Though it may not seem so, anything about having a baby can be exciting. Yes, even the concerns parents-to-be have. You can’t deny the arrival of your bundle of joy is a one-of-a-kind experience. As your baby grows, you learn you grow too, conquering challenge after challenge to ensure proper development.
Perhaps it’s not so apparent, but play has a huge role in the whole process of development. So having this in mind, you may be wondering when the right time is to get your little munchkin to play; the answer is as early as you can. A good way to start is by getting on the quest for the ideal playmat. What makes a playmat so important?
It’s a fact babies need as much floor time as possible, and the playmats rid you of the worry of leaving your little one directly on the floor. Floor time has to do with the proper development of the neck and abdominal strength, and placing your baby on its back, then its tummy can do just that – the essential muscles, which make your baby capable of sitting up on its own, keeping the head up, balancing, and crawling, get stronger and stronger.
With the wide range of options today, it’s not difficult to find the playmat that’s designed ideally with the use of organic materials (nothing toxic), such as cotton for instance, paired with the right amount of foam for the comfort your baby needs. Placing your baby on the playmat offers another perspective of the surrounding world, enabling your baby to become more aware of the things around.
This further has significance in the growing independence, as well as the cognitive development. While it’s playmat’s time and your baby is on its back, use the opportunity to show a variety of toys, in different shapes, sizes, and colours, motivating your baby to grab them, put them in the mouth, explore them and their texture. Don’t forget to include some stretching activities with the arms and legs too.
As for tummy time, it’s the perfect way to encourage belly crawling by placing toys nearby. The great thing about playmats is they grow with your baby. As soon as your baby starts sitting up on its own, you can use the space on the floor to add a variety of toys, making your baby reach out for them while shifting weight from side to side, relying on the elbows, balancing on one when using the other hand to get the toy. It’s needless to say this later on helps with your baby’s walking also.
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