Lamaze Captain Calamari Spin & Explore Gym

Product Information

Distraction is key: 'It's completely normal for a few tears in the early days of tummy time!' says Stubbs. 'Try adding hand mirrors and toys to encourage them to look up and reach out. As they get stronger and more confident you'll start to see them roll too.' Some babies hate it and will squawk in indignation. Just try it for a minute or so and distract them with their favourite toy or try it when they have just woken from a nap or had a nappy change. When he or she is older and has gained strength, the roller can be pushed, pulled and flipped over. Each petal of the garden gym has a different activity to keep bub entertained. The acitivites are bright and colourful and highly interactive such as a mirror for baby to look in and see himself and different textures and noises. One of the petals features a butterfly with crinkly wings and another petal has a rattle for baby to play with. Having a play mat gives your little one a safe and dedicated space to practise tummy time,' says Susie Stubbs, Founder of Totter and Tumble. 'Creating a supportive, clean place for them to lay will encourage you to both to practise more often. If you have hard surface floors, the cushioning of the play mat can transform any room into a tummy time ready place.' When to start with tummy time

The mat is shaped like a flower petal and has 6 separate petals to it each one is a different colour and provides a different tactile/sensory experience, with plenty for baby to touch, discover and explore, for example there is a mirror to look in, a butterfly with crinkly wings, a bumble bee rattle and lots of different flaps to peek under. The middle of the flower consists a cushioned ladybug mat for babies to lie on which on a rotatable spinner which babies can spin around on, this is to support the babies body and help them to develop there upper body strength and lower leg strength which will aid them in learning to crawl later on. So, aside from being a great spot to enjoy rough and tumble, play mats are an essential piece of exercise kit for growing tots. But, when do babies use play mats and how can you persuade them to practice tummy time? To help you get started, Stubbs has outlined the following ways to get the most from your baby floor gym and encourage regular and consistent tummy time. There a couple of types of tummy time roller and they will suit a variety of ages and development stages. Establishing a set space and time for independent play gives children a specific environment that they know is safe to explore at will, allowing them to build up confidence as they move around and gain mobility skills. By setting this routine, it helps to condition them to associate the mat or gym with quiet play time - which is great for a wind down before bedtime.

It allows the kiddos to begin pushing up on extended arms without having to lift all the weight of their head and trunk initially Water pat mats – an inflatable mat at is filled with water, glitter, floating toys and bubbles. It will also be a fab toy to use in a highchair. How to use a tummy time roller Place a toy just out of reach to encourage them to reach and grab. This builds fine motor skills and hand/eye co-ordination. The best tummy toys for each stage One thing i found was that the area for baby to lie on was a bit uncomfortable but I placed a blanket over this to add extra cushioning for babies tummy. While it allows the child to begin pivoting they are not getting the full benefit of activating their obliques and bringing their trunk into it

Baby play mats differ from baby gyms as they don't come with quite so many accessories, so your baby can focus on their workout. Say what? That's right, mama, think of play mats as home gym equipment for really little people. Just like you might benefit from a good stretch and a sweaty HIIT class, babies need to get fit too, and play mats are the optimum place to develop all manner of essential life skills for growing tots. Plus, you can join in the fun too and everyone benefits.

The best tummy toys for each stage

Allows the child to begin to practice rotating or pivoting in prone without the added friction and weight of their body on the floor Build up tummy time slowly. Little and often is key. Start with them laid on a soft and snuggly blanket or play mat. Chat to them and stroke their faces to make it a bonding and soothing few moments of the day. Use a tummy time pillow or a rolled-up blanket under your baby’s armpits if they struggle to lift their head and find that distressing. This will also give them a better view of the possibilities around them. The sensorimotor stage is a key stage in a child’s development, where they learn through coordinating sensory experiences with motor actions. Gyms and playmats are ideal for this stage of development, as they provide the combination of sensory toys and space for movement. Children will reach and touch toys, reacting to the bright colours and attractive designs. They will hear squeaks, rattles and crinkles for sensory stimulation. This all helps them learn object permanence as well as heightening their cognitive development and sensory growth. Through playing and exploring, they will learn about the world around them, which will help set the foundations for future development. The Lamaze spin and explore garden gym is such a neat product which I first found out about at one of the daycare centres I worked at as we had just opened and this was one of the awesome toys we had received, I loved it so much and thought it was a great way to encourage tummy time so when my daughter was old enough to use such a thing I went out and brought one for her.

It will be round and shaped to move easily so baby will be encouraged to wriggle and eventually crawl after it. Practice makes perfect: Is your little one fighting it? 'If your baby makes it really clear they hate it, don’t stress,' advises Stubbs. 'Perhaps they need a rest and can try again later. But do try again, as with lots of stuff in life, practice makes perfect.' Start tummy time from birth: Begin by placing your baby on their stomach. 'They'll try to look up at your face and so it begins!' explains Stubbs. 'Over time you can add new things things for them to explore such as toys and rattles.'Tummy time can begin from birth, simply lay down and place you baby on your chest. Just make sure you’re not likely to drift off to sleep! Parents are always looking for new ways to entertain their little one and want to find the latest and greatest piece of nursery equipment that will allow them to provide their child with stimulation. Toys are ever popular - but gyms, activity mats and tummy time supports give all the fun of the latest toys, as well as freedom for exploration and movement. Independent play has a number of benefits for young children and gyms and playmats allow them to explore independently while still being supported and comfortable. This also gives parents a moment to have their hands free and watch their little one enjoy some time on their own. With colourful designs and a range of different activities, baby gyms are designed to stimulate the senses and provide an engaging experience for hours on end. With Lamaze toys, babies will discover new skills no matter when the toy was originally bought. Lamaze provides babies with toys that will evolve as baby's senses evolve. So a toy bought when baby was very young will still be applicable to baby when they are slightly older. Moving and Doing – 9 to 24 months While baby’s day should involve interactions and playing with their parents, it is also important that there is some alone time for baby, in which they can discover and explore the world around them at their own pace. Independent play helps to promote healthy growth by allowing the child to process the sights and sounds of their environment - as well as giving them agency over their actions and letting them see how their presence affects the objects in their space. It also helps them to become less reliant on their parents’ presence, which is good for emotional development. Lamaze follows key developmental stages for baby and works within baby's skill set from birth. A newborn baby cannot see very far at all but can hear very well so much of the Lamaze philosophy in the early months is around helping baby develop these senses.

Lamaze toys are developed around the Lamaze Infant Development System which consists of three developmental themes: All Lamaze toys are designed to help baby explore and learn about their world. Awakening the Senses - Birth to 24 months Slow and steady wins the race: This old adage definitely applies to tummy time. 'Don’t expect your little one to love it straight away, but if they do, that’s brilliant,' says Stubbs. 'Start with a minute at a time and once they nail that, try two.' The toys are designed around sound and texture. Baby likes to touch and feel different things so they will reach out to investigate their immediate world or shake their hands or feet to hear rattles and tinkles. Exploring and Experimenting – 6 to 24 months

When is a baby be ready for tummy time toys? 

Okay, so I am a big fan of tummy time and I know that people may find it challenging to do with their kiddos so we as therapists are always on the lookout for new ideas to make it easier on parents. One of our PT’s saw the Lamaze Spin and Explore at a kiddo’s home and told us about it so we decided to get it and try it out with a few of our kids who are having challenges with tummy time. We were only able to get pictures for one of the kiddos but the two therapists who are using it both say that it has been helpful. I really like the lamaze spin and explore garden gym. I used this product with my baby from about 6 weeks. He did not enjoy tummy time at all and would just bury his head in to the floor and cry. Using this product really helped us extend the time he would spend on his tummy as there were so many things going on to keep him distracted. When using tummy time toys for babies always ensure your bundle of joy is also awake and alert. Stay close and keep engaging them so they reassured.