How Tummy Time Helps School Readiness - Tips To Make It Work For Your Baby
Tummy time is something you often hear you should be doing with your baby, but so many babies (and their parents and carers) seem to struggle with it. So why does everyone keep banging on about it, why is it so important and what can you do if your baby isn’t a fan? Let’s dive in and explore why tummy time is essential, how it builds skills that prepare babies for school, and how to make it more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Why Is Tummy Time Important - The Key Take Away.
Tummy time helps babies build the essential motor skills they need for crawling, sitting, and even walking. It strengthens the neck, back, and core muscles while supporting sensory, cognitive, and social development. These foundational skills are directly linked to future school readiness. If your baby doesn't like tummy time, there are simple ways to make it fun and engaging.
What Exactly Is Tummy Time?
Tummy time means popping your baby on their tummy while they’re awake and supervised. It encourages your baby to lift their head, push up with their arms, and engage their core muscles, all of which are critical for their motor development (motor development is the process of learning how to move and use your body) . But it’s not just about physical strength - tummy time also helps build brain development, coordination, and even early problem-solving skills.
Why It Matters for School Readiness:
Motor Skill Development: Helps babies develop the strength they need for crawling, sitting, and eventually walking, which goes on to support their abilities with fine motor tasks like writing and cutting.
Sensory Awareness: Encourages spatial awareness and balance, which helps them thrive with sports, reading, and even handwriting.
Problem-Solving Skills: As babies learn to reach for toys or adjust their position, they practice cause-and-effect thinking which is critical for future learning tasks.
Why Do Some Babies Struggle with Tummy Time?
Not every baby is born loving tummy time! Some babies may find it really uncomfortable or they might just not understand what’s happening and what they are meant to do yet. The key is to start small, make it fun, and build from there.
Common Reasons Babies Resist Tummy Time:
It’s Hard Work! Tummy time takes strength, which can be tiring for newborns. (Just like if I asked you to run a marathon when you'd spent the last 3 years hardly getting off the couch!)
Flat Surfaces Feel Strange: Babies who have been held and are used to being cradled might not enjoy lying flat at first.
Limited Visibility: Being face-down can make babies feel disconnected and there's not a lot to look at when you're head is stuck looking at the mat!
How to Make It More Fun:
Use a soft mat with bright toys and mirrors. That will make it more comfortable and give them something to look at.
Lie down face-to-face with your baby. They will LOVE the chance to gaze at you!
Use props like a rolled-up towel under their arms for support.
“It’s okay if your baby doesn’t enjoy tummy time in the beginning, stick with it - each tiny small step is a big win and leads to MASSIVE progress!”
When Should You Start Tummy Time?
The NHS recommends starting tummy time from day one. Start with short, sessions of 1-2 minutes while your baby is awake and start with them on you! Lie down comfortably, place your baby on your chest and if possible do it skin-to-skin. In this position your baby will be face to face with you which gives them huge motivation to lift their head so they can see you! Chat to them about what you are doing.
Tummy Time by Age:
Newborn to 2 Months: 1-5 minutes, 2-3 times daily.
2-4 Months: 10-15 minutes, 3-4 times daily.
4-6 Months: Aim for 30+ minutes total per day.
6+ Months: Don't stop now! It will be beneficial for your child to keep getting into this position each day for years to come
“You can do this! Here’s how to make tummy time work, even if your baby isn’t a fan.”
How to Do Tummy Time Without Tears
Start on Your Chest: Lie back and let your baby rest on your chest. Make eye contact, talk, or sing. Make use of skin-to-skin time if you can to add extra brain building power!
Use a Soft Surface: A tummy time mat or blanket on the floor adds comfort.
Try Props: Use a rolled-up towel or pillow for extra support under their arms.
Keep It Social: Lie down face-to-face or join your baby on the floor.
Short and Sweet: Start with just a minute or two and gradually increase.
Why This Helps:
These simple tricks turn tummy time from a chore into a fun, bonding experience that supports your baby’s development.
Research shows that even a few minutes of tummy time can help build the muscles and strength your baby will need for crawling, walking, writing and playing later in school.
Activities to Do During Tummy Time
So your baby is now on the floor on their tummy. Giving them something to do while they are there can add even more benefits for their development and school readiness!
These activities don't need to be hard. and tummy time can be fun when you add variety and playfulness! Here are some activities to keep your baby engaged:
Face-to-Face Chats: Lie down opposite your baby, make funny faces, and just have a chat. They'll love having your attention.
Mirror Play: Place an unbreakable mirror in front of your baby so they can see their reflection. Get down next to them and pop into the mirror too!
Tummy Time Toys: Use brightly coloured, easy-to-grasp toys just out of reach to encourage reaching and problem-solving.
Sensory Play Mats: Use mats with different textures and sounds to stimulate curiosity, alternatively add a textured book or sensory toys.
Music and Songs: Sing songs or play music together.
Storytime on the Floor: Read a book, look at the pictures, chat about what you see.
Use the Oliiki app for heaps more ideas that you could do in a tummy time position. Making tummy time play time will increase the length of time your baby will be happy to play!
What Happens If You Skip Tummy Time?
Skipping tummy time can result in babies not getting the opportunities to develop the muscles and brain development they need to meet important motor milestones like rolling, sitting, and crawling. Research links increased tummy time to faster development in coordination, mobility, and even learning skills like reading and writing.
Why This Matters for School Readiness:
Missing tummy time can create developmental gaps that can affect school readiness. Delays in motor skills can impact every day tasks like holding a pencil, focusing on lessons, and participating in physical activities. Who would have thought that something so simple and done so early in a babies life would have such long standing implications?!
Developmental Benefits of Tummy Time
There's SO many benefits to offering your baby daily tummy time that go way beyond just getting their body strong:
Motor Planning and Problem-Solving: Tummy time allows babies to figure out how to move their bodies, developing motor planning (the ability to plan and coordinate the movements of your body to complete tasks) and creating the foundation for problem-solving skills.
Strengthening Fine Motor Skills: Upper body strength developed during tummy time helps babies get the strength they need to be ready for writing, drawing, and using cutlery, fishing rods, and so much more!
Body Awareness and Proprioception: As they spend time on the floor and on their tummies, babies learn where their bodies are in space. This helps with coordination and confidence in their movements.
Emotional Resilience and Persistence: Let's face it when tummy time gets tough we all want to stop, but working through tummy time discomfort in short bursts helps them build their resilience and a growth mindset which is SO important in life.
Social Engagement and Interaction: As you play together during tummy time you are offering your baby eye contact, the chance to study your facial expressions, and as you play with the same toys, you're also offering them shared attention, all these help to develop their early social skills.
Link to Crawling and Beyond: Tummy time directly supports crawling, which builds crucial connections between both sides of the brain. These connections help babies develop their ability to develop their ability to navigate advanced physical and cognitive tasks as they get older.
Take tummy time slowly, build up over time and your baby or the babies you are caring for will reap the benefits now and in their future! And best of all you can start immediately and continue for years to come. If you want ideas of things to do during tummy time, download the Oliiki app, it's packed full of ideas of age-appropriate activities backed by science and grounded in research.
