Fisher-Price Tummy Time Llama Plush, Grow-with-Me Baby Toy with Rattle, Mirror & Teether for Sensory Play, GLK39

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When choosing a baby activity gym, look out for colours, textures and fun features to help stimulate baby’s senses. Rattles, teethers and baby-safe mirrors encourage baby to reach and stretch, while overhead toy bars are great for lay and play fun. Some of our baby gyms feature prop pillows for a comfier tummy time, while others come with detachable toys for on the go. Plus, in newborns, gentle abdominal pressure can help with digestion and stooling, Dr. Garcia adds. Christine added that it was the perfect travel toy, “because it folds flat and is soft and unbreakable.” Also nice: The high-contrast cards include a removable stroller link, so you can bring them with you on the go or remove the stroller link to loop the cards onto the mirror mount. This bee does a particularly good job of growing with your baby, too. It has three different play modes: one as a simple bee rattle;, another where the bee sits in the cloud and moves in a circle, which is ( ideal for tummy time;little ones on their tummies who can’t yet move to chase it around) and a third stage where it moves in a random pattern, which (great once your baby can start crawling after it).

Longevity: As with all baby gear, the best use of your money will be on products that you can use for as long as possible. For example, a mirror and high-contrast cards are ideal for the newest babies, but they might not hold the attention of an older baby for quite as long as toys they can manipulate. Finally, while all toys on this list are designed to be used when your baby is fully alert and awake and with your full supervision, that’s especially important with plastic materials. Make sure to always watch your baby closely while he’s using this mat to make sure his face doesn’t get pressed up against the plastic, Dr. Posner says.We brought this toy whenever we’d visit my mother and mother-in-law, since it easily fits in a suitcase and provides so much entertainment,” says Leah. “Even when we’d turn off the sound, my daughter was happy to spin the ball in the middle and press the buttons.” We spoke to three moms on the What to Expect editorial team who have three children between them and have tried several of the products on the list. If your baby isn’t a big fan of tummy time, know that you’re not alone. Many infants dislike being on their stomachs at first, but most become more comfortable in this position as they strengthen the muscles that help them lift their heads. Until that time, however, you might want to consider investing in some tummy time toys.

The only downside, if there is one, is that the story itself likely won’t captivate older babies or toddlers, so it has a shorter lifespan than some other products on this list. But for the price, it’s a great buy to entertain younger babies during tummy time and help encourage an early love of reading, too. We utilized a lot of tummy time toys which were all great, but could be very stimulating. With the Boppy though, my daughter could build those muscles while I read a book to her, which was a nice way to ease into naptime,” says Leah. It also scores points for being easy to assemble and disassemble, with many families saying they’ve taken it with them while traveling. One downside with water mats is they tend to require some light assembly (in this case, inflating the mat and filling it with tap water) as well as some maintenance (parents say this mat can get some mold inside after a few months, so be sure to refresh the water regularly).Development: Consider your baby’s current age when purchasing a tummy time toy, as well as how you might use it in the future. Is the toy developmentally appropriate for your baby now, but also offer opportunities for him to play with it when he’s a little older? Finally, the toy requires three AA batteries, which may be a turnoff for some parents who would prefer not to have to continuously replace them. The AAP recommends placing your baby on his stomach two to three times a day for a short period of time, such as three to five minutes. As the weeks go on and your baby gets stronger, you can increase the time. What are the benefits of tummy time? With gentle music, buzzing sounds, and the ability to move in either a circular or random pattern, What to Expect parents say that this small but mighty toy engages babies well during tummy time play. The bar is shallow and can lie flat during tummy time, but once your baby has learned how to sit, you can prop it up so he can still access it. It’s also lightweight enough that your little one can hold it in his lap, stroller or in a chair to play with as well. And because it’s on the smaller side, many parents say they’ve traveled with it.

Tummy time, i.e. placing your baby down on his belly to play, is a crucial part of your little one’s development. It may not look like much of a workout at first, but tummy time helps him develop motor skills that eventually lead to big milestones like rolling over, sitting and crawling.We referenced guidelines from leading experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). We also interviewed three pediatricians: Gina Posner, M.D., F.A.A.P., a board-certified pediatrician practicing at MemorialCare Medical Group in Fountain Valley, California and member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board; Charisma Garcia, M.D., a pediatrician at Texas Children’s Health Plan and The Center for Children and Women; and Taryn Hill, M.D., a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, for additional information on tummy time play. In line with these recommendations, all of the products on this list: