Why bouncing, rocking and swinging help to develop more than just balance

As your baby develops more control of their head and body and can hold their head upright, they might enjoy gentle bouncing, rocking and swaying games. As well as being a new way to play together, these movements will support your baby’s developing sensory systems.  

To develop balance, we need to move 

There’s a reason children always seem to be spinning and swinging, and why many adults find the gentle sway of a hammock so relaxing. Movements like bouncing, rocking and swinging stimulate the balance system (called the vestibular system).  

By moving their body in different ways, like spinning gently or being rocked side to side, your baby’s senses will take in the new information around how those movements feel, allowing them to build up their body’s sense of balance. 

Spinning, swinging and rocking have more than one benefit though... 

These new movements also help your baby to practise maintaining their posture as they move, building up their core muscles to support them when they start to move independently.  

Moving in a variety of ways will help to develop your baby’s sense of where their body is in the world (also called their proprioceptive sense), helping them to connect the feeling of moving their head, or arm or leg, with the action they are doing. 

Playing games like spinning and rocking, which bring you and your baby close and rely on you noticing their cues for enjoyment, are great for social, emotional and language development, as it is another chance to interact with you!   

Experiment together to find new favourite games 

Now they can confidently control their head and neck, these movements can become a little bigger – perhaps your baby would enjoy a sweeping whoosh through the air, or they may prefer being held close to your body as you turn in a slow circle. Always be aware of needing to support your baby’s core, head and neck, and stop if either of you stop having fun. 

Experiment with different movements and speeds (although keep it fairly slow especially at first) to give your baby a wide range of experiences. They’ll let you know which sensations they enjoy the most.