Supervised time when a baby is placed on their stomach while awake. It builds neck, shoulder, and arm strength needed for crawling. Start with a few minutes at a time after the umbilical cord stump falls off. Always stay with your baby during tummy time.
Related Terms
A baby in their first 28 days of life. Newborns can't move around much, but they're still vulnerable to suffocation, falls from elevated surfaces, and overheating. Safe sleep setup and supervision during feeding are the top priorities at this stage.
A baby who has learned to move on hands and knees, usually between 6 and 10 months. Once babies start crawling, everything changes. They can reach outlets, pull on tablecloths, find small objects on the floor, and get to stairs. This is the time to get serious about childproofing.
Skills and abilities that most children reach by certain ages, like rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and walking. Each milestone creates new safety considerations. Pediatricians track them at well-child visits, and the CDC has a milestone tracker app for parents.
Active, attentive watching of a child, especially around water, heights, and hazards. Supervision doesn't mean scrolling your phone while your kid plays near the pool. It means eyes-on, within arm's reach when needed, and knowing what to watch for at each developmental stage.