Mini push-ups during tummy time, hands clasped together, swipes at dangling toys—your baby is getting stronger every day.
These activities build upper body strength, encourage midline hand play, and develop the bilateral coordination your baby needs for rolling.
Your baby holds their head steady, pushes up on their forearms during tummy time, and may be starting to roll from tummy to back. They bring both hands together at midline — clasping them in front of their chest — which is a critical milestone for future fine motor skills.
Support this growing strength with varied floor time, reaching games, and gentle movement. Every push-up during tummy time is building the upper body strength your baby needs for sitting, crawling, and eventually walking.
Midline hand play and upper body strengthening at three months build the bilateral coordination and core stability needed for all major motor milestones.
Your baby is reaching for things now! Hang a toy within arm's reach and watch them bat at it—this is hand-eye coordination in action.
Shake a rattle to one side, then the other. Your baby is learning to turn toward sounds and track moving objects—building foundations for attention.
First laughs are happening! Play gentle peekaboo and make silly faces. These joyful moments are actually building social-emotional circuitry.
Strengthen your baby's neck and trunk muscles by gently lifting them in an airplane hold during tummy time — a playful way to build core strength.
Lay out different textured surfaces in a path for your baby to crawl across — a sensory-rich adventure that builds motor planning and exploration.
Set up a furniture path with interesting toys at each stop to encourage your baby to cruise along — a natural bridge to independent walking.
Stack soft blocks in front of your sitting baby and let them knock the tower over — a satisfying game that practices sitting balance and reaching.
Position your baby on their side with a rolled towel for support and encourage reaching for toys — a great way to build rolling skills.
Play a gentle tug-of-war with silky scarves to build your baby's grip strength and upper body coordination — a fun two-way game.