The Play Space

Advanced floor play & tummy time.

As your baby begins to develop more purposeful movement, the features of their play surface and toy placement take the spotlight. 

• 1. Choose a surface that you can easily clean.

  You’re probably not out of the woods with spit up, yet. So playing on a surface that is easy to clean is still going to come in handy.

• 2. On the floor.

  Tummy time should be on the floor at this point.

  You can still enjoy lying down with your baby on your chest. But at this stage, the majority of tummy time needs to be on the floor so that the skills that originate from tummy time can begin to emerge (rolling, and later crawling).

• 3. Not too soft. Not too firm. Juuuust right.

  A mat that is too soft makes it more difficult for your baby to push up through their arms. That’s because the soft surface absorbs all of your baby’s effort. The bed is an example of a surface that is too soft. But, you want a surface that is soft enough to protect their head.

• 4. Non-slip surface.

  Now that your baby is pushing and pulling with their arms and leg, you’ll want a non-slip surface.

  Like a play mat, the carpet, or a yoga mat. Blankets often slip around on hard floor surfaces, and this makes it much more difficult for your baby to move. You don’t want them sliding around when they are trying to push up through their arms.

• 5. Variety of surfaces.

  The prior four points detail the ideal play surface for the majority of your baby’s play time. But variety is important, even when it comes to the play surface.

  Consider switching things up every now and then. Playing on surfaces with different levels of firmness (soft to firm), inclines and declines, and uneven surfaces (like a blanket over grass) can help your baby learn about how gravity affects their body in relation to the world around them. Different surfaces offer different tactile sensory experiences, too.

• 6. Have enough space to play on the floor.

  You still want to be able to comfortably lie on the floor with your baby while they play.

  If your baby has been spending most of their time playing under the play gym, you’ll want to start spreading out beyond the play gym. This will begin to give your baby a larger sense of space, encouraging a desire to move around more.

• 7. Mirror, mirror.

  Your baby is going to be much more interested in the mirror now. Set up a baby-safe mirror about 1 foot away from your baby, so they can look into it when they are on their tummy.

• 8. Mindful toy placement.

  Toy placement drives meaningful movement. At this stage, arrange toys to the sides and around your baby so that they are just within reach, equally on the left and right sides.

  Elevate toys to different heights. When toys are at various heights, it encourages your baby to look around beyond floor level.

• 9. Create novelty and interest.

  Try limiting the number of toys available in your baby’s environment at one time, and swapping toys out over time. Novelty creates interest and desire. Your baby is more likely to move toward a novel toy of interest.

• 10. Other things to consider having on hand.

  Some things to consider having on hand when you are practicing the Advanced Floor Play and Tummy Time Activities:

  Music, books & crinkle books, a rolled towel. yoga ball, pack ‘n’ play, baby play gym.

• 11. Get outside.

  Don’t forget that nature provides the best environment for sensory rich learning opportunities.