TUMMY TIME TIPS
TUMMY TIME TIPS AND ACTIVITIES --FOR BABIES UNDER 6 MONTHS-- TO INCREASE THEIR TOLERANCE AND BEAT BOREDOM…
Make use of a boppy (or a nursing pillow… or place your baby over your lap)
It puts your infant at an incline, making it easier for them to lift and hold their head up for longer periods of time and opens up the room for them because they can see more of their surroundings from that position
Allows baby to reach, touch and grasp before he or she is able to shift all of their weight to one arm in order to free the other arm for one of these tasks.
Of course, one of the key benefits of Tummy Time is strengthening your baby’s upper body through weight-bearing on their arms – so you won’t want to do every Tummy Time with a boppy, but it’s a nice way to change things up and keep them interested.
Change the way you put your baby in Tummy Time
If your baby hates tummy time or protests it because they’re bored of it, try beginning with your baby on their back on a soft surface. Take a moment to have face-to-face time until they’re relaxed. Then slowly roll your baby on to their side and talk, sing, stroke them until they’re relaxed in this position. Then slowly roll them on to their belly and continue interacting with them.
Let your baby practice tummy time on your chest. Just lay down on your back on the bed, and have them do their tummy time on you!
Be aware of your toy placement
Placing a toy too far away from a baby before they’re ready for the challenge will encourage them to hate Tummy Time! The ideal spot to place a toy during Tummy Time is right where your baby can see it with their head lifted. But this placement changes as they grow. In the early weeks when they can barely lift their head, the toy should be right in front of their face (barely beyond their forehead). As they learn to lift their head higher and their field of vision increases, the toys can be placed just an inch or two away.
Get creative with household items and give them new things to explore
Float a bath toy in a shallow pan or Tupperware…this gives them an opportunity to not only increase neck strength and head control but also to follow the slow-moving object with their eyes -- this is called “visual tracking” and helps with brain development. *NEVER LEAVE YOUR BABY ALONE WITH WATER, THEY CAN DROWN EVEN IN VERY SHALLOW LEVELS OF WATER
Place fruits or herbs with particularly pungent aromas (strawberries, lemons, rosemary, thyme) in a shallow pan or Tupperware within arm’s reach of them. Let them take in the new smells and textures. *DON’T FORGET TO WASH THE FRUIT AND THEN THEIR HANDS WHEN DONE
Place a sturdy piece of white paper in a large Ziploc bag. Before sealing the bag, dab a bit of different color paints in several spots on the paper. Close up the bag, put it in front of your infant and let them go to town.
Place a few ping pong balls in a muffin tin…this gives them an opportunity to practice their fine motor skills)
Make sensory bags to place within arm’s reach. Place objects that would otherwise be a swallowing/choking hazard (buttons, marbles) into a large Ziploc with some colored liquid such as hair gel, body wash or baby oil, squeeze out the air before sealing (and then perhaps place that bag in an additional Ziploc for safety). Put in front of your infant and see what happens. Other sensory bag options: shaving cream, sand and water, finger paint, mini erasers, glitter
Make “grasping baskets” to place within arm’s reach: fill baskets with paper towel rolls cut into half inch pieces, loofas, play rings or small gourds.