Baby Movers

Physical development starts for your baby as soon as they are born.

View Activities:

Tummy Time

Babies develop top down, learning to get control of their heads first and learning to stand up on their feet last. You can help your baby get control of their head, neck and shoulders with tummy time activities.

Play

Here are some simple ideas for including tummy time play with your child!

15 Tummy Time Activities

Soft Snuggle

Hold baby up against your shoulder or into your chest

Notice how baby tries to lift their head briefly from your shoulder or chest

Sing some songs to your baby whilst rubbing their back

Sway and move gently to the music allowing baby to keep lifting their head
for a few seconds whilst still helping them control their head

Baby Bird

Carry baby in your arms face down

Walk around with baby and tell them about what you can see around you, inside and out

Your baby will be trying to lift head for longer as the movement stimulates the balance systems

Chest Chill

Relax on your sofa / bed or on some pillows with your baby lying on your chest looking at your face

Smile and look into babies eyes

You can rock side to side gently and hold their arms out to the side

Soothing Songs

Sit down with your legs outstretched

Have your baby's chest against your legs

Sing some songs to your baby whilst rubbing their back

Hold a black and white toy for baby to look at and encourage lifting of their head

Magic Mirror

After a few weeks get on the floor with your baby in tummy time face to face

Place baby on the mat with the roll / rolled up towel under their chest

Use the mirror at an angle so the baby can see their face

Move the mirror away and back to surprise them

Now use toy to play for a few more minutes

Flying Fun

When baby has GOOD HEAD CONTROL

Lie on your back with your knees bent

Hold baby facing you supported on your shins

Hold baby safely and then move gently to pretend they are flying

Dream Dive

Carry baby in your arms face down

Walk around with baby and tell them about what you can see around you, inside and out

Baby will be trying to lift head for longer as the movement stimulates the balance systems

Scarf Surprise

Get down on the floor with your baby in tummy time face to face

Hide your face behind the scarf and then move it to say peek a boo and smile at your baby

Encourage baby to reach for the scarf and pull it off

Cloud Kicks

Place baby on the mat with a baby gym or have black and white toys

Bring toys above baby to engage them

Lean over and talk to baby smiling and making noises that get babies attention

Rosy Roll

Place baby on the mat with a baby gym or use the black and white toys

Bring toys above baby to engage them and move toys to their side encouraging them to roll over

Talk to baby and sing to get babies attention

Sensory Sway

Play and look at a sensory ball – as it rolls over, roll and move baby over they can grab onto the sensory ball

Sitting Sounds

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Cloud Cuddles

Super Sitting

Place baby on mat with cushions around back and side

Place toys in reach to keep baby’s attention

Extend the time baby can sit by using their balance and core together

Try sitting behind baby and using your legs to support if they topple

Dream Dancer

Place baby on mat with cushions around back and side

Use bells to sing and move together whilst in a sitting position

15 Tummy Time Activities

Soft Snuggle

Hold baby up against your shoulder or into your chest

Notice how baby tries to lift their head briefly from your shoulder or chest

Sing some songs to your baby whilst rubbing their back

Sway and move gently to the music allowing baby to keep lifting their head
for a few seconds whilst still helping them control their head

Baby Bird

Carry baby in your arms face down

Walk around with baby and tell them about what you can see around you, inside and out

Your baby will be trying to lift head for longer as the movement stimulates the balance systems

Chest Chill

Relax on your sofa / bed or on some pillows with your baby lying on your chest looking at your face

Smile and look into babies eyes

You can rock side to side gently and hold their arms out to the side

Soothing Songs

Sit down with your legs outstretched

Have your baby's chest against your legs

Sing some songs to your baby whilst rubbing their back

Hold a black and white toy for baby to look at and encourage lifting of their head

Magic Mirror

After a few weeks get on the floor with your baby in tummy time face to face

Place baby on the mat with the roll / rolled up towel under their chest

Use the mirror at an angle so the baby can see their face

Move the mirror away and back to surprise them

Now use toy to play for a few more minutes

Flying Fun

When baby has GOOD HEAD CONTROL

Lie on your back with your knees bent

Hold baby facing you supported on your shins

Hold baby safely and then move gently to pretend they are flying

Dream Dive

Carry baby in your arms face down

Walk around with baby and tell them about what you can see around you, inside and out

Baby will be trying to lift head for longer as the movement stimulates the balance systems

Scarf Surprise

Get down on the floor with your baby in tummy time face to face

Hide your face behind the scarf and then move it to say peek a boo and smile at your baby

Encourage baby to reach for the scarf and pull it off

Cloud Kicks

Place baby on the mat with a baby gym or have black and white toys

Bring toys above baby to engage them

Lean over and talk to baby smiling and making noises that get babies attention

Rosy Roll

Place baby on the mat with a baby gym or use the black and white toys

Bring toys above baby to engage them and move toys to their side encouraging them to roll over

Talk to baby and sing to get babies attention

Sensory Sway

Play and look at a sensory ball – as it rolls over, roll and move baby over they can grab onto the sensory ball

Sitting Sounds

Cloud Cuddles

Super Sitting

Place baby on mat with cushions around back and side

Place toys in reach to keep baby’s attention

Extend the time baby can sit by using their balance and core together

Try sitting behind baby and using your legs to support if they topple

Dream Dancer

Place baby on mat with cushions around back and side

Use bells to sing and move together whilst in a sitting position

Sitting

Sitting requires your baby to have controlled weight shifting from side to side and forward and back which takes lots of strength and balance to do… and of course practice!

Give your baby opportunities to practice sitting, whilst supporting and staying close by but letting them explore their own balance and body movements.

Independent Sitting

Sitting & Reaching

Sitting to Crawl

Crawling

Crawling is a VERY IMPORTANT activity for your child. Crawling links uses both sides of the body and develops co-ordination and brain processing.

It helps them develop shoulder and arm strength as well as back and core strength!

Make sure that you have mats, carpets or rugs for them to crawl as hard floors encourage children to bum shuffle and stand which misses out the VERY IMPORTANT crawling stage.

Commando Crawling

Help your baby crawl

15 Crawling Activities

Cloud Crawl

Sit your baby on your bed so when they come onto their front it’s nice and soft

Encourage them to move forward using the crinkly cloth so it’s just out of their reach

Encourage them to put their hands forward and rock over to their front or tummy

Creepy Crawlers

When your baby is in a sitting position on the floor, set some toys out in front of them slightly to the left or right

The toys shouldn’t be too far out of reach so that they get frustrated, but just far enough away so your baby has to reach and move around to get them

Finding Fun

Place toys on the mat / floor just out of reach of sitting baby

Encourage them to reach and crawl on tummy for them

Place more toys for more motivation to move forward on their tummy and reach for the toys

Crawling helps your baby develop shoulder and arm strength as well as leg and bottom strength

Mirror Madness

You will need a mirror and a toy

Place baby on the mat on their front

Use the mirror at an angle and move it just in front of them to encourage them to move forwards to reach it

Crawling helps your baby develop their back and core strength

Super Scarf

Sit a little bit away from your baby

Wave the scarf to get their attention, encouraging them to crawl towards you and grab the scarf

You can hide your face behind the scarf and then move it to say peek a boo and smile at your baby Crawling helps your baby develop separation of different parts of the body

Tunnel Time

Place toys at the end of a tunnel

Put your baby at the end of the tunnel on their front slightly inside the tunnel

Peak through the tunnel on the opposite side and move the toys to excite them and encouraging them to crawl through the tunnel

Catching Colours

Roll your brightly coloured ball across the floor to excite your baby

Encourage them to crawl after the ball

Pop Play

As your child crawls through the tunnel shake gently whilst making some fun noises like POP

Add in a pillow under the tunnel so your child has to crawl over a soft bump

Dreamy Dare

Baby may rock back and fore before figuring out their own way to creep along

Help your baby learn the motor pattern for coming out of sitting by supporting them onto a side-lying position

From sitting move your baby onto their side extending their arm to support onto the floor then rolling onto the back – do this on both sides

Baby Bounce

In a sitting position, you can bounce and bop to some music

From this sitting position, support your baby to reach towards a toy on the floor so they transition into a tummy crawl forwards to the toy

Change which side you place the toy for your child to work both sides of the body as they move from sitting to tummy crawling with your support

Rainbow Reach

Motivate your baby with toys to encourage them to come forward

Move the toys in a rainbow arch to get their attention and then clap and sing as they crawl forward to keep their attention coming forward

Singing Stars

Sing your favourite nursery rhymes using some bells and encourage your child to crawl towards you

Give them lots of encouragement when they arrive and let them grab the bells off you to play with

Keep singing and move to a different place to get them to crawl to you again

Cheeky Chase

Give your child a gentle tickle and pretend to chase them as they crawl away

When you catch them you can lift and spin them around gently

Pop them back on the floor to continue the cheeky chase

Shake Shake

Sit at the opposite end of the tunnel to your baby and peek your head through to smile and engage your baby

Place some toys or teddies in the tunnel near your end

Shake the tunnel and make the teddies move to encourage your baby to crawl towards the toys

Soft Snuggle

Lay some blankets and soft pillows out for your baby to crawl and manoeuvre over

When your child crawls towards you greet them with lots of excitement and a big snuggle

Then move to a different place for your child to turn and crawl to you again

Fun, engaging activities for parents to play with their children anywhere

Coming Soon

Mini Movers Equipment

Children need the right equipment and activities for their stage of development. Learn about equipment for supporting your child on our dedicated page

View Equipment

Baby Movers

View Activities:

Tummy Time

Here are some simple ideas for including tummy time play with your child!

15 Tummy Time Activities

15 Tummy Time Activities

Sitting

Independent Sitting

Sitting & Reaching

Sitting to Crawl

Crawling

Commando Crawling

Help your baby crawl

15 Crawling Activities

Coming Soon

Mini Movers Equipment

Evidence for moving

Coming soon

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