We all want to support our child's development, but with so many toys, products, and opinions out there, it can feel overwhelming to know what actually matters. What really supports development, and what is just noise? Today, we are breaking down age appropriate play and simple activities that can make a meaningful difference.
Guest Speaker
On this episode we talked with Sarah Mycek. She is a pediatric occupational therapist and owner of Sensationally Balanced, an occupational therapy and natural wellness company. She has an extensive background in sensory processing disorders, motor coordination disorders, nutrition, and feeding. She is passionate about using a holistic wellness approach when working with families.
How Do I Play With My Baby?
0 to 3 Months
- Tummy time is huge for their wake windows! By 3 months old babies should have 1.5 hours of tummy time within 24 hours (cumulative, so not all at once). Place them on a firm surface.
- Good positions for tummy time: football hold, on your chest, over a boppy pillow or with a towel rolled up under their chest
- Encourage same side and opposite side movements. While baby is laying on their back, grab their hands and feet and touch their hands to toes, both same side of the body and opposite side of the body.
- Limit container play to allow them to move more. Container play means placing your infant in a restrictive setting such as bouncers, car seats, swings, and exersaucers. Change positions frequently to prevent flat head development and introduce a variety of different movement patterns.
- Prioritize face to face interactions. You are their favorite toy! Infants can only see 8 to 12 inches in front of them, so get close.
- Once in tummy time, now what? Use mirrors, cardboard books, bubbles, black and white contrasting colors, singing a song, pets, other family members, and your face. Get these items close to them. Move your head or the item side to side slowly, up and down. We want them to start visually tracking and moving their head.
3 to 6 Months
- Start introducing more actual toys here, things they can hold on to
- Play mats with hanging toys (starting to grab, reach over their head, look around)
- Teethers so they can start exploring textures with their mouth, including textured silicone straws
- You can show and teach them movement patterns. Roll them from their back into tummy time and out of tummy time to help them learn what that rolling motion feels like.
- Gently rocking and swinging babies, both in the head to toe direction and side to side direction
6+ Months
- Make sure your environment is safe for baby to crawl around and explore (outlet plugs, electric cords)
- How to help develop balance and core strength while sitting: Once your baby is starting to sit we want to encourage rotation and reaching while in that sitting position. Move yourself from side to side around them or move a toy. Put a toy out to their side or in front of them so they have to reach for it slightly.
- Once they start walking (either independently or holding your hands), encourage figure 8 or infinity walking (walking in the pattern of a figure 8). This is good for motor and visual skill development.
Key Takeaways
- Create a just right challenge! Not too hard but not too easy. For example, if your baby has mastered sitting independently and now you want to try to get them to reach out to their sides more and build core strength and balance, you can scoot their toy just a bit outside of their reach so they have to shift their weight to grab the toy. But we do not want to put the toy super far away causing them to get frustrated. Little increments at a time!
- It is ok if you are overwhelmed by all of the options and milestones!
- Do not compare to other kids' development. All kids develop at slightly different rates.
Resources
- Sensationally Balanced
- Sarah on social media: @SensationallyBalanced
- NAPA Center: Infant Activities
- Pathways.org Play Resources
This article is a companion to Episode 16 of the Functional Fourth Trimester podcast.