BABY GYM
Being developmentally ready for school means far more than just being the advised chronological age, it’s about the neurological wiring and organisation of the brain. Children who have not had the experiences that enables the brain to create the ‘wiring’ for developmental readiness will be at risk of school failure.
Baby gym is exciting & fun in preparing a child’s brain and body for the higher order challenges that school and academic learning requires, making sure that both physically and neurologically, children are ready to learn.
Table of Contents
Baby Gym is the Key Element to Learning
Early movement with baby gym and spa experiences, provide children with the essential stimulation and skills that lay the foundations for all complex thinking, doing and being. This is because movement stimulates ALL areas of the brain important for learning. We are born and programmed to develop along a specific sequence of physical milestones. These movement milestones correlate with stages of brain development. The movements and the quality of the movements within each stage of development will determine the amount of brain growth and the strength of the resulting foundations for learning. So, lots of the correct movement experiences with baby gym and spa not only makes us physically fit, but are essential for the development of key neurological pathways necessary for learning.
The brain expects certain movement experiences at certain ages and stages of development.
Movement is essential for the activation and then the inhibition of the primitive reflexes and the maturation of the postural reflexes.
We now know that in the first months of life, not only are reflexes important for survival, but babies learn to feel first movements as a result of these automatic patterns and from there, given the opportunities and time to practice, learn to gain control over their reflexive movement actions and gradually become mobile, first on their tummies and then creeping on their hands and knees. Primitive reflexes are responsible for getting babies moving and the development of their balance, muscle tone, head control, vision and even the development of how well they use their hands and feet.
Exciting Baby Gym and Spa Prepares Children for Learning
Patterns of movement like those used in baby gym and spa, stimulate the brain to develop essential neural pathways that create a solid platform for higher level thinking and learning. It could be likened to the growth of a tree. If the root structure and trunk are strong, then the tree will have healthy, thick branches that produce an abundance of leaves, flowers and fruit. The Millennium Cohort study of over 62,000 UK children being followed from birth into adulthood found that babies whose motor milestones were reached prior to the expected dates at nine months, – were more likely to be those who learnt well at school. If the primitive reflexes are not controlled or ‘integrated’ through movement experiences, the central nervous system remains underdeveloped and this can later be seen in the classroom as bad behaviour, lack of impulse control, poor social skills and difficulty in learning, despite good intelligence.
The brain needs movement as it stimulates the entire sensory system.
It is our senses that feed information into our brain about the environment. This is how the brain learns, not only about what is happening in the immediate surroundings, but also about the body and how best to respond to those environmental cues. This sensorimotor feedback loop is how a child develops body awareness, balance, coordination, postural control and automaticity of movements (i.e. they don’t have to think about them). The more practice the nervous system has at receiving and sending messages, the more efficiently it operates and the more effective a child becomes at any skill being learned.
Exciting Baby Gym, First Steps to Learning.
Children who are automatically in tune with their own body, have good body awareness, balance, postural control and coordination, can sit still and pay attention to a teacher. They can concentrate, follow a sequence of instructions and complete required academic tasks without being distracted. Children who do not develop good body awareness, are at risk of becoming clumsy, uncoordinated and frequently under-achieve at school. These children will struggle to make many movements automatic, thus ‘thinking and moving’ become problematic. Being able to ‘think and move’ underlies all coordinated movement and is needed more and more at school the older your child gets. Writing, working with tools, sport, even knowing the feeling of a body well balanced for sitting at a desk, all involve ‘thinking and moving’.
The brain needs movement to become lateralised.
Lots of the correct movement from baby gym and spa experiences ensure children develop an internal (unconscious) awareness of both sides of the body and be ‘lateralised’. This allows children to move all their body parts independently of each other and in unison, and to achieve more complex levels of brain function. By school entry, each child should have a dominant hand firmly established and be able to cross their midlines. Parents may not be aware that young children have an invisible line down the middle of their bodies, from their heads to their toes. Children need to be able to cross over this midline easily with arms, legs and eyes without twisting their bodies or heads. This ability to cross the midline repeatedly and without difficulty indicates that children are lateralised and are ready for higher-order cognitive thinking. This is crucial for success at school and sport.
Baby Gym Leads to Tomorrows Leaders
Children who have excellent motor skills are also found to be excellent learners. Researchers, Martinez Hernandez and Caçola for example, found that motor proficiency in four-year-old children is predictive of cognitive ability. A child who is not lateralised will find learning more difficult. If their eyes do not cross the midline, then they cannot smoothly follow words on a page leading to reading difficulties; if their hands cannot cross over to the other side of their body, then they cannot write easily and have to twist their paper and sit awkwardly.
