When your baby is awake, spending some time with you everyday, playing on their tummy can help build strength, healthy growth and development.
Why is tummy play 'Tummy Time' important?
When strapped into car seats, pushchairs or bouncers it can be difficult for your baby to practice using all their muscles. Helping your baby to enjoy active play every day can help them to enjoy activity as they grow older. Physically active children are more likely to have better well-being, improved learning, motor development and bone strength and less risk of poor health such as obesity and heart conditions.
It is recommended that infants under 1 year should:
- be physically active several times a day in a variety of ways. For infants not yet mobile this includes at least 30 minutes of tummy time spread throughout the day when awake
When to start tummy time
- From birth - little and often is best at first!
- Build up to 30 minutes spread across each day
How to start tummy time
- Choose a time when your baby seems alert and is not hungry or tired
- Try just a few minutes at the beginning, don’t worry if your baby doesn’t like it, this is common, just try again later!
- Reassure your baby with eye contact, your words and importantly by holding him/her securely with both hands
- Use your body at first and hold your baby so their tummy is close to your tummy or chest
- Be at their eye level during floor-based play, placing them in a tummy position on a soft and flat floor surface
When your baby is a bit older (3-6 months)
- As your baby grows older and more playful you can use their favourite toys to attract and distract them
- Sing songs and rhymes whilst you are playing
- Once your baby can crawl, let them crawl around the floor, ensuring it is safe
Local services and information
Hackney and City Health Visiting service
020 7683 4151 (9-5pm Monday–Friday)
huh-tr.hackneyandcityhv@nhs.net
The Children’s Physiotherapy Service based at Hackney Ark assesses and treats children who have difficulties with mobility and gross motor tasks like sitting, standing and walking due to disability or developmental delay. 020 7014 7025
Your local children’s centre can help with ideas for creating a safe floor space at home. Stay and Play sessions which run regularly provide you and your baby with an opportunity to explore tummy time in a safe and supportive space.
If you are looking for childcare, ensure that you choose somewhere which has a safe, and uncluttered space for your baby or toddler to play on the floor as well as access to a garden area.
You can also request to see their ‘Physical Activity Policy’ and ask if staff have had training in supporting baby movement.
National resources
Physical development
Tummy time and physical activity
- Physical activity for woman after childbirth poster
- Physical Activity Guidelines for 0-5 years poster
- Tips for parents/carers to make providing tummy time easier
- Keeping Baby Active (NHS)
- Start 4 Life - baby movement information
- What is tummy time? (Tiny Happy People)
- Touching and talking to baby (Tiny Happy People)
- How babies build up to their first steps film clips
- Why babies explore the world with their mouths film
- Baby movement leaflet
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