But not the kind you’re thinking of! This Independence Day doesn’t just happen on July 4th. It happens when your little one is able to play by him or herself alone…so you can be, well, alone and independent as well! Here are a few tips on how we got our son to explore his space and become comfortable with mommy leaving the room…

1) Use a pack and play- This is the first step towards baby independence. When Cody was able to sit up (about 4 months), we would sit him in the pack and play with a few toys, just so he could get used to this “cage-thingy”. The pack and play we had was a Graco Bugs Quilt Pack and Play. (See reviews here) It is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen! Cody was very interested in the side walls because each wall has a different toy securely attached to the wall. Once he could stand (9 months) I would leave him in there to play longer, so that I could wash the dishes, check email or, even use the bathroom in an emergency!! (All within close proximity so I could still spy on him…NEVER leave a child unattended!) Of course he would fuss but after 2 minutes…he found something that would catch his attention and start playing away! Leaving them crying or fussing is hard but they’ll get over it…sometimes it’s harder for the parent then the baby!

2) Baby proof the baby’s room- When Cody was crawling, I would shut his door and let him cruise around his room while I helped him explore. Now, there’s not much private time to be had by you here but they do need to get out of their play yard from time to time! Baby proofing leads into the next tip;

3) Use a baby gate- After Cody started walking (11 months), we went ahead and let him have his room to himself. We use a baby gate on the door (so he can still see us but not explore the house). Our house is very old and dangerous so Cody’s room is the safest room for him to play in. Other homes might be different, a living room, den, or play room might work just as well. Cody absolutely loves this! He has a box of toys that is easy to get to, books on a table, and stuffed animals to wrestle. He will usually play for about an hour (longer if I play with him) and if he doesn’t want to play, it usually means he is tired.

This process has taken awhile. It’s not something that happens overnight. In order to make sure your baby learns to be independent, you need to start slow and increase their alone time a little more every day. Believe it or not, your baby WANTS to play by themselves, and that means alone time for you! Happy Independence Day!

Here are some more tips and ideas about kids’ play.