In our previous blog post, we talked about the importance of tummy time, how much tummy time your baby should be getting, and how to progress tummy time. Now that we have discussed all of the details of tummy time; it is time to discuss how we can make tummy time easier, more enjoyable, and more fun for both you and your baby.

Routine

Try and identify if there is a time during the day that your baby tolerates being on their belly better than other times; do they do best on their belly right after they wake up or right after a diaper change? If so, try to consistently incorporate tummy time at that same time each day, making it part of your daily routine so it’s not something you have to continually remind yourself to do. If your baby doesn’t tolerate tummy time very long, start with short sessions and gradually increase as your baby becomes more comfortable.

Babies love looking at faces, so get down to eye level with your baby while they are on their tummy. Not only will this encourage them to lift their head to look at your face, but will also help them feel comforted knowing that you are right there and distract them from being on their belly.

Babies don’t only love to look at other people’s faces, they love to look at their own! Find a toy that has a mirror on it or a small inexpensive mirror and place it at an angle so your baby has to lift their head to see their reflection. This will help keep them happy, entertained, and distracted from the fact that they are on their belly.

Tummy time isn’t just about your baby being on their belly, it is playtime! Babies love colorful toys that make noise. Figure out what toys your baby likes best and use these to keep your baby engaged and entertained during tummy time!

Play mats are a great way to keep your baby engaged during tummy time and act as a great way to designate a space that is specifically for tummy time. If you can’t get a mat, using a colorful or patterned blanket can work just as well. Just like with toys, contrasting and bright colors will help keep your baby engaged.

We already talked about how using toys can help make tummy time more fun. To add some visual development to the mix, move the toys side to side and up and down to allow your baby to work on visual tracking skills. Make sure to move them far enough that your child has to move their eyes and head in order to follow.

Not only do babies love looking at faces, but interacting with faces is one of the earliest ways your baby starts to learn social skills. Make silly faces, stick out your tongue, and make noises, your baby will learn these things and start to mimic you!

This is an important skill for babies to learn and practicing while they are on their belly helps improve hand eye coordination. Simply place toys just within reaching in all directions to encourage your baby to use their arms to reach for their toys.

Sensory exploration is important for babies and can be started earlier than you may think! Sensory bags are a great way to keep your baby happy and engaged during tummy time. Simply take a ziploc bag and fill it with a “background” substance such as water, sand, rice, paint, hair gel, etc. and then place in small items such as leaves, beads, marbles, googly eyes, buttons, etc. Make sure that the bag is sealed up nicely (you can add tape around all the edges just to be safe) and let your baby explore the bag during tummy time! If your baby hasn’t started reaching while on their belly yet, simply use a pillow or rolled towel under their chest to free up their hands for playing!