Why it’s good for babies to move and play
Play that gets your baby moving is good for their development. It helps your baby:
- strengthen neck and upper body muscles for holding up their head
- build muscles for sitting, rolling, crawling and pulling to stand
- practise basic skills like reaching and grasping
- learn about what their body can do.
Why your baby needs a safe play area
As your baby grows, they’ll be able to move further and faster. They’re also keen to explore their environment. This is how they learn – but it’s also how they can come across safety hazards.
If your baby has a safe play area, with plenty of interesting things to do and look at, they’ll be less likely to seek their own stimulation by exploring areas you might not want them to get into.
What you need for a safe play area that gets your baby moving
All you need is a clear, safe space on the floor, plus toys that encourage your baby to reach, grab and move.
Toys to encourage movement
Baby activity centres, colourful toys and rattles, and non-breakable mirrors can encourage your baby to move, even before they’re mobile. They give your baby practice grabbing and reaching.
Bigger toys like balls encourage movement as your baby gets older.
You can keep your baby safe at home by looking for hazards and removing them. And as your baby grows and learns to roll, crawl, cruise, walk and climb, you need to keep checking for new hazards. Always supervise your baby as they play – or better still, get down on the floor and play with them!
How to set up your baby’s play area
- Choose a safe area. In the beginning, this might be a mat or blanket, with nothing dangerous within reach.
- Tune in to your baby’s interests when you’re playing together on the floor, and follow your baby’s lead. For example, if your baby shows interest in a rattle, shake the rattle and hold it out for them to grasp.
- If your baby is mobile and the area is safe, let them roll or crawl wherever they want. Roll or crawl alongside them, copying their movements.
- When they’re ready, encourage your baby to pull to stand. You can sit them on the floor near furniture and encourage them to pull themselves up. This will help them learn to walk when they’re older.
- Talk about what’s happening. For example, ‘Look at you standing! Hold on to the table’. Even if your baby is too young to respond, they’re listening to you. The more words your baby hears, the better.
- Give your baby plenty of praise and encouragement as they try new things and learn new physical skills.
- Give your baby other environments to explore. For example, put them on a blanket in the park. Let them roll or crawl and feel different textures like grass and leaves. Lie next to your baby and talk about the experience. For example, ‘That’s grass. It’s green and soft’.
Baby swings, baby walkers and jolly jumpers aren’t recommended. They can restrict your baby’s movements and delay walking, crawling and sitting without support. They can also cause injuries if babies move into dangerous areas without supervision, like near the oven, toilet, bath and stairs. It’s better to put your baby on a play mat or blanket on the floor.
How to adapt your baby’s play area as they grow
As your baby gets older, they’ll become more mobile. It’s important to be aware of what your baby can reach and where they can go and adjust their play area accordingly.
Options for adjusting play areas for your baby’s development
- Rolling or crawling – remove furniture with sharp edges that your baby could bump their head on.
- Pulling themselves up to stand – make sure that your furniture is sturdy and won’t fall over.
- Cruising – remove anything heavy or fragile from shelves your baby can reach. And put things your baby might want down low.
- Climbing – keep furniture away from other objects in the room. This will stop your baby climbing from one thing to another or climbing up high on shelving.
Supervision is the key to safety, but equipment like safety gates can also help you create a safe and stimulating area for your baby to explore as they grow.