How to support parents with tummy time

Carly Budd, Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist, is a passionate advocate for children’s tummy time. We met up with her at a Serene Baby Tummy Time class along with practitioners Sareena and Nim, to find out why Tummy Time is such an important part of baby’s and young children’s play and development. Carly, Sareena and Nim talk about how to support parents and carers with tummy time and get their babies enjoying spending time on their tummies.

Good for looking at

• Physical development – including gross motor skills, core strength, and early movement patterns
• Working with parents and carers – building relationships and supporting home learning
• Responsive caregiving – noticing and tuning in to babies’ cues during tummy time
• Parent confidence – empowering parents with practical techniques and reassurance
• Play-based learning – showing how tummy time can be playful and enjoyable
• Communication and co-regulation – supporting interaction, bonding, and shared attention
• Professional collaboration – how practitioners and specialists (like OTs) can work together
• Creating enabling environments – using everyday spaces and simple tools to support development

Things to consider before watching the video:

• What do I already know about tummy time and its importance in early development?
• How confident do I feel supporting parents with tummy time guidance?
• What role do I think play and interaction have in tummy time—beyond just placing a baby on their front?
• Am I aware of the common concerns or barriers that parents might express around tummy time?

Reflect

After watching the video, think about:

• What new insights did I gain about how tummy time supports babies’ physical and neurological development?
• How did Carly and the practitioners describe the impact on parent confidence?
• What strategies or language stood out that helped make tummy time feel playful and safe?
• Did anything challenge or shift my thinking about how tummy time should be introduced or supported?

What next

Planning for practice:

• How could I better support parents to build tummy time into their daily routines?
• Could I incorporate more parent education or demonstrations into my own setting or sessions?
• What materials or resources (e.g. videos, handouts, real-life demonstrations) could I use to show that tummy time is a form of playful interaction?
• How might I follow up with parents to find out how tummy time is going at home and offer additional support?