Tummy Time Toys
A PT Momma’s Guide
Below you’ll find my carefully curated list of Tummy Time Favorites that can all be found on Amazon. Here’s your reminder to keep it simple. You don’t need “all the things” but if you have to pick one or two special items, you’ll want to pick from this list. These items were hand-picked using my knowledge as a baby movement expert, while also considering my own experiences as a Momma.
Generally, your baby will find high contrast items & faces (this is where the unbreakable mirror comes in found inside that fun Koala Activity Book below) more engaging. They’ll enjoy a soft surface, such as a blanket or foldable foam mat & a variety of textures to explore. If your baby is a frequent “spitter” like mine was, I’d go for the foam mat. They are SO easy to wipe clean. We used a foldable one for our main play space & the interlocking foam squares for more of a portable option but those also work great in larger spaces. I also loved that I could easily fold up her mat & put it away when play time was over. A foam mat is also a great idea if your baby’s main play-space has tiled or hardwood floors. Slippery, hard floors can make it more difficult for your baby to master those Tummy Time skills & can be more dangerous once your baby starts to explore sitting, standing & walking.
Your baby will often benefit from a little extra support under their chest as newbies using a pillow or Prop-a-Pillar. The Prop-a-Pillar is a personal favorite that I’ve now used for both of my babies. It’s so versatile & can be used for Tummy Time, back-lying, side-lying, supported sitting or just as a place to “lounge” following feedings. You can even toss it on the floor as added challenge to crawl over when your baby hits that stage.
If your baby is finding Tummy Time challenging, sometimes changing things up & adding in a fun water play mat can make a huge difference. While we personally keep the busy light-up & sound toys to a minimum in our house (I’ll save that discussion for another blog post — in the meantime, no shame in your light up game!), I believe they have their place & can be very motivating during Tummy Time. The Glow & Discover Light Bar was great at promoting weight-shifts & reaching during Tummy Time & goes on to be well-loved during sitting, crawling & standing play.
Lastly if you haven’t already invested in an infant play gym, consider one of the ones listed below. I attempted to find a great one for every budget. Generally, when shopping for an infant play gym, consider if the toys provided are highly contrasted with lots of fun textures to explore. I also prefer infant gyms that come with two intersecting “arms” or a similar style to the Lovevery Play Gym so that toys can be more strategically placed depending on what skills your baby is working on.
Shop my favorites using my special affiliate links (The Baby Movement Coach, LLC may earn a small commission on what you spend at no additional cost to you.) by clicking the images below or the linked text above.
