By Sue Heron Training Co-ordinator Tatty Bumpkin and Paediatric Physiotherapist
In this blog I describe a Baby Bumpkin Yoga activity and outline some of the benefits for both you and your baby so you can enjoy doing the activity at home
Please remember though, for you and your baby to gain the full benefit of all the Baby Bumpkin Yoga and multi-sensory activities, find out about your local Baby Bumpkin class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html.
Our qualified Baby Bumpkin Teachers are fully trained in aspects of baby development and Baby Yoga and are kept fully up-to-date by our professional team of paediatric physiotherapists, Yoga teachers and musicians.
Or, maybe, you are thinking of a new career, which gives you:
- The opportunity to work with kids
- A great sense of job satisfaction and
- Flexible working to fit around your own family?
In which case - find out how you could be trained to deliver Baby and Tatty Bumpkin classes in your area at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/business/index.html.
The Baby Bumpkin Adventure this Week
If you are taking your baby to a Baby Bumpkin class this week you will go on an adventure with Baby Bumpkin to look for his friend the lion in the jungle. Your baby will have a chance to:
- Progress their early communication skills and enhance their bond with you as they do Lion pose
- Have fun with others and develop their social skills as they move and explore to the Tatty Bumpkin Lion song.
- Progress their early visual and thinking skills as they play with the jungle parrot’s feathers!
And finally, at the end of the session, enjoy a very special relaxation time with you.
Because each Baby Bumpkin adventure is carefully linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) the sessions not only enhance your baby’s physical skills they also develop your baby’s early communication, social and thinking skills. Find your local class at http://www.tattybumpkin.com/classes/find-class.html.
The Baby Bumpkin Lion Yoga Activity
For Younger Babies
- Settle your baby on a mat in front of you and place a small pillow or rolled towel under their head so they can easily look at you.
- Find a comfortable sitting position for yourself at your baby’s feet e.g. sitting back on your heels or kneeling up. If you find these positions uncomfortable then try sitting cross legged on a cushion.
- Keeping good eye contact with your baby, push your arms straight out in front of you so your hands are over your baby. Remember your hands will be your baby’s favourite mobile!
- Turn your palms upwards, wriggle your fingers and make a gentle roaring sound! Not too loud – you want to amuse your baby not frighten them!
Lion pose For Older Babies - Who are able to sit by themselves.
- If your baby is able to sit up by themselves, encourage them to sit on the floor opposite you. Alternatively sit with your legs straight out in front of you and settle your baby over your lower legs so they are facing you.
- Firstly gain eye contact with your baby, then say “1, 2, 3, roar!” (gently!) whilst straightening your arms out in front of you, towards your baby.
- Turn your palms upwards, stretch your face wide like a lion as your roar, wriggle your fingers and then finish with a smile!
- Repeat the pose several times, encouraging your baby to copy your arm actions, the roaring sounds and your expression. See if you can touch each other’s palms as you do lion pose together.
Why Lion Pose is Good for Both You and Your Baby
As you do lion pose with your baby - you will be:
1. Developing your baby’s communication skills
As you make gentle lion roars and funny lion expressions with your baby you will be encouraging them to look at you and possibly copy you. Making funny sounds and faces with your baby is a great way of progressing their early communication skills. Remember:
- If your baby is under or about two months old they will be depending on others to interact with them. They will love to look at you and listen to your voice and will often show this by responding to you with coos and gurgles. Maybe at around two months, they will respond to your smile with a smile.
- At about three months your baby may start to copy your facial expressions, sounds, and gestures.
- Between three and four months, your baby might do squeals of delight and laugh out loud with you.
- As their eyesight improves, your baby will become increasingly able to distinguish between different sights and sounds.
2. Strengthening the bond between yourself and your baby
Remember you are your baby’s best playmate! After doing lion rhyme several times, your baby will learn to anticipate the actions and the rhyme will develop into a playful game you both can enjoy doing together.
3. Progressing your baby’s visual skills
Your hands are the best ‘mobile’ for your baby, they will love looking at your fingers as you wriggle them as lion claws.
4. Giving yourself a good shoulder, arm and wrist stretch!
As you stretch out your arms in front of you and hold them over your baby you will be giving your shoulders, arms and wrists muscles a great stretch. Often new mums can have sore wrists, and it is important to gently move and stretch them so they do not become stiff.
Love Baby Bumpkin x
Remember –
