and lift them up.
Unfortunately those toys will typically end up on the floor quickly and often. What do you do then? Just pick it back up and give it to them to put back in their mouth? Do you wash it every time and make bouncers more of a hassle then they are worth? No. Just use a toy strap. If you use a pacifier, you might be able to use the same strap that holds the pacifier off the floor. Just take off the pacifier and wrap the strap around the toy.
Here’s some examples of straps from Amazon:
