Take time to enjoy playing outdoors with your infant for at least 20 minutes each day.  Here are some of our favorite ideas to do indoors or outdoors to help children be active!

1. Provide babies with a variety of toys to touch. Use a variety of colors, shapes and textures. Practice rolling soft balls to them to stop (catch) or examine.
2. Provide a safe place for babies to play on the floor. Babies like to try to reach for a soft toy while playing. Or provide a soft place for them to crawl into like a shallow pet bed with a rim around it.
3. Use a towel in a sandbox to help babies who are learning to sit up without tipping over. The sand helps form a stable base.
4. Have regular Tummy Times for babies who are 4-to-6 months old by placing them on their tummies for very short periods of time when awake (young babies). When on their tummies, encourage babies to lift their heads by holding toys at eye level. Let them try to grab the toys. This can also be done outdoors.
5. Take babies on frequent walks outside in strollers or wagons. As they become more mobile, find spots on the walk where they can safely get out and explore.

For more information about supporting a child’s development, visit helpmegrowmn.org. Tips can be found in the Encouraging Healthy Development section of the website.

Portions of this content, developed by Help Me Grow Minnesota, may have previously appeared elsewhere.