NHS guidance states that babies should be encouraged to be active throughout the day, every day, in a variety of ways, including crawling. If they're not yet crawling, encourage them to be physically active by reaching and grasping, pulling and pushing, moving their head, body and limbs during daily routines, and during supervised floor play.
Try to include at least 30 minutes of tummy time spread throughout the day when they're awake. Once babies can move around, encourage them to be as active as possible in a safe and supervised play environment.
Click on each link to find advice and age-appropriate exercise recommendations for your child with a particular focus on developing milestones and life skills.
- Lay your baby down on their back so they can kick their legs
- Pulling, pushing, grasping and playing with other people are great ways to practise different kinds of movements
- Tummy time is important for your baby's development as it helps to build the muscles your baby needs for sitting and crawling
- Fit safety gates to stop your baby getting onto stairs. Close the gates properly after you go through them
- If the gaps between banisters or balcony railings are more than 6.5cm (2.5 inches) wide, cover them with boards or safety netting
- Keep low furniture away from windows. Have windows fitted with locks or safety catches that restrict the opening to less than 6.5cm (2.5 inches), to stop babies climbing out. Make sure adults know where the keys are kept in case of a fire
- Remove cot toys and cot bumpers, as a baby can climb on them and may fall out of the cot
It's important that your baby does not spend too much time in:
- Baby walkers or bouncers - these encourage babies to stand on their tiptoes and can delay walking if your baby uses them a lot
- Baby carriers and seats - long periods in reclining carriers or seats, or seats that prop your baby in a sitting position, can delay your baby's ability to sit up on their own
Lancashire County Council - See ‘what’s on’ for a range of local events that might help to keep your child more active and support you in doing so.
Please note
It is important to remember that this resource contains general advice for an active, healthy lifestyle. Please consider the individual needs of your child, including their personal preferences and adapt accordingly.
Your physiotherapist may have recommended some specific exercises for you to do. It is important that you do these alongside following these recommendations for an active, healthy lifestyle.