Baby be nimble. Baby be quick!

Not only do most babies love rhythmic movement games, they’re also a great way of encouraging their budding motor skills and helping them develop their balance and coordination while providing loads of fun for everyone involved. Here are a few simple exercises for you and baby to try out:

  1. CYCLING 'ROUND AND 'ROUND

    With baby lying on her back, hold her feet and carefully guide them in a cycling fashion. Speed up and slow down to add variety, sing a little ditty to accompany the game and tickle her feet. Babies love having their legs and arms moved for them before they have proper control over them. Make sure to dress them in nice stretchy leggings or rompers for the exercises.

  2. THE BIG STRETCH

    Once baby is able to hold his head up independently for a few seconds while lying on his tummy, roll a small ball across his line of vision to entice him to stretch out and grab it, giving his arm, leg and neck muscles a good workout. If it's a good day out, you can do it on a blanket in the garden. Just dress baby for outside.

  3. EMPTY AND FULL

    Fill a large plastic bowl with a variety of objects/toys (choose different colours, sizes, shapes, textures and weights) for her to empty out onto the floor one by one. Once done, let her put everything back into the bowl. Repeat ad infinitum.

  4. BABY BE NIMBLE

    From about five months, bounce baby gently on one of your knees while safely supporting him with your hands under both of his armpits. Sing “Baby be nimble. Baby be quick. Baby jump over the candlestick!” and move him across to your other knee just as you sing the last line. Once he’s got the drift, the final motion will invariably result in a good giggle!

  5. BABY DRUMS

    From about nine months, your baby will love banging on an assortment of household containers. Raid the kitchen cupboards for pans, pots, boxes and plastic bowls, turn them upside down on the floor around your sitting baby, hand her a pair of wooden spoons, stand back and enjoy the concert. This will improve her coordination while introducing concepts like loud and quiet, fast and slow, and hard and soft.