Tummy time is an important activity that is recommended for babies from birth. There are a number of benefits from tummy time, including assisting infants to develop the muscular strength, control and coordination of their head, neck, shoulders and eventually, the rest of their bodies. While your baby is spending time on their tummy they are also helping to prevent tight muscles in their neck and shoulders and decrease the risk of developing flat spots on the back of their head. Tummy time also assists in the development of fundamental locomotive skills such as rolling, crawling and sitting.
The National Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep Recommendations for Children (Birth to 5 years) recommend that babies participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of tummy time each day. This time may be spread out throughout the day depending on the individual baby, beginning with 2-3 minute blocks of time and then gradually increasing the time spent on their tummy to 10-15 minutes.
Some babies take to tummy time really well, however others dislike being on their tummies and this can make it challenging. If your baby dislikes tummy time, why not try to incorporate it into some fun play activities like the ones mentioned below.