Recommended ages: 2 weeks and up

Make your baby’s face light up during tummy time!

Tummy time is an important part of your infant’s day and a good point of connection with a caregiver or sibling. Placing your baby on his tummy to play helps your child develop core strength for future milestones such as sitting, crawling, and walking.

Kari Hart, a CCRI Early Learning Team member and Quality Every Day coach, reminds parents that tummy time can start as early as 2 weeks old and should occur multiple times each day, for at least a few minutes at a time. As your baby becomes stronger, he will eventually choose tummy time on his own.

One way to make tummy time more enjoyable is to provide your baby with something to pique his interest.

• Turn on a small flashlight and place it in a plastic container, secured with a lid. 
• Turn down the lights and watch your baby’s face light up.
• Supervise your baby as he enjoys the lights – grabbing for the containers and knocking them together.  

Pro Tip: Try using multiple containers in different colors for even more fun and engagement.

Safety Tip: Your baby should be awake, placed on a firm surface, and under constant supervision during tummy time.