What is Baby's Movement Play?

How do babies play in the earliest months? How do babies develop their body awareness? What is movement play? When you are watching your baby before she/he plays with toys – what do you notice?

Let’s observe a three-month old baby playing:

• Your three month old baby is lying on his back on a blanket on the floor.
• You are also on the floor at your baby’s level, watching what he is doing.
• Your baby brings his hands to his chest and clasps them together.
• Your baby is focussed and interested in his new body exploration.
• He looks down at his hands at what he is doing.
• What does this little activity tell us about your three month old baby’s development?
• What play activity is your baby preparing to engage in?

The close link between your baby’s body movement, tactile sensations and visual processing informs her about herself from the very beginning. With these movement explorations, your baby develops her awareness of her body and how each part of her body is moving.