Dr. Nurture Podcast

Sitting is a milestone we typically expect to see right around 6-7 months. It can be a journey to get to this point though, and many babies will struggle with this milestone for one reason or another. Things like reflux and spit-up, excessively high or low muscle tone, delayed reflex integration, lack of strengthening (usually due to restriction like containers or tummy time aversions), and many more factors can really make sitting a struggle for some kiddos to master.

As a pediatric PT, it’s common for parents to ask what I recommend for toys and equipment that can better help a child make progress toward the sitting milestone. While there are countless things you could make use of to promote sitting balance, here is a consolidated list of just a few that may be worth giving a try if you’re stuck on sitting!

A tummy time mirror is a must! Getting those back extensor muscles strong and ready to keep the child’s posture upright is foundational for sitting balance and stability. Getting that strong foundation on the tummy carries over into sitting, believe it or not! Also, a mirror can later be propped up higher when the child is actually working on sitting, and can get a child’s attention more upright to maintain better alignment instead of slouching.

Rattle bracelets for baby’s feet are a great way to work on developing core strength. Simply attach to their ankles (while lying on back) and watch baby bring toes to mouth and get an ab workout! This abdominal strength is again foundational for keeping baby from simply tipping over backwards in sitting.

A nursing pillow is another great one for supported sitting. Place in a ring around baby while they play to provide mild tactile cueing for support, or place in front of them with toys on top to facilitate reaching.

Spinner toys are great for reaching. Simply stick to a window and place child either parallel or perpendicular to the window depending on which direction you are trying to get them working on reaching. These are great because they also provide some balance reaction practice, as they pull and tug against the toy and have to correct their posture/velocity if the toy pops off the window.

Push walkers are multi-functional! Most people wouldn’t dream that they’d be effective for more than walking, but surprisingly, they are great for working on getting a baby more upright and reaching all sorts of different directions to activate toys. Simply place the push toy in front of your seated baby with the interactive turned around facing your child. Then watch as they go to town reaching against gravity to engage with the buttons (great for open chain strengthening of shoulder girdle which improves sensory awareness, strength, and accuracy).

I hope this has been a good brain jogger for you—these really are some of the very best toys to work on sitting, and I use them (or improvised variations!) in my own practice every single day.

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