We know the benefits of tummy time for our babies: build their muscles, strengthen their core, neck, arms and legs muscles, develop their coordination, reach their physical developmental milestones… but what if your baby HATES tummy time? Does your baby wail each time you put him on his tummy? Here are 5 ways for your babies to enjoy tummy time, and at the same time, provide brain sensory stimulation for your little ones.
1. Place books in front of them.
I introduced books to my children when they were babies because I want to inculcate a love for reading in them. Begin with baby books that have contrasting pictures, as these will help stimulate their sense of sight. Read and keep talking to your little ones. They are listening! Role model and be on your tummy as well, our children can sense our excitement as we join them in their activity time!
Click here to see the list of books suitable for babies.
2. Shake rattles and sing songs
You can either use a toy rattle or make one yourself. I used an old milk bottle and placed some paper clips in them. Get down to your baby’s eye level and sing his favourite songs as you shake this rattle and dance along. Safety precaution: make sure the lid is tight, and always supervise your babies!
3. Use textured materials or sensory bags for sensorial experience
One of the first colors that babies see is red. (I guess that’s why many children like Elmo!) You can place some red tissue paper and watch how your babies explore the soft textures and sounds when they crumple the tissue paper.
If they start tearing the papers, let them be! They are making sense of what’s happening around them – specifically learning the cause and effect of tearing papers and working their finger muscles. Of course, KEEP A CLOSE WATCH! We wouldn’t want them to chew any of those papers.
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Other textured materials include DIY sensory bags. Here are some sensory bag inspirations:
- Sensory Bags for Mouthy Babies by Cando Kiddo
- 20 sensory bags that you can make by kidsactivities.com
- Dollar store sensory bags by Diary of a socal mama
4. Create a simple obstacle course (for crawling babies)
Use cushions, pillows, soft toys, gym balls to create novelty during their tummy time sessions. This is great especially for babies who show signs of crawling. If your babies can crawl, use different textures, heights and slopes for the obstacle courses at home. You may want to role model crawling across the cushions, or give them a little push to guide and cheer them on.
5. Lie on different textures
Other than doing tummy time on your chest or the bed, you can lay out yoga mats, foam mats, bubble wraps (again, supervise!), carpets etc. The different textures will help activate the brain centers responsible for touch sensations.
Don’t give up!
If your child screams and wail each time you put him on his tummy,
Let me know if these tips work for you! Share them with another mummy who just had her baby.
Looking for ways to play with your babies? Click here for more ideas and inspiration!