Pull to Sit Strength Game

A soft blanket or padded play mat

Lay your baby on their back on a soft, comfortable surface. The floor with a blanket is ideal.

Kneel or sit at your baby's feet or beside them, facing them. Make eye contact and smile.

Offer both of your index fingers to your baby. Let them wrap their hands around your fingers and get a good grip.

Once they're holding on tightly, begin to slowly pull them toward a sitting position. Go gradually — this isn't a fast motion.

About halfway up, pause for a moment. You'll feel your baby start to engage their own muscles to help. This is the magic moment where they're building real core strength.

Continue pulling gently until they reach a full sitting position. Give them a big smile and say "You did it!"

Slowly and carefully lower them back down to lying. Control the descent so they feel safe.

Repeat 3-5 times per session. Your baby will let you know when they've had enough.

For younger babies (under 4 months), they may not grip strongly or help much. That's okay — you're still building the neural pathways. As they grow, you'll notice them actively engaging more.

Always let your baby initiate the grip. If they don't grab your fingers, they may not be in the mood.

Watch your baby's head. If they don't have full head control yet, support the back of their head with one hand while offering one finger with the other.

This activity naturally evolves. By 8-9 months, many babies will start pulling themselves up without much help from you.

Try combining this with a silly sound effect each time they sit up — they'll start to anticipate it and get excited.