The brain needs movement to prepare the visual and auditory systems for the demands of school learning.
When moving, children are developing visual perceptual skills and visual motor skills, and the more effective and efficient these are by the time a child arrives at school, the more successful the child will be at reading, writing, maths and general achievement.
Auditory sequencing skills and well-developed temporal awareness are necessary to remember the order of movements, events, numerals, letters or words. If a child’s timing and sequencing ability is ‘out’, it’s very difficult to learn or to reason logically as the child will have trouble remembering the sequence of events leading up to their conclusions.
Neuro-scientific studies now confirm that early movement and music experiences encourage skill development in auditory processing, verbal memory, language, speech processing, perception, coordination, literacy, mathematics and more.
The brain needs movement to enable genetic potential.
Movement through baby gym and baby spa is not only a key ingredient to healthy brain development; it also plays a key role in realising a child’s genetic potential. How well we learn is in part governed by our genetic potential and in part governed by our environmental experiences. Environmental factors influence the structure of the epigenome – the gene ‘switch’ that enables chemical messengers to ‘turn the gene expression on or off’. Professor Lovic a neuro-developmental scientist specialising in the effect of stress on the developing brain, reminds us that movement is an essential ingredient to genetic expression as it stimulates the release of the anti-stress chemicals, or ‘feel good hormones’ – endorphins – that ‘turn genes on’.
The Healthy Baby program encourages babies and children to achieve the essential developmental sequence of movements, optimising brain development and readiness for learning at school. Opportunities to practice, repeat and refine these movements enables primitive reflex integration, the development of muscle tone, body awareness, balance and posture, gross and fine motor coordination, cross pattern movements, laterality, motor planning, temporal awareness, sequencing and directionality. We practice auditory processing skills, visual perceptual and visual motor skills and word recognition, and because all of this is done in a fun, safe, learning environment there are plenty of those ‘feel good hormones’ running around!
Through repeated movement experiences young brains grow and connect efficient and effective message pathways that optimise brain development and provide the foundations for more complex levels of learning such as reading, writing and mathematics.
Activities for Babies
Tummy time
Tummy time is time your baby spends on their stomach while they’re awake. Doing tummy time from soon after birth helps your baby build neck, head and upper body strength to crawl and pull to stand when they’re older.
At first, your baby might not like tummy time – it might make your baby vomit or they might miss seeing you when they’re on their tummy. If this sounds like your baby, try tummy time on your chest or across your lap. This puts less pressure on your baby’s tummy and can help with problems like reflux. This position also lets your baby see your face.
You could also get down on the floor with your baby. Let your baby know you’re there by singing, talking, stroking their back or tickling their hands. Try doing tummy time on a range of surfaces, like on carpet indoors or on a blanket outside.
You can start with 1-2 minutes of tummy time and build up to 10-15 minutes several times a day as your baby gets used to it.
Tummy time can be tiring, especially for young babies. When your baby gets tired, roll them onto their back for a break before trying again.
If your baby just doesn’t like tummy time or keeps being sick, it’s a good idea to see your child and family health nurse or GP for a check-up.
Tummy time on a table
Closely supervise your baby (with a hand on their back or very close by) doing tummy time on the counter or table. They might be more willing if you are face-to-face and they get a different view of the room.
On your chest
Closely supervise your baby (with a hand on their back or very close by) doing tummy time on the counter or table. They might be more willing if you are face-to-face and they get a different view of the room.
On your chest
Put your baby on your chest on their tummy, facing you, and softly talk to them to try to encourage them to lift their head. By two and a half months, your baby will likely be able to lift their head up enough so that they can see a little ahead of them (but not yet straight ahead).
On your thighs
Put your baby on your chest on their tummy, facing you, and softly talk to them to try to encourage them to lift their head. By two and a half months, your baby will likely be able to lift their head up enough so that they can see a little ahead of them (but not yet straight ahead).
On your thighs
Try gently rolling your baby back and forth on an exercise ball. You may need to give it a couple of tries, as this kind of movement is a new feeling for your baby! Read our tummy time FAQs for expert advice on common tummy time concerns as well as Lovevery’s favorite tummy time toys.
Play ideas to encourage movement
It’s good to try plenty of different play activities with your baby. This allows your baby to move in different ways, which builds their strength and helps them learn how to use different body parts. This is all good for your baby’s motor skills development.
At 0-6 months, you could try the following ideas:
- Encourage your baby to move to music and sound by singing songs and rhymes or shaking rattles.
- Place your baby on their tummy to play for short periods several times a day.
- Give your baby ‘face time’. This involves making eye contact and getting your baby to follow your eyes and turn their head. It helps to build your baby’s neck strength and head control.
Babies aged 6-12 months might like the following activities:
- Place toys just out of your baby’s reach to encourage reaching and moving. You can also use simple toys like rattles to encourage touching and holding.
- Give your baby wooden spoons to bang on pots and pans, or sealed containers with beads inside to shake.
- Sit and support your baby upright on the floor, and move a ball or toy in front of them. This encourages your baby to follow the toy with their eyes, reach for it and grasp it.
- Encourage your baby to pull to stand. Sit your baby near furniture, and encourage your baby to pull themselves up. Make sure that your furniture is sturdy and won’t fall over.
- Encourage your baby to squat from standing. Place some toys on the ground in front of your standing baby so they have to squat to pick them up.
- If your baby can stand with support, try push-and-pull toys like block wagons. If the wagon goes too fast, put some heavy books or a bag of rice in it to slow it down.
- Make tunnels out of chairs or cardboard boxes for your baby to enjoy crawling and moving through.
Quiet, gentle activities are also important, especially for developing your baby’s fine motor skills. For example, picking up small objects or putting pegs into a bucket is good for practising small finger movements – just make sure your baby doesn’t put any small objects into their mouth. And when your baby spends time just looking at things like colourful books or pictures, it helps them get better at moving their eyes.
Current national and international guidelines recommend that children under 2 years don’t have screen time other than video-chatting with people they know, like grandparents.
Activities for Toddlers
Obstacle Course
Get creative and use whatever you have around the house to build a toddler-appropriate obstacle course. For instance, you could begin with a climb over a big pillow followed by a crawl through a cardboard box, a circle around a footstool, and finally a dash through a doorway.
Clear away any obstacles in case your child stumbles while going through the course. And, add to the fun of this toddler activity by starting the race with a whistle. You can even use a crepe paper ribbon in the doorway for them to break through at the finish line.
Hide and Seek
Some toddlers might be frightened by hiding or not being able to find you if you hide, so exercise caution when playing this game. Hide in obvious areas with a leg or arm visible at first until they are comfortable playing.
Initially, when you begin the game (by counting and then announcing “ready or not, here I come”) you may need to count for your child. You can also just count very slowly to three in order to teach counting—and then work up incrementally to 10.
If your toddler wants a turn hiding, take time to explain the unsafe places to hide particularly those where they might suffocate. For instance, they should not try to hide in a freezer or refrigerator, a plastic bin with lid, the dryer, a vehicle, or a cedar chest. You may want to limit your area of hiding to just one or two rooms to ensure you know where they are at all times.
Dance
Dancing to music is an excellent way to work in some physical activity. Toddlers are naturally inclined to love music and move their bodies along with it. Turn on some boppy tunes while making lunch or to get your child motivated to clean up their toys.
You also can be more spontaneous if you want and pick three random songs and just start grooving. Or, you can plan a little dance party for your toddler. The key is to get them moving to the music and make it fun.
Organized Exercise
If you already do some type of organized exercise at home, like aerobics or yoga, get your toddler involved. While it is unlikely your toddler will want to do the entire workout with you and will instead opt to play nearby, you can invite them to join you for the warm-up or maybe just the last 10 minutes.
You can also build in an additional toddler-friendly 10 minutes at the end to cool down or even add a special yoga sequence just for them. Even though this workout might be for your benefit, it is a good idea for them to share this experience with you and learn from your example.
Stretching
Stretching is a great way to squeeze in some physical activity. You can teach your toddler to stretch each morning or practice stretching after you have been sitting for a while, such as after reading or watching a movie.
Call out stretches like, “reach to the sky and keep reaching,” “touch your toes,” or “bend to the side.” Just keep it simple and show your little one how to stretch their muscles. Soon they will be able to do it on their own.
Parade
The point of a parade is something near and dear to a toddler’s heart—showing off and celebrating. So anytime you have cause, put on some marching music and go.
New shoes, potty training success, or mastering a new skill? These are all reasons to happily strut through all the rooms of the house. Or, you can play dress up and have a parade as part of the experience. If your child knows or is learning how to gallop, skip, or hop, incorporate these moves into your parade too.
To make your parade even more enjoyable, help your child decorate a banner or sign to carry. Then arrange a crowd of stuffed animals to watch, and wave to them as you parade past.
Scavenger Hunt
Pick several toys, balls, or other objects and hide them around your home. You can create a list with drawings or pictures of the objects and help your toddler cross them off.
Refrain from hiding things in difficult spots and exercise caution when hiding beloved objects like security blankets or pacifiers. Always ask your toddler first before hiding these items.
Some toddlers love this idea and think it’s fun to find their favorite things. But others might have a meltdown at the mere thought of being separated from their most prized possessions.
Find the Timer
Hide a ticking kitchen timer set to 5 minutes. Your toddler should be able to detect the ticking noise getting louder as they get closer.
The object of the game is to find the timer before it goes off, so try to set them up for success by choosing a hiding spot they are likely to find. You can also indicate closeness by saying “hotter/colder” or by clapping faster or slower as they approach the object.
Be prepared to play this game multiple times. Many little ones will really enjoy the challenge of finding the timer. They also may enjoy setting the timer and hiding it for you as well.
Up and Down Game
Let your toddler hold an object (flags are especially fun for this game) and tell them to raise it high if you say a word that is high or hold it low if it’s something that is low. So, if you say “ant” then they would hold the flag low because ants are usually on the ground. And, if you say “sky” they would hold the flag high.
Vary the game by having them jump when something is high or crouch low when something is low. Overall, this game is a great way to not only get them moving but also to challenge them intellectually.
And if they respond “high” when you think it should be low, ask them in fun way why they chose their answer (maybe the ants have climbed a tree!). Some toddlers may even decide to make the game more interesting by purposefully giving the wrong answers. Be sure to laugh and play along with their silliness.
Balancing
Balancing is more than just a physical activity; it builds cognitive skills and helps your toddler learn body awareness. To start, use something flexible like a small beanbag and have your toddler try to walk a few feet with it balanced on their outstretched hand or on their head.
Once they have experienced success with a soft, flexible item, try other tasks like balancing a small board book on the head or walking across a room with a ball resting on a spoon.
Ball Activites
If you have the space to play with balls inside, go for it. Sit with legs spread and feet touching and roll a ball back and forth to each other. Extend the activity by trying to roll and catch with just one hand or by catching the ball with eyes closed.
Another fun ball activity is a bit like a relay race. If you have any area that forms a circle in your home, begin in one room and walk quickly through the other rooms in a perfect circle. You can also use a couch or a rug as destination spots.
Tell your child to stay in one spot while you walk quickly or jog around with the ball. Pass the ball to them and tell them to follow the same route to get the ball back to you. You can also use other objects like a stuffed animal or doll.
Painter’s Tape
The wonderful thing about painter’s tape is that you can stick it to floors and walls without worry of it damaging the surfaces. Plus, it is usually blue and can be easy for toddlers to see.
Use your painter’s tape to create a hopscotch game in the hallway. Or, you can create different lines on the floor and have your toddler try to walk along them without falling off. Pretend that the floor around the painter’s tape is water and that they do not want to fall in.
You can even use painter’s tape to create a bullseye on the wall and have your toddler throw crumpled paper at the target. See how many times they can hit the target.
Balloon Tennis
Every toddler loves a good balloon toss and there is very little risk of things getting broken when you use balloons. So, blow up a few balloons and grab some paddles from the ping pong table (or create your own with paper plates and popsicle sticks) and play balloon tennis.
You can also play hot potato or balloon volleyball. Just be sure to keep the bag of balloons out of your toddler’s reach, as they can be a choking hazard. Also talk to your toddler about the importance of not putting the balloon near their mouth. Clean up the pieces immediately if a balloon happens to pop.
Spider Web
Use double-sided tape to create a spider web on a poster board. If your toddler is interested, allow them to help make the web.
Then prop up the poster and arm your toddler with a bag full of cotton balls. Have them toss the cotton balls at the spider web to see how many they can get to stick.
Try variations of the game by having them stand on one leg when tossing the cotton ball or using different hands to throw. They also can see if they can form different patterns on the web with the cotton balls.
Clothespin and Milk Jug Games
Take a half-gallon or gallon plastic milk jug and clean it thoroughly. Purchase old-fashioned ball-top clothespins that don’t have a spring. They are constructed of a single piece of wood and fit easily inside the opening of the jug.
For fine motor practice, let your toddler fill the jug. As an added bonus, have them practice counting the clothespins as they place them inside the jug.
Then, for a fun physical activity, have them hold the jug upside-down by the handle and shake it vigorously until all the clips fall out. They also can try jumping to see if that helps the clothespins fall out. Then make cleaning up another fun activity!
A Word From Very well
Keeping your toddler physically active—and entertained—is no easy feat. But with a little creativity and planning, you can have a few fun games up your sleeves for those days when you cannot get outside to play.
Just remember that your toddler’s attention span is short at this age. Depending on your toddler’s interest, activities may not last long before they are ready to move on to something else. Of course, some toddlers will stick with something a little longer if they are really having fun, but shoot for 10 minutes of structured physical activity three or more times a day.
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