Tummy Time Toy Ideas
Tummy Time is better together!
Tummy time is unbelievably important in supporting healthy child development. Because of this, as a physical therapist, I want all babies to enjoy playing and engaging while being on their tummies!
So why is tummy time important?
When your baby spends time playing on his tummy, it:
Helps your baby lift, support and control his own head.
Teaches your baby to turn his head to open his airways.
Strengthens your baby’s muscles.
Teaches your baby to weight-shift his body, hands and arms and improve balance and coordination.
Prevents your baby from developing a flat spot on the back of his head
Reduces the risk of Torticollis which restricts your baby’s head and neck movements.
Promotes your baby’s visual tracking of objects that are close and far away and increase environmental awareness.
Develops your baby’s abdominal muscles and postural strength for the next phases of sitting up, crawling and walking.
Promotes motor control, planning and encourage sensory integration.
To make tummy time more fun and engaging, I have created a list of tummy time toy favorites! Active engagement with your baby during tummy time makes it more enjoyable for both you and your baby. Mirrors, crinkling toys/books, and rattles are great starters.
Tummy Time is also a great time to read to your baby while playing with the intonations in your voice to capture attention. Singing is also a great way to bond and regulate their arousal levels and you do not have to be a Billboard Artist to sing to your baby either!
For fun toy ideas, click on the link to check out my Amazon Tummy Time Toy List.