Exercise helps motivate infants to move, explore, become aware, and advance toward self-sufficiency. Parents and caregivers should create a safe play space for an infant to stretch, roll, and try new skill-building activities like the following:
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and down positions. This can happen with stand-and-sit games. Starting when the infant is around age 3 or 4 months, help the infant stand and sit over and over again until he or she is tired. This can be a fun bonding time. ■ New environments. Interact with the infant in daily physical activities that are dedicated to exploring movement and the environment. Introduce the infant to new places—in the house and outside world. Move infants from one position or place to another and introduce new toys and activities, and place the infant on a different colored towel or rug. The infant can be moved across the room or to another room. When carrying the infant around the house, especially while doing chores, the infant should be strapped in an infant carrier. Otherwise the infant can arch his or her back and flip out of a parent or caregiver’s arms. Even a small change creates an entirely new environment and experience. Be sure to stay close and watch the infant at all times.
Make Moving Fun: 33 Encourage a Playful Infant!
■ Up
peekaboo. Hide behind hands or a blanket and pop out at intervals; infants love anticipating the surprise. This builds reaction time and supports growing motor skills.
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■ Play
USDA
■ Lay
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INFANT NUTRITION AND FEEDING
the infant on his or her back. While playing or singing happy music, rotate or pump the infant’s legs as if riding a bicycle or dancing. Then try other “dance” moves with their arms, like rotating them or pumping them gently backward and forward. Sometimes infants will fuss at first. But try activities each day; gradually, infants become more comfortable with the positions and activities and can do them for longer periods of time.