Physical Needs of Infants

As infants grow, you will notice their periods of alertness getting longer. The time they are awake between sleeping and feeding increases. Infants need a chance to exercise their arms and legs. They need to experience varying body positions. They may enjoy massages and soft tickles. They need brief periods of “tummy time” on the floor to raise their heads, strengthen their backs, and push up on their arms, later to rock from front to back and begin crawling.

Older infants become more mobile, exploratory, and social. They begin to pull themselves up on furniture. They crawl, climb small stairs, and go up low ramps. They also begin walking with assistance. As children approach their first birthday, they love to put things into containers and then take them out. They love to stack things and then knock them down. Keep older infants’ play equipment down low and in familiar places. Allow mobile infants to move about freely, exploring in a safe environment.


You must provide toys, objects and other play materials that are cleanable and nontoxic, won't cause a choking hazard for infants or toddlers, and you must not use baby walkers.

To meet the physical needs of infants, make sure you:

•       Support infants’ attempts to roll, sit, walk, and grasp

•       Provide open carpeted space as well as hard surfaces for crawling

•       Provide low, sturdy furniture for children to pull up and hold on to while learning to walk

•       Provide accessible outdoor activities daily

•       Provide simple objects for infants to reach for, grasp, and explore

•       Allow non-mobile infants to move comfortably, lying freely on their backs while looking about, kicking, reaching, and practicing hand-eye coordination

•       

      Related Training:          
        Infant and Toddler Care Training Package (26 hour / 2.6 CEU)
        Infant Care Training  (10 hour / 1.0 CEU)