My daughter had triplet girls at 28 weeks and they obviously had to spend a long time in both intensive care and special care. The girls are fine and about to celebrate their 4th birthday. I was simply another pair of much needed hands during the first year, even in the SCU. I stayed for weeks together and cooked loads of meals, fed babies, changed nappies and helped to keep everyone's sense of humour intact. Hours and hours have been spent reading to them ever since they were tiny, not just at bedtime but once or twice during the day too. They watch virtually no TV just the odd well chosen DVD on rainy days. We find reading books has a calming effect and stimulates their imagination. I collect children's books and so does my daughter. One can get hold of some brilliant children's books on eBay and abebooks for a fraction of the usual price. I put my current favorites in a big box and take it with me when I visit by car.
Another tip is to get just one set of toys out at a time then put them away and try something else when they drift off. Variety is the trick.
Let them watch you doing real things, even if it is just washing up or peeling potatoes. And as soon as it is feasible let them join in, my granddaughter (3) was grating the cheese this evening and my grandson (4) loves cracking eggs! But before they could even sit up we used to put them in their bumbos and perch them of the worktop just to watch - they loved it!
That is enough!
