Side Lying Play 101

Side Lying Play 101:  

We all hear about tummy time and instinctively have our babies play on their tummy, but we often forget about side-lying. Read on to learn about benefits and recommendations with side-lying play! 

Why do we love side-lying play?  

  • Develops hand-eye coordination 

  • Activates side muscles  

  • Aids in digestion 

  • Rounds out the ribcage to help with breathing 

  • Facilitates baby learning midline, bringing hands together and toys to mouth  

  • Helps develop skills for rolling  

  • Can help prevent flat spots and head asymmetry, by avoiding prolonged pressure on the head in any one position 

When flat on our back, gravity is resisting us to lift our arms from the surface. From side-lying, your baby can work on bringing hands together, reach and grasp for toys, and bring toys/hands to their mouths to explore without having to fight gravity. Therefore, they are often able to manipulate toys more easily on their side first, and then progress to their backs. In side-lying, they are working on their oblique muscles as well as learning how to balance muscles in the front and back side of their bodies, which is helpful later for rolling. If your baby is struggling with rolling, side-lying can be a great position for them to start – working on building the connections needed to roll! When learning to roll from supine to prone (back to tummy), babies will often first roll from their back to their side or their side to their tummy.  

For babies with plagiocephaly or brachycephaly (flat head syndrome), side-lying is an ideal position to help with reshaping of the head by unweighting the head to combat flatness. If they have one side flatter compared to the other side of the head, you want them to lie on the round side to help the other side round out.  

Recommendations for side-lying play:  

  • Roll your baby to their side rather than placing them on their side – this provides vestibular input and helps show them how to roll before they can do so independently.  

  • Roll up a blanket or towel and place it behind their back. This will help to keep them on their side! This boundary can also be achieved with your legs, pillows, or side of a soft couch that is low to the ground. 

  • Keep baby engaged – lay down on the floor beside them, place mirror or high-contrast black and white images (great for newborns) or toys that are easy to reach/grasp/bat at in front of them. Seeing your face or their own is a wonderful way to keep them engaged!  

  • Remember to play on both sides to ensure development of both right and left sides! 

Sydney Euchner