Gross motor development
A nonmobile infant practices body balance and control as part of guided tummy time with a caregiver.
Be Prepared: The activity description suggests use of one or several different toys to engage the infant’s interest, including a nonbreakable mirror, a doll or puppet, a bell, and bold pictures.
[Provide a short supervised tummy time period for an infant to strengthen his/her neck and back. Lay the infant on his/her stomach on a firm surface on the floor. Sit on the floor very close to the infant. Place several colorful toys on the floor around the infant, about 12 inches away. Talk to the infant with a friendly, assuring tone. Bend lower to let the infant see your face. Example: “Hi Rose. You are on your tummy. Now you see me. You are doing a good job lifting your head up. You see our toys.”]
[Gently place your hand on the infant. Talk to the infant about the experience in your own words as if he/she understands you. Example: “This is tummy time. You are resting your cheek on the pad and looking at the toy. I am right here with you. You get stronger when we play at tummy time.”
Hold one toy close for the infant to easily see. Encourage the infant to look at the toy by moving it slightly. Positively acknowledge the infant’s efforts to raise his/her head and to look. Example: “Now you are holding your head up. You can see our toy.”
Consider using one of several other materials that can be used to create fun and interest for a pleasurable tummy time:
If an infant begins to fuss or protest, encourage the infant to look at you or a toy. If your attempt to calm the infant is unsuccessful, gently end the tummy time session.]
You laid on your tummy and looked at toys. Your neck and back get stronger when you hold your head up. You worked hard to hold up your head!
Infants are generally happy to move their arms, kick their feet, and turn their head while laying on their back. Tummy time offers a different position that some infants may not readily welcome when it is first introduced. Because tummy time helps an infant develop strength and body control, it is a valuable experience to offer, perhaps in very brief periods at first. Some infants may begin with only a few seconds of tummy time. Respond to crying and fussing immediately. Do not offer the activity when an infant is tired. It is important to consistently talk with the infant and offer some novelty. Remember that the sound of your voice and closeness provide assurance for the infant. As infants gain more experience and strength, you will observe infants using both arms to lift their head and chest.
Extra support
Enrichment
Gross motor development
An infant practices crawling or creeping to an appealing destination created by a caregiver.
This activity is for infants who are beginning to creep with their tummy on the floor or crawl on hands and knees. Create an appealing destination that the infant can reach with an appropriate level of effort. Arrange several desirable toy figures in front of an infant mirror. Sit on the floor and invite a mobile infant to explore the figures in front of the mirror. Describe the infant’s movements. Offer the infant one of the toys. Talk with the infant about his/her skills in moving around and maybe changing positions. Acknowledge and celebrate the infant’s hard work and persistence.
Two dimensions of the infant’s development need your attention in this activity. One is your existing knowledge of the infant’s interests and motor skills so you can create (a) a highly desirable item or activity at the destination and (b) offer a challenging yet achievable distance to the destination. The other dimension to consider is how to respond to an infant who changes directions while creeping or crawling to the destination or encounters a problem, such as ending up in a corner that he/she does not have skills to navigate. The infant who appears to veer in a direction that will not lead to the desired destination may correct his/her course with a simple reminder of the location of the desired object. Example: If a bell is at the desired destination, ring the bell! Another response is to forget about the destination you created and encourage the infant to creep or crawl where he/she wishes, assuming the passage is safe. See the Extra Support tip for a suggestion on how to handle insurmountable barriers or corners.
Extra support
Enrichment
Gross motor development
Mobile infants participate in a brief song that encourages up and down arm movements.
Be Prepared: Cloth animals may be used instead of or in addition to dolls.
This activity is for infants who can crawl and sit well balanced and for infants who have begun to walk. Invite several infants to sit on the floor with you for a game and song.
Give each infant one doll or cloth animal. Describe what the infants are holding. Example: “Everyone has a toy to hold for our game and song. Lucy has a bear and Mateo has a baby doll. We will call the dolls and animals our friends.” Demonstrate moving your animal and invite the infants to also move their doll or animal. Example: “Let’s all make our animals or dolls move. We can make them move!”
Point to your ear and say “Please listen to the words. Are you ready?” Offer the following song and corresponding actions. Encourage infants to follow your actions.
Our friends go up, up!
[Demonstrate lifting the doll with two hands.]
Our friends go down, down.
[Move the doll to the floor.]
Our friends can touch the sky.
[Hold the doll up. Stand if all infants can walk.]
All our friends sit back down.
[Maintain or return to sitting position on the floor.]
Repeat the sequence if the infants are interested in moving the toys again. Conclude the activity by demonstrating and inviting infants to hold the dolls on their laps.
An informal gathering at this young age may be quite brief, as described in the ELM Curriculum User Guide: Birth–36 Months. Presenting one activity and related song is often sufficient. If you notice infants who seem to want to continue with a song or actions, offer a simple finger play or sing a familiar song with movements.
Some infants will be very interested in imitating your actions. Some infants may play with the doll or animal in their own way. Anticipate that some infants may not easily move a toy or listen to your movement guidance. Use your cheerful voice and enthusiasm to create interest in moving the toys up and down. Offer praise and support for infants’ efforts.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: colorful mat, small toys, stacking cups, balls, large vehicles, dolls, soft animals
Sit on the floor with nonmobile infants. Allow the infants to move freely on a colorful mat. Place several small toys near the infants. Use your time on the floor to foster the natural interests of each infant.
Set up a destination with stacking cups and balls for crawling infants. Place balls on top of the cups. Infants will be curious and interested in separating the toys.
Walking infants will enjoy large vehicles to push along the floor. Arrange dolls and soft animals on low surfaces for infants to hold or carry. Think of yourself as a coach who is supporting numerous emerging skills of increasingly mobile infants. Move around the play space to offer support to each infant.
Materials Needed: The Gingerbread Man by Parragon Books
Some preschool-age children may enjoy talking to infants or singing a little song during the tummy time activity. Explain to children that the infants are getting stronger and will someday learn to crawl. Remind the preschool-age children they were infants and learned to crawl and walk! Offer a challenge for preschool-age and older children by suggesting different ways to move and freeze. Make up your own version of a move and freeze game. Explain freeze means holding completely still. Make sure each child standing has plenty of space to move freely. Some possibilities include: Move your arms like a bird flying. Move your arms like you are swimming. Stand on one foot. Stand on one foot and move your arms.
Share the book The Gingerbread Man by Parragon Books. Emphasize the way people, animals, and the Gingerbread Man move their bodies in the pictures.
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