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If you are looking for an activity gym for your infant that doesn’t take up your whole living room and promotes baby’s developmental skills without breaking the bank ($35.00), the Sassy Stim Gym is fabulous! This gym is easy to put together in seconds, comes with three adorable detachable bugs, a tummy time bolster and foldable mirror.  What I love about this gym is that it comes with all the necessary items to help a baby develop their visual skills for focusing and tracking, hand eye coordination for reach and grasp, as well as strength through encouraging tummy time play and independent sitting. It can be used from birth through at least 6 months depending on your child’s developmental skill, because once your child is able to roll, it turns into a great mat that also promotes independent sitting.

Here were some of my favorite ideas for infant play:

Place a newborn on their back under the arch using a boppy pillow, this places the baby’s shoulders forward, making it easier for them to see and feel the dangling toys easier.

Place baby on their side with the arch to either their right or left and encourage them to reach out for the bugs. This promotes bringing their hands together to play.  When a baby lies on their back, gravity makes it difficult for them to reach up.  When they play on their side gravity does not provided added resistance, allowing for better accuracy.

Use the tummy time bolster to prop baby up, and encourage them to look at the toys dangling from the arch. Eventