The No. 1 place for playtime: the floor

Side-lying, kicking, hand discovery. Your baby is already laying the foundation for major milestones like rolling over and crawling. Here’s what motor skills experts want you to pay attention to right now.

In this post:

• Activity: Side-lying brings hand awareness
• Article: 4 ideas for no-floor, less fussy tummy time
• Ask & Learn: Tummy time tips

Side-lying brings hand awareness

Use the Standing Card Holder with the Black & White Cards to engage your little one in some visual exploration while in a side-lying position. While on their side, their hands will naturally come together, and your baby may mouth them. This is what child development experts call body mapping, or making the brain-body connection that these hands belong to them.

Have your baby spend time on both sides to promote evenness across the body. A gentle hand, or rolled-up blanket, on their lower back will support them in this position. It also lets them know you are there every step of the way ❤️

4 ideas for no-floor, less fussy tummy time

Tummy time builds the muscles and coordination needed for rolling over, crawling, reaching, and playing. If your baby seems to be getting tired or starts crying, it’s time for a break.

Check out these ideas for how to do tummy time if your baby isn’t loving the floor:

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

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 thighs, belly-down, and gently rub their back. If you raise one of your legs higher than the other, they will be able to see a little more. Show them a high-contrast image and slowly move it upward to encourage them to lift their head.

Use an exercise ball

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.

What parents are asking our experts…

“During tummy time, my 12-week-old suddenly doesn’t like to put his left cheek on the floor. When we try to turn his head in the other direction, he immediately turns it back. We’ve tried using black-and-white cards and making sounds but they don’t help. What would you recommend?”

Answer: Great job being so observant about your baby’s head and neck mobility. I suggest contacting your pediatrician to share your observations about your son’s preference and get an appropriate assessment and advice. Two months is the absolute ideal age to get a therapist’s support to correct any head flattening without a helmet and to improve the symmetry of head mobility. Many pediatricians will tell families to “wait and see,” but parents can advocate for a pediatric physical therapist to evaluate for neck tightness and provide repositioning strategies—which is what I 100 percent recommend. In the meantime, I also recommend putting your son in these positions:

• Side-lying for play during his awake windows. Since he likes to turn to his right side, he is getting more pressure on the back of his head on the right. To equalize that pressure, place him on his left side with his favorite playthings or person in front of him. Place a rolled towel or your leg behind him to encourage him to stay on his side.
• Tummy-down on your chest as you snuggle him and turn his head to the left. Once his head is turned to the left, gently maintain the position and rock your body to soothe him. I encourage walking around with him in this position to engage him. If he begins to resist out of this position, let him freely move and turn his head. Then, after a break, turn his head back to the left.  

In addition, environmental modifications have proven to be effective in addressing head-turning preferences:

• Place your son on his back in his bassinet so that when you walk toward him, he has to look to his less-preferred side (left) to see you.
• While bottle- or breastfeeding him, encourage him to turn to his less-preferred side. For example, since he prefers to look to the right, hold him in your right arm and feed him with your left breast or hand, so he has to turn to the left to eat.

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