Beach baby - use a large, light ball to help your baby feel their feet

What you need  

• A large, light ball, like a beachball   

The steps 

• Lie your baby on their back and place the ball on their tummy.   
• Watch to see if your baby can move the ball with their body. They might use their feet as they kick or wriggle.  
• If the ball rolls away, gently stop it and ask your baby if they’d like it back. If they seem to be enjoying the game, gently place it back on their tummy. 

Benefits for your child 

• For very young babies, practising the action of moving a ball with their feet may encourage them to move their feet towards their mouth. 

• Older babies will be able to practise gripping with their hands or feet, and moving them more deliberately to achieve the goal of moving the ball. 

Building on 

• If they enjoy this, you can try placing the ball in slightly different positions on or close to their arms and legs. 
• As your baby gets older, you can place the ball on their tummy and ask them if they can use only their arms, or legs, to move it. They might not quite get it at first, but it will get them thinking about which body parts are moving as they play.