Mirrors & Photos for Tummy Time Station Summary
Read “The Wheels on the Bus” book and act out the songs.
Cognitive Benefits:
Spread a few toys out in front of your baby, suggests the American Occupational Therapy Association. Your baby will look at those toys, identify them and then reach for them — an activity that requires decision making and motor planning (Christensen, 2014).
Place an unbreakable mirror on the blanket or floor so your baby can see himself. Your baby will eventually realize that the image in the mirror is him, an important cognitive developmental milestone (Christensen, 2014).
Social and Emotional:
Tummy-to-tummy is one of the best forms of early bonding, and later forms of tummy time (such as Tummy-Down and Eye-Contact) allow babies to interact with parents instead of remaining in their carriers (The Warren Center, 2020).
Motor Benefits:
Tummy time helps strengthen the head, shoulder, neck and upper body muscles, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association, and also builds the muscles needed for crawling, rolling over and reaching (Christensen, 2014).
As babies push themselves up on their hands and arms, tummy time helps develop arches within the hands since babies are bearing most of their weight on them (The Warren Center, 2020).
At Home Strategies:
You can also sit on the floor with your legs outstretched and your baby’s chest against your legs. Talk, sing and rub her back—it will help soothe her and may stop the tummy time tears (Schiedel, 2020).
Cradle your baby in your arms, tummy down, and go for a walk in your home or yard, describing what you see along the way. This is also a great way for her to start learning about her environment (Schiedel, 2020).
Relaxing against some couch pillows with your newborn snuggled on your chest and looking at your face actually counts as tummy time in the early days (Schiedel, 2020).
References
Christensen, J. (2014, March 31). Pregnancy, Parenting, Lifestyle, Beauty: Tips & Advice. Retrieved June 2, 2020, from https://mom.com/baby/13282-tummy-time-cognitive-development#:~:text=Build Language Skills, your baby, says the AOTA. 
Schiedel, B. (2020, May 5). 8 tummy time activities for your baby. Retrieved June 2, 2020, from https://www.todaysparent.com/baby/baby-development/how-to-do-tummy-time-with-your-baby-8-fun-activities-to-try/ 
The Warren Center. (2020, January 6). Infants: Why Tummy Time is Important - The Warren Center: Non-profit organization in Richardson, Texas. Retrieved June 2, 2020, from https://thewarrencenter.org/infants-why-tummy-time-is-important/

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