A little while back a dad  showed me a new way to use my favorite toy—and I can’t believe I’d never tried it before.

If I could only pick one toy for babies in the stages of sitting to beginning walking, it would be stacking cups.

They’re simple, inexpensive, and incredibly versatile. You can:

• Nest them
• Stack them
• Knock them down (a baby favorite!)
• Hide objects under them
• Drop a toy into one to make noise to get their attention

And the great thing is they can be used as your baby matures for identifying color and numbers, counting, and pretend play.

If you don’t already have a set, here’s an example on Amazon. If you buy through this link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

My favorite use is stacking. Babies love knocking them down. This can be used to get kids to:

• Reach while sitting to help them improve their sitting and learn to move in and out of this position. Build a tower just off to one side so your baby has to turn and reach for it. As their balance improves, move the tower a little farther away to encourage them to reach outside their base of support. Eventually move the tower even farther away so that they place one hand down to support themselves and reach across their body with the other hand. With this movement, you can help them move out of sitting on their own.
• Crawl to build strength and coordination. Build a tower in front of your baby when they are on their hands and knees. As they reach they will gain the strength and coordination to learn to crawl. Eventually you can move the tower just out of reach so they have to crawl a step to knock it down.
• Pull to stand to build leg strength for walking. Place a tower on a sturdy couch or other stable surface. Your baby now has a reason to pull themselves up. Once they knock it down, build it again and let them practice pulling up another time.
• Cruise to improve their weight shift and balance. Build a tower a little to one side along the couch so your baby has to take a few sideways steps to reach it. Then build the next tower in the opposite direction.
• Squat to improve leg strength. As they stand holding onto the couch or other stable surface, build a short stack on the floor next to them so they must bend their knees to reach down and knock it over.

By the time a baby is cruising, stacking cups can keep them moving back and forth along a couch or coffee table for a long time—without them even realizing they’re working hard.

When I was on the Everything Early Childhood podcast, the host, Leeza Browne, joked that I should add “professional block stacker” to my job title. Some days it does feel as though my job is all about making stacks for kids to knock down.

But even a professional can learn a new trick.

The dad turned a cup upside down and spun it like a top. It whirled in a blue blur before wobbling to a stop. His baby was fascinated. We used this the rest of the session to keep him engaged in squatting, pulling to stand, and cruising.

If you have stacking cups at home, try the spin trick—it’s a great way to grab your baby’s attention.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.

Last year, I evaluated a set of twins who were born 8 weeks early.

The smaller one weighed less than 2 pounds. Can you imagine holding a baby that small?

I remember holding one of our foster girls, born 3.5 weeks early. She weighed 5 pounds 5 ounces, and even she felt tiny. Both my wife and I were afraid to hold her the first time.

This little guy spent two months in the hospital, being fed through a tube in his nose and breathing with the assistance of a machine.

When I first saw this family he was struggling with tummy time. Like many babies who have spent months in the NICU, he did not like tummy time and his parents were a little afraid to have him work through this discomfort after everything he had already gone through.

Start with what your baby can do

At one month old from his due date, he was getting maybe eight or nine minutes of tummy time each day. Ideally he would have been getting about 20–30 minutes of tummy time each day.

That sounded like a lot to his parents when he only tolerated a minute at a time.

But here’s the important part: It doesn’t need to happen all at once.

By starting with small bouts we were able to increase his tummy time steadily. One month later he was tolerating sessions for up to five minutes at a time.

In the beginning, they were taking advantage of consistently getting one or two minutes several times a day. As he started getting more used to having many sessions throughout the day, he was able to do more and more tummy time at one time.

In another two months time, he was getting the recommended 60-90 minutes every day for a baby 3-4 months past their due date.

Make tummy time easier

The floor is the best place for tummy time, but it isn’t the only place.

Especially with premies who struggle with tummy time, I like to have them start on their parent’s chest.

This was a key for the little boy in our story. His mom would lean back against the couch so that she was in a reclined position. She would hold him on her chest. He would lift that heavy head up slowly, look into her eyes and then drop it back down safely onto mama.

This position held two advantages. First, the angle his mom was at made it easier for him to hold his head up. Instead of being flat, his chest was higher than his hips. This made it easier because the pull of gravity wasn’t as strong. As he got used to this easier position, she would slump down lower and lower to bring him flatter to increase the challenge.

The second advantage was that he could look straight into his mom’s eyes. Babies cannot see very far in the beginning. And in this position he could be entertained by his mom’s facial expressions which made him enjoy being on his tummy for longer.

This position helped make tummy time just a little easier and made it more enjoyable. This allowed him stay in his Just Right Zone and before long he had enough strength to tolerate tummy time on the floor.

Work toward tummy time on the floor

When we started having him on the floor, we started with small bouts of time just as we had in the very beginning. He just wasn’t able to spend as long on his tummy when he was on the floor. But, as his parents practiced this with him, he got stronger and stronger.

He still struggled, but was making consistent progress. He learned to push up on straightened elbows and roll over and, eventually, to crawl.

Now, just over a year later, he is about to take his first steps.

It didn’t happen over night. It happened one minute at a time with a lot of patience and hard work from both him and his parents. But now he is caught up to where he should be developmentally. When he is an adult, no one will suspect that he had such a hard time as a little baby.

FAQ

Does tummy time on my chest count for a premature baby?

Yes. Tummy time on your chest is a good way to help your baby practice lifting and controlling their head, especially when tummy time on the floor is still difficult. You can make it easier by sitting more upright and gradually make it harder by leaning farther back. As your baby gets stronger, continue giving them opportunities to practice tummy time on a firm surface on the floor.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.

When you’re helping your baby learn a new movement, how do you know how much to help? What does it look like to help too much?

When you learn to answer these questions you will have the key to all parenting in your hand. It will not only help you teach your baby crawl, sit and walk, it will help you teach them how to control their emotions and grow into the responsible adult you know they are capable of becoming.

What is the Just Right Zone?

The Just Right Zone is the level of challenge that is optimal for your baby to learn a skill.

Too easy, and your baby does not have much reason to change or improve.

Too difficult, and your baby may not be able to practice the movement successfully at all. Instead of learning, they may become frustrated, give up, or find another way to move.

The sweet spot is somewhere in between:

Hard enough that your baby has to work, but easy enough that they can succeed.

Difficult, yet doable.

That’s the Just Right Zone.

The Just Right Zone changes

One of the most important things to understand is that the Just Right Zone is not a specific exercise or position.

It changes with your baby.

For example, imagine your baby is struggling with tummy time. Lying flat on the floor may be too difficult right now. You could make it easier by placing a small rolled towel under their chest or doing tummy time on your slightly reclined chest.

As they get stronger, you can gradually reduce that help.

You are not trying to make tummy time as easy as possible. You are adjusting the difficulty so your baby can work on the skill successfully.

And the right amount of challenge can even change from one moment to the next. A position that works well when your baby is rested and happy may be too difficult when they are tired.

Through trial and error, as you listen and watch how your baby responds, you will easily figure out if they are in their Just Right Zone. When the task becomes too hard, you will find a way to make it a little easier. If they are no longer challenged, you will make it a little bit harder.

When you’re helping your baby learn a new movement, how do you know how much to help? What does it look like to help too much?

When you learn to answer these questions you will have the key to all parenting in your hand. It will not only help you teach your baby crawl, sit and walk, it will help you teach them how to control their emotions and grow into the responsible adult you know they are capable of becoming.

Once you learn to see the Just Right Zone, you will start noticing it everywhere. You will get better at knowing when to help, when to step back, and how much challenge your child is ready for. This will serve you far beyond helping your baby crawl, sit, or walk.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.

A while back, my team and I worked with a little toddler who was behind on his social-emotional skills (in addition to his movement skills.) We first noticed it when he was a baby. He would get upset and just sit and cry. Although he had the ability to crawl to his foster mother and gesture to be picked up, he wouldn’t seek her comfort.

As he developed, he started seeking his foster (now adoptive) mother’s comfort. Once he was walking, he would walk over to her and the emotional outbursts and tantrums decreased.

However, he started preschool around that time. Although his teacher said he did well during preschool, once home he would get upset easily and his mother had trouble calming him down.

The conventional thinking is these kids need “socialization” to catch up on their social-emotional skills. But is this really what this little boy needed right then?

When I was a teenager I remember playing basketball with my uncle Jim. I was a horrible player and couldn’t make a basket past the free-throw line. However, I kept trying to make three point shots. Uncle Jim said those shots were outside my range. I needed to stay within my ability and work on gradually increasing the distance. In my teenage stubbornness I was convinced he was wrong.

It turns out Uncle Jim knew what he was talking about.

We need to give kids the opportunity to grow, but it needs to be within their Just Right Zone. Whether we are working on basketball, movement skills, or progressing their social-emotional development, we need to guide our kids through that zone of doable difficulty.

That little toddler was beyond his ability to control his emotions. He was beyond his Just Right Zone.

The experience of preschool may have been a helpful one for him, but the exposure was too high. It may have been that he could only take an hour or two at first. But by starting within what he could tolerate and increasing his experience over time, he would gradually learn to handle a full day of preschool without the extra outbursts.

FAQ

What is the Just Right Zone for a baby or toddler?

The Just Right Zone is the level of difficulty that challenges a child without overwhelming them. If something is too easy, there may not be enough challenge to encourage growth. If it is too difficult, a child may not be able to successfully practice the skill at all. The goal is to find that middle ground where your child has to work, but success is still possible.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.

I started working with a little boy we’ll call Ronaldo when he was stuck in sitting.

This happens to some babies, especially those who avoid tummy time. They learn to sit and think, “This is pretty great. I can see the whole room, and it isn’t nearly as hard as being on my tummy.”

The problem is that they may not have developed the strength and movement control needed to get themselves out of sitting.

That was Ronaldo.

We worked on strengthening and helping him become more comfortable moving from side to side while sitting. Within a month, he was moving out of sitting and crawling across the room.

He had progressed even faster than I expected. Then he got stuck again.

Ronaldo could pull himself up at the couch, although it took quite a bit of effort. Once he was there, he would wait. He wouldn’t step to either side. He wouldn’t lower himself back to the floor.

He was stuck in standing.

At first glance, this looked like a completely new problem. But it was actually the same underlying problem showing up at a more difficult stage.

When Ronaldo had been sitting, he was afraid to move because he wasn’t sure he could control the movement.

Now he was standing, and his response was the same. He tightened his muscles and tried to stay perfectly still because he wasn’t sure he could keep himself upright if he moved.

Once we recognized the pattern, we had a good idea of how to help him.

Just like before, we needed to improve three things:

• His comfort with movement
• His control
• His strength

We started by placing our hands gently around his hips and moving him from side to side while he stood at the couch.

He became upset quickly, so we slowed down and made the movements very small. As he became more comfortable, we gradually moved him farther and farther.

Eventually, he started shifting from one leg to the other on his own.

But becoming comfortable with movement was only part of the solution. He also needed enough leg strength and control to lower himself safely.

For this, we worked on starting to get control of his knee as he bent it. We placed a toy beside him at about knee height. To reach it, he had to bend his knees slightly and lower himself.

For strengthening, we practiced sitting down and standing back up.

I placed my thigh directly behind his knees and held him around his hips. Then I slowly lowered him until he was sitting on my thigh. Once he was there, we placed something he wanted on the couch to encourage him to stand back up.

With practice, Ronaldo learned to take steps to either side and lower himself from the couch.

His story illustrates something important: A child may overcome a challenge at one stage and then encounter the same basic challenge again later.

A baby who is uncomfortable shifting weight in sitting may later resist shifting weight in standing.

A baby who relies heavily on one side while rolling may show the same preference while crawling or pulling to stand.

So when your child is having trouble with a new skill, look backward.

Ask yourself:

“Have I seen a similar pattern before?”

The position may be different. The milestone may be different. But the underlying challenge may be something your child has already learned to overcome. If we use the same principles we used before, we will be able to help our child overcome this new challenge more quickly and with more confidence.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.

If you’ve spent any time looking for baby advice online, you’ve probably noticed something confusing.

One person says to do one thing. Another says to do the exact opposite.

Sometimes they’re both pediatric physical therapists.

So who’s right?

The answer is often: both of them (or neither of them. Or maybe just one of them).

The challenge is that good advice is usually meant for a specific situation. When that context gets left out, parents are left wondering what they’re supposed to do.

I was recently reminded of this during a therapy session.

A father had seen a pediatric physical therapist on Instagram demonstrate a simple trick for babies learning to crawl. The therapist wrapped a soft headband around the baby’s thighs while the baby was on their hands and knees. The idea was to keep the knees from sliding apart.

His son was just beginning to learn this position and like the baby in the video, his knees would slide outward.

“Should we try that?” he asked.

For his baby, my answer was no.

Not because the idea was bad. Because it solved the wrong problem. The therapist wasn’t wrong. She was likely thinking about a different kind of baby than the one sitting in front of me.

As we brought him up into hands and knee position, he tried to move forward immediately. Wrapping a band around his legs may help keep his legs together, but it would also make it harder for him to experiment with movement.

Instead, I suggested that the parents sit behind him with their own legs gently supporting the outside of his knees. As he tried to crawl forward, they could easily adjust their position while still allowing him to move freely.

The goal for this child wasn’t simply to keep his knees together. We wanted to support his movement without getting in the way of it.

Now picture a baby with a different challenge. 

Some babies have much lower muscle strength. They work hard just to stay on their hands and knees as their legs slowly slide apart. This type of baby needs help to allow them to stay in the position.

For this baby, a headband around the thighs might be helpful. By giving a little extra stability, it allows the baby to stay in the position and build the strength it needs.

I don’t know the therapist who made the video, but I’d be willing to bet she usually works with this type of baby. 

I think what makes it hard for parents to decipher all the available information is that most of the advice is good advice for a specific circumstance. That’s why it often makes sense when you hear it but then doesn’t work out the way you expected.

I used to collect advice from almost anyone who was willing to give it. Sometimes it helped. Often time it didn’t. Eventually I realized the problem wasn’t the advice itself. I simply wasn’t playing the same game as the person giving the advice.

Over the last couple of years I have gotten better at figuring this out. First, I realized that I needed to understand the person’s perspective for giving the advice. I would suspect that the person in the Instagram video had worked with several kids who were very weak and thus did not have much desire to move out of the hands and knees position because they were working so hard just to maintain it.

This perspective is different from the circumstances of this particular child who is typically developing and very motivated to move.

The second thing I figured out has more to do with people close to us who give advice. The people who love us most are incentivized to give safe advice. If we dream big we might get disappointed. We might fail.

So if a loved one seems to be talking you out of your dream, know that it comes from a place of love. Listen to their objections because they may have some valid concerns, but ultimately make the decision that best fits your circumstances and goals rather than their perspective.

Whether you’re trying to help your baby crawl or trying to make a big life decision, I’ve found it helpful to ask the following questions:

What experiences led this person to give this advice?

What incentives do they have to give this advice?

Once you understand the perspective behind the recommendation, it’s much easier to decide whether it fits your situation.

Good advice isn’t universal.

It’s contextual.

FAQ

Why do experts sometimes give different advice about babies?

Babies may look similar while struggling with the same skill, but the underlying reason they’re struggling can be very different. One baby may need more support to build strength, while another simply needs room to move and experiment. Good therapists often recommend different approaches because they’re solving different problems. Asking good questions to understand why the advice was given will help you understand whether the advice applies to you and/or your baby.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.

If a baby spends a lot of time with pressure on the same part of their head, that can contribute to flattening. This is one reason parents are often encouraged to give their baby tummy time, vary positions, and avoid too much time in car seats, swings, bouncers, and other containers.

But there is another reason flat surfaces matter.

It is not just about the shape of your baby’s head. It is also about the small movements your baby makes when their body is not being molded by a device.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies sleep on their backs on a firm, flat, non-inclined surface, such as a crib, bassinet, or portable play yard with a fitted sheet. They also recommend avoiding routine sleep in seating devices like swings and car safety seats, except while riding in the car.

That recommendation is primarily about safety.

But as a pediatric physical therapist, I also think about it from a movement perspective.

Here’s what’s going on:

A flat surface gives your baby’s body more reason to make little adjustments. A container gives your baby’s body more reason to relax into the shape of the device.

That may sound like a small difference, but for a baby, small movements matter.

Containers quiet your baby’s body

A container is anything that holds your baby in place.

Car seats, swings, bouncers, strollers, infant seats, and similar devices all do this in different ways. They support your baby’s body. They often curve around your baby. They may keep the hips, trunk, shoulders, and head in a fairly fixed position.

That support can be useful. It can keep your baby safe while you do something necessary. It can give you a needed break.

But the same support that makes a container useful also changes what your baby’s body has to do.

When your baby is held by a device, the device does some of the work for them.

Their trunk does not have to adjust as much. Their head may settle into one spot. Their shoulders and hips may be held in a certain position. Their body has less reason to make the tiny adjustments that happen when a baby is resting on a flatter, more open surface.

A container does not just contain your baby. It shapes your baby’s body and reduces their need to respond.

Think about a big bear hug

Imagine someone gives you a big bear hug.

At first, you may wiggle a little. But if the hug is firm enough, your body eventually gives in. You stop trying to move as much. You relax into the pressure because there is not much else to do.

A baby container can work in a similar way.

The seat curves around the baby. The straps hold them in. The padding supports them. The baby’s body settles into the shape of the device.

It is different from resting on a flat surface.

On a flat surface, the baby’s body is not being hugged into one shape. There is more room for small shifts. The baby may turn their head a little. They may adjust their shoulders. They may move their arms or legs. They may subtly change how their trunk rests against the surface.

Babies move even when they are resting

When we think about baby movement, we usually think about the obvious milestones.

Rolling. Sitting. Crawling. Pulling to stand. Walking.

But babies are also developing through tiny movements that are easy to miss.

A baby lying on a flat surface makes small adjustments with their head, neck, shoulders, trunk, arms, and legs. Even when resting, their body is still receiving information from the surface underneath them.

These little movements help a baby get to know their body better. It makes bigger movements possible.

A container reduces these movements.

In a car seat, swing, or bouncer, the device gives the body more external support. The baby does not have to respond as much to gravity, the floor, or their own position. The device holds them in a more fixed shape.

That does not mean every moment in a container is harmful.

It means containers should be used sparingly.

Flat surfaces ask more from your baby’s body

A flat surface does something very helpful: it gives your baby’s body a more neutral place to rest and adjust.

When your baby lies on a firm, flat surface, their body has more freedom. Their head is not tucked into the same curved seat. Their trunk is not molded into the same shape. Their shoulders and hips have more room to settle naturally.

This allows for small, natural movements. Your baby may not look like they are doing much. But their body is still working in quiet ways.

This is one reason I like babies to have plenty of time outside of containers.

They need time to respond to the world instead of being shaped by the device.

Why this matters during sleep

Most parents think about container time when their baby is awake.

That makes sense. Awake time is when we think about tummy time, reaching, rolling, kicking, and playing.

But sleep position matters too.

Even when your baby is asleep, their body is still responding to its environment. That surface they are on is either giving them room to settle naturally, or it is molding them into a specific position.

A car seat, swing, or bouncer often places a baby in a curved or semi-reclined position. The head may fall to one side. The trunk may stay rounded. The shoulders may stay forward. The hips may stay flexed.

A flat sleep surface gives the baby’s body a different experience.

It does not wrap around them in the same way. It does not hold them in the same curve. It gives their body more room to make small adjustments.

That is the part many parents do not think about.

Sleeping in containers is not only about head shape.

It is about how much the container conforms to the baby’s body and how much movement that conformity discourages.

What about babies who sleep better in containers?

Many babies seem to sleep better in a car seat, swing, or bouncer.

They may settle faster. They may like the snugness. They may like the incline. They may like the motion. They may feel held.

A container can feel calming for the same reason a bear hug can feel calming. It gives support. It reduces freedom. It quiets the body.

It’s okay if a baby falls asleep in a container from time to time, but it is best if we can move them to a flat surface to finish their nap.

Car seats are for the car

Car seats are essential.

Use them every time your baby is in the car. A properly used car seat is one of the most important safety tools you own.

But car seats are designed for travel. They are not designed to be your baby’s regular bed.

This distinction helps parents avoid unnecessary confusion.

If your baby falls asleep while you are driving, that is normal. You do not need to panic.

But once you are home or at your destination, the better habit is to transfer your baby to a flat sleep surface when it is safe and practical to do so.

The American Academy of Pediatrics’ parent guidance says that if a baby falls asleep in a car seat, stroller, swing, infant carrier, or sling, they should be moved to a firm sleep surface on their back as soon as possible.

That does not mean you need to panic over every car nap.

But it does give you a good default habit:

Car seat for travel.

Flat surface for sleep.

Where head shape fits into this

If a baby spends a lot of time with pressure on the same part of their head, they can develop flattening on one side or the back of the head. If they often rest with their head turned one way, they may also develop a preference for that direction. This can lead to developmental problems down the road.

Containers can contribute to this because they reduce variety and make it easier for your baby to settle into one preferred spot.

A flat surface gives your baby more variety of positions and an easier time changing to a different position. These factors make it less likely that your baby’s head will develop a flat spot.

Practical takeaway

Containers are useful because they support your baby. But that support is also the reason they should not become your baby’s main resting place.

A container holds your baby in one shape. A flat surface gives your baby more room to make small adjustments.

Those little movements may not look impressive, but they matter.

They help your baby experience their body, shift position, turn the head, settle differently, and avoid being molded into the same posture over and over again.

FAQ

Is it okay if my baby falls asleep in the car seat?

It is common for babies to fall asleep in the car seat while riding in the car. The car seat should always be used for travel. But once you are out of the car, it is best to move your baby to a firm, flat sleep surface on their back as soon as it is safe and practical.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.

When I was at the park this week, I was reminded of something I think many parents do not think about.

There was a baby sitting in a car seat while her mother sat on a bench and read. Her toddler brother was climbing on the playground.

That is very normal. Most of us think about taking toddlers and older kids to the park. They need space to run, climb, swing, slide, and get their energy out.

But what about babies?

I like parks for babies too.

The experience is different, of course. A baby is not going to run across the grass or climb the ladder to the slide. But a park can still be a very helpful place for your baby’s development.

Here’s the simple idea:

A park visit does not have to be a “playground” visit for your baby. It can be a floor-time visit in a new place.

For young babies, that may mean tummy time on a blanket.

For older babies, it may mean rolling, reaching, crawling, or pulling to stand near the edge of the playground.

And for you, it may simply mean getting out of the house, breathing fresh air, and resetting the day.

Why I like park visits for babies

Sometimes you and your baby just need a change of scenery.

The house can start to feel small. The same toys, the same rooms, the same floor space, and the same routine can get old for both of you.

A walk to the park can help.

You can put your baby in a stroller, carrier, or wrap and head outside. Even before you “do” anything developmental, the walk itself gives your baby new things to see, hear, and feel.

The light is different.
The air is different.
The sounds are different.

That may seem simple, but simple experiences matter for babies.

Babies are constantly learning about the world through their bodies. What seems commonplace to us, may be a cherished first experience for our baby.

What do you do with a baby at the park?

Start with a blanket.

That is the easiest way to turn a park visit into something useful for your baby without making it complicated.

For a young baby, lay the blanket on a flat area of grass and place your baby on their tummy. Then lie down across from them and make faces, talk to them, sing, or simply let them look around.

You do not have to turn it into an exercise session.

You are just giving your baby a new place to be on their tummy.

That alone can be helpful.

Some babies who fuss with tummy time at home will tolerate it a little better outside because there is more to look at. The trees move. Other kids run by. Dogs bark. Leaves blow. The light changes.

There is a lot going on.

If your baby likes looking at faces, your face may be enough. If you want a little more help, bring a baby-safe mirror and set it in front of them. Many babies will spend extra time on their tummy when they can look at themselves.

And if you want a small break, you can sit nearby and read while they watch the mirror or look around.

For babies who are rolling

Once your baby is starting to roll, the park blanket becomes a little more interesting.

Bring a few toys your baby likes and place them just out of reach to the side.

This gives your baby a reason to turn, reach, and roll.

We often think of baby play as putting toys right in front of the baby. That is fine, but babies also need practice reaching to the side, turning their body, and moving toward something they want.

A blanket at the park gives them a nice little space to practice.

You can place a toy to one side and let your baby roll toward it. Then move the toy to the other side and let them roll back.

It does not need to be formal. You are simply using the park as a new place for the same good floor play your baby needs at home.

For babies who are crawling

Once your baby starts crawling, the park becomes even more interesting.

You can let your baby start on the blanket and then give them the space to move off the blanket and feel the grass.

This is where parents sometimes hesitate.

And I understand why.

Grass is pokey. The ground may be uneven. Your baby may try to eat leaves, dirt, or bark. You will need to watch them, of course.

But this is also part of how babies learn.

The floor at home is predictable. Grass is not. It feels different on their hands, knees, feet, and legs. It changes how they move. It gives them new sensory information.

These small experiences help your baby build a bigger understanding of the world.

For babies who are pulling to stand

As babies get closer to standing, they often become very interested in the playground equipment.

They see older kids climbing, stepping, sliding, and running. They want to be part of it.

This can be a great time to let your baby pull to stand at a safe, low part of the playground structure.

They might hold onto a step.
They might stand at the edge of a platform while you support them.
They might cruise along a low rail.
They might simply stand and watch the bigger kids play.

This is not about pushing your baby to be advanced. It is about letting them participate at their level.

A baby who is pulling to stand does not need to go down the slide or climb the structure. But they may love feeling like they are part of the playground.

That sense of participation matters too.

Babies are social. They watch other kids. They learn from what is happening around them. Sometimes the motivation to move comes from wanting to join in.

What about the baby swing?

Baby swings can be fun, and there is nothing wrong with using them when your baby is ready and well-supported.

But I would not make the swing the whole park visit.

The swing is still a container. Your baby is strapped in and supported by the seat. They may enjoy the movement, but they are not using their body in the same way they do when they are on the ground.

That is why I like the blanket and grass so much.

The bigger purpose of a park visit

For a toddler, the park is often about movement and energy.

They run. They climb. They slide. They swing. They come home tired.

For a baby, the purpose is different but still important.

A baby gets new tactile, visual, and movement experiences.

They feel grass, wind, sun, shade, and uneven ground.
They see trees, dogs, bikes, birds, and playground equipment.

They get inspired by older kids.
They hear new sounds.
They move their body in a new environment.

These experiences help your baby learn about the world around them.

And the more chances they have to explore safe, varied environments, the more they have to build on later.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.

Sometimes a small movement detail tells you a lot about how a baby is learning to use their body.

This week, I worked with two babies who reminded me how often babies pull when they would benefit from learning to push. It sounds like a small difference, but it can change how they crawl, climb, stand, and eventually walk.

Here’s what’s going on: when babies pull with straight legs, they often rely on the muscles behind their thighs instead of learning to push through bent hips and knees.

That may not sound like a big deal, but pushing helps babies build strength, balance, and control.

The baby who scooted on her bottom

One little girl I worked with scooted on her bottom instead of crawling.

Bottom scooting can be very effective. Babies who do it often get around quickly, keep their hands free, and look very clever doing it. But when a baby scoots instead of crawling, they may miss some of the strengthening and coordination that comes from being on hands and knees.

To help this baby change her movement, we used a cushion from a Nugget play couch as a low obstacle.

At first, she tried to climb onto it from a sitting position. She put both feet on the cushion and pulled with her legs. Her legs stayed fairly straight, and she was trying to drag herself forward instead of getting onto her knees and climbing up.

Once she figured out this wasn’t going to work, she opened herself up to different ideas. Her mom and I were able to help her get onto her hands and knees, and she climbed right up.

Ah, the power of a small obstacle to help change a child’s movement pattern.

The baby who climbed onto the couch

Another baby I saw was standing but not yet walking.

He loved climbing onto the couch. His strategy was to put one foot up on the couch and pull himself up with his knee almost straight.

To help him change this pattern, I gently bent his knee and held it against the couch. This made it easier for him to push through. Sure enough, he started pushing his knee into the couch to climb up instead of using his leg to pull himself up.

Why pushing matters

Pulling is not bad. Babies need to pull too.

They pull to stand. They pull toys toward themselves. They pull on furniture, people, blankets, and anything else they can reach.

The issue is when pulling becomes the main strategy and pushing does not develop well alongside it.

When babies primarily pull with their legs, they may overuse their hamstrings, the muscles on the back of the thigh. They may avoid using their glutes, hips, and trunk muscles as much as they could.

Pushing through bent knees and hips helps babies build a stronger foundation.

It helps with:

• Getting onto hands and knees
• Crawling over obstacles
• Climbing safely
• Moving from the floor to standing
• Squatting
• Walking with better control

Pushing also teaches the body how to organize movement from the ground up.

When a baby bends a knee, puts weight through the foot or leg, and pushes, they are learning how to use strength and balance together. That pattern matters far beyond one single milestone.

What to watch for

You may notice this pattern if your baby:

• Scoots on their bottom instead of crawling
• Has trouble getting into hands and knees
• Climbs by pulling with a nearly straight knee
• Seems strong but uses awkward or effortful movement strategies

This does not mean something is automatically wrong.

Babies experiment. They problem-solve. They use the easiest path available to them.

But if your baby avoids pushing, it may be worth giving them more opportunities to practice.

What you can try at home

You do not need fancy equipment.

A couch cushion, your leg, a firm pillow, or a low step can all give your baby a chance to practice pushing.

The goal is not to make the obstacle too hard. The goal is to make it just challenging enough that your baby has to shift weight, bend a knee, and push.

You can gently help by:

• Encouraging hands-and-knees play
• Placing toys on a 6-12″ step and have them kneel as they play
• Supporting your baby’s knee so they can push through it when climbing
• Letting your baby work through obstacles instead of lifting them over the obstacle

The most important idea is this:

Help your baby push from a bent knee and hip instead of pulling with a straight or nearly straight knee.

You are not trying to correct every movement. You are helping your baby discover a different, helpful pattern.

When to get help

If your baby strongly resists hands-and-knees play, always scoots instead of crawling, seems unusually stiff, uses one side more than the other, or has trouble progressing toward crawling and walking, it check in with your baby’s physical or pediatric physical therapist.

A good therapist can help you understand whether your baby just has a preferred movement habit or whether there is a bigger reason they are avoiding certain positions.

Either way, the goal is not to make you worry.

The goal is to help your baby build more options.

FAQ

Is bottom scooting always a problem?

No. Some babies bottom scoot, grow out of it, and no one would ever know the difference.

Bottom scooting can be a sign that a baby is avoiding hands-and-knees movement, pushing through bent legs, or using both sides of the body together in a balanced way.

If your baby bottom scoots but is also able to crawl, climb, get into hands and knees, pull to stand, squat, and move in a variety of ways, it may not be a concern.

If bottom scooting is their only way of getting around, you see differences between how they use their right and left sides, or they seem stuck in that pattern, check in with a professional.

Pushing is one of those small movement skills that can make a big difference.

When your baby learns to push through bent knees and hips, they are building strength, coordination, and confidence for the next stage of movement.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.

Let’s talk about containers.

A “container” is anything that holds your baby in place. That includes car seats, baby carriers, strollers, infant seats, bouncers, sit-in walkers, swings, high chairs, and play standers.

Containers are not bad. They can keep your baby safe. They can give you a few minutes to take a shower, make food, help another child, or simply breathe.

The problem comes when babies spend too much of their day in containers and not enough time moving freely.

Here’s what’s going on: babies learn to move by moving.

When a baby spends too much time held in one position, it can limit the little movements that build strength, coordination, head control, rolling, reaching, and crawling. Over time, too much container time can contribute to what is sometimes called Container Baby Syndrome.

A question I heard from parents this week

Yesterday, a family asked me about a play stander they had just bought for their baby.

It had toys attached to it and gave their baby a safe place to play for short periods of time. Their baby had recently started rolling and moving across the room. The parents were excited about this, but it also had them a little concerned. If one parent was home alone and needed to take a shower or prepare a meal, they needed somewhere safe to put the baby.

They were worried that even these short times in a container might harm their baby’s development.

I told this specific family not to worry.

Why?

Because they were coming at it with the right mindset.

They were not using the play stander as the baby’s main place to spend the day. They were using it as a helpful tool for short periods when they needed the baby to be safe and contained. Their baby was also getting lots of time to move freely, including at least 60 to 90 minutes of tummy time spread throughout the day.

Containers are useful tools. They become a problem when they become the default.

What is Container Baby Syndrome?

Container Baby Syndrome is a phrase used to describe movement and development problems that can happen when a baby spends too much time in devices that restrict movement.

This does not mean one stroller ride, one stretch in a carrier, or a few minutes in a play stander will harm your baby.

It also does not mean you should feel guilty for using baby gear. My wife and I used containers for short periods of time with our girls.

However, when babies spend a lot of time in containers, they are at greater risk for:

• Delays in movement development
• A flat or misshapen head
• Tightness in the neck
• Trouble turning the head equally both ways
• Favoring one side of the body

The reason is simple: containers reduce variety.

A baby in a car seat, swing, bouncer, infant seat, or play stander is being supported by the device. Their body does not have to make as many small adjustments. Their head may rest in one position. Their arms and legs may have less freedom. Their trunk does not have to work as much.

Babies need chances to use their bodies in lots of different ways.

Containers should be the exception, not the home base

One of the easiest traps with baby gear is that it becomes the default place to put the baby.

The baby goes into the car seat. Then into the stroller. Then into the swing. Then into the bouncer. Then into the high chair. Then back into the car seat.

None of those things are wrong by themselves.

But when you add them up, a baby can go through a large part of the day without much freedom of movement.

The floor is one of the best places for your baby

For babies, the floor is the best “developmental gym.”

It does not need to be fancy. You do not need expensive toys. You do not need a perfect setup. Just a blanket on the floor.

On the floor, your baby can:

• Turn their head both directions
• Practice looking toward sounds and faces
• Kick their legs
• Bring hands to mouth
• Reach for toys
• Roll toward something interesting
• Push up during tummy time
• Shift weight from side to side
• Learn how their body works

These little movements matter.

They are the foundation for bigger skills later, like sitting, crawling, pulling to stand, cruising, and walking.

A simple way to think about container time

You do not need to track every minute.

Instead, think about the pattern.

Are containers helping you get through real-life moments?

Or are containers where your baby spends most of the day?

That distinction matters.

A few minutes in a play stander while you shower is very different from a baby spending most of the day moving from one device to another.

A walk with a stroller is different from using a stroller as the main place your baby hangs out.

A baby carrier can be wonderful for closeness and connection, but your baby still needs time outside the carrier to move freely.

The goal is not to eliminate every container.

The goal is to make sure your baby gets many chances each day to move without being held in one position.

What about car seats?

Car seats are necessary for safe travel. Use them every time your baby is in the car.

The concern is not normal car seat use during travel. The concern is when the car seat becomes a place where the baby spends lots of extra time outside the car.

This is especially easy to overdo with car seats that are designed to hold a baby outside of the car. When it is easy to unsnap the car seat and carry the baby to another location, it becomes easy to give that baby too much time in their container.

What if my baby hates tummy time?

This is one reason container time can sneak up on families.

If your baby does not like tummy time, it is very easy to avoid it. Then the baby spends more time on their back or in containers. Then tummy time stays hard because they are not getting enough practice.

You do not have to force long stretches of tummy time.

Start small.

It’s okay if your baby only tolerates 30 seconds (or less) at a time. Just consistently give them 30 seconds at a time and increase the number of times on their tummy each day. With this consistently they will build the strength they need to work up to the 60-90 minutes of tummy time they need.

Signs your baby may need more free movement

You may want to look more closely at container time if your baby:

• Is not rolling, reaching, or moving as much as expected
• Spends much of the day in seats, swings, carriers, strollers, standers, or other devices

These signs do not automatically mean something is seriously wrong. But they are worth paying attention to.

Often, the first step is simply more floor time, more position changes, and more opportunities to move.

Practical takeaway

Use containers when they help with safety, travel, meals, connection, or your own sanity.

But try not to let containers become your baby’s main place to spend the day.

A helpful rhythm is:

Container when needed. Floor when possible. Held when wanted. Variety throughout the day.

Your baby does not need a perfect routine. Your baby needs chances to move, explore, and use their body in different ways every day.

FAQ

Will short periods in a baby container hurt my baby’s development?

Short periods in a container are usually not a problem if your baby is also getting lots of time to move freely. The concern is when containers become the main place your baby spends the day.

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Dr. Trevor E. Carlson, PT, DPT
Pediatric physical therapist, author of Tummy Time to Walking, and founder of InfantPT.com.

I help parents better understand their baby’s movement and development with practical, calm, experience-based guidance.