Baby Exercises
Here are some simple but effective fun ways to get baby moving. Doing some Baby Exercises ten minutes, three times a day, will help your little one reach those all important milestones.
Tummy Time
Your paediatrician has probably explained to you how important it is for baby to have tummy time. It helps baby strengthen their neck and back muscles, but also the arm muscles. When baby is on their tummy, they learn to push up on those little arms to better see the world. This is a great baby exercise that you can start from birth. Place baby on their belly at least two to three times a day. Don’t worry; you won’t have to hear your baby protest for too long – three to five minutes of tummy time per session is good enough. As baby gets older, increase the length of each tummy time session.
Encourage with Toys
Let’s face it, tummy time can get boring – so stimulate your baby with books, toys and the little craft pillows we make. They’ll want to push up on those arms and get a better view of their surroundings, especially those colourful pillows and pictures in the books. Place a few favourite toys and books just out of their reach to encourage your little one to reach out, stretching those arms and strengthen those muscles as they pushes up and reaches out to get what they want.
Work It Baby
Try working baby’s arms with a few simple exercises that they will enjoy. Place your finger in baby’s hands and let him practice his grip. This will help them to strengthen hand and arm muscles as they hold onto your fingers – try moving your hands around so that they learn to hold on and follow. You can also hold baby’s little hands and gently move arms up, down and across baby’s chest.
Dance Baby Dance
Even little babies love a good tune, and can’t help but get moving. Turn on your favourite music that makes you want to dance, start clapping your hands and shimmying with baby. Let baby sit or lie down, and try putting a rattle in their hand. Let them shake it and move their arms to the music – this will strengthen arm muscles and improve coordination, too.
Baby Pullups
When your baby can sit up, even with support, help them practice getting into a standing position. Hold onto baby’s hands and gently pull baby from a seated into a standing position. You can count or say “up we go!” or something that will bring a smile to their face. They think it’s a fun game, whilst building up those baby muscles.
Baby Standup
This is a great one for the dads to learn as Dads love tossing little ones into the air. Your little ones are starting to roll, and hold their heads up for extended periods of time and maybe even starting to crawl. This is the best age to start teaching your little ones how to stand straight with both feet flat on the ground.
Hold your little ones under their arms and raise them above your shoulders into the air and give a little bounce.Â
Bring your little one straight down gently to a standing position whilst continue to hold their weight.Â
Majority of babies will bring their legs together and land with their feet flat on the floor.Â
If their legs don’t come down flat and straight, then give them another week before trying again.
