Does your child fuss and cry when you place them on their tummy? Maybe they seem disinterested in tummy time and the tools you're using to stimulate them.

Some infants simply do not like to be positioned on their stomachs. They may not think it is comfortable or, in some cases, they do not like being unable to see well around them. Even if your child does not seem to want to learn these skills, it is important for them to do so.

Don't worry or panic. This is not uncommon. Every baby develops in their own time, but a few helpful tummy time tips can help encourage your child to become comfortable on their tummy and develop the gross motor skills that naturally lead to crawling.

Why Are Toys That Encourage Tummy Time So Valuable?

When you look at the wide range of toys available to help your child learn and grow, do not overlook the value of having toys that actually encourage tummy time. The development that occurs through tummy time is some of the most important in your baby's life and prepares them for the future.

Most tummy time toys are intended for baby to lay flat on a mat and focus on sounds, lights, and some textures. For baby to take in this environment, they must raise their head, but it isn't as easy as promoting the desire to move as well as receiving valuable sensory information.

The best toys that encourage tummy time are those that help your child to develop his or her core muscle groups that will soon promote them to crawling and then walking. It also helps them to build gross motor skills critical to their overall development of the ability to sit up, hold up their heads, and the coordination needed to eventually walk. These toys are valuable because they encourage your child’s natural movements, helping to get them moving, grow and develop in a safe way.

What Tummy Time Activities Does Your Child Engage In?

If your child seems disinterested, fussy or bored with your current tummy time routine, there are ways to easily engage them again.

Pay attention to the things that interest your baby. What catches their eyes? What do they reach for? Pay attention to colors, shapes and textures. At this point in life, baby is taking in the world from a sensory perspective. Seeing, hearing, touching and tasting deliver a lot of messages to your baby.

For example, with the Crawligator, your child is in the right position to encourage them to move their arms and kick their legs. They are easily able to learn how to move their body and twist and turn to get more motion. It is a fun way to get them motivated and engaged with the world around them.

When it comes to tummy time activities like this, it is important for you to work on these skills over a period of time. For example, encourage your infant to look around by using sound-based toys. You can also get down on the ground with them, so they can see you and follow your movements.

Tip: If your child is not interested in tummy time, and you have tried multiple times, try to get interactive with them. Use toys and play with them while they are on the ground. Get low so they can see your face.

Using the Crawligator, baby can get a double dose of play, sensory learning, physical development and tummy time with parents.

The Best Tummy Time Toys for Infants Are Ones That Get Their Body Moving

You might already have a lot of toys - and there are a lot on the market - that encourage, or say they encourage, educational development in your child. You might not know, but educational development also includes physical development. At this point in life, they go hand in hand, but few toys and activities promote both.

For starters, the key to a better tummy time is to get your baby moving. Instead of just lying on their tummy on a mat. Experts say that when babies are moving they are also receiving important information about the world around them, building confidence, and, hopefully, body strength.

When choosing a developmental toy for infants, always look for those designed to encourage movement of the arms and legs, including bending and twisting. However, it also needs to be designed to keep their heads off the ground and limit uncontrolled movement.

Are Toys That Encourage Crawling Worth Investing In?

When you consider the wide range of ways there are to help stimulate and motivate your infant and child, you may not think much about the connection of movement and stimulation. Toys and tools that encourage crawling can be an excellent way for you to strengthen your child’s overall muscle stability.

If you're a busy parent and find yourself keeping baby in car seats and other similar devices that keep baby sitting upwards, then you most definitely want to look for innovative ways to get baby on their tummy. While this is an easy solution, it is not helpful to your baby.

Babies that spend too much time on their backs or sitting upward can develop Flat Head Syndrome (Positional Plagiocephaly). Experts agree that tummy time is the simplest way to reduce this syndrome. So if you wonder whether the investment in tummy time, toys and tools are worth it, they are very, very worth it for your baby's proper development.

How to Choose Toys to Help Baby Crawl

Trying to choose and buy the toys to help baby crawl is can be really challenging. So many options and things to consider.

Before you spend money, realize that the goal is not to encourage your child to stand quickly or to start walking too soon. Rather, it is to help support your child as he or she builds those all-important core muscles that help them naturally progress through their growth and development.

When choosing any type of toy for this purpose, be sure to choose those designed to stimulate the natural movement of the arms and legs in a natural crawling motion. You also want them to be able to twist and turn as they learn how to move their bodies. At the same time, you need a tool that is going to help them learn to stabilize their head as they build muscles and learn to hold up their head on their own.

But, not every toy that is available is worth investing in. As you consider the toys and tools that encourage crawling, be sure to choose those that:

• Are comfortable to use for baby. A comfortable experience is a pleasant one for baby.

• Designed to keep your child safe. Verify that it's really safe (i.e. no small pieces that are easily swallowed or other questionable materials that can be put in the mouth, ensure that there are no crevices where little fingers can get caught)

• Encourages leg and arm movement and naturally encourages baby to hold their head up

• Provide another source of stimulation by learning about the world around them

The Crawligator has been designed to accomplish this for your child. It is the best way for you to boost your baby's overall development in a fun and engaging way that will surely have them Moving Forward in no time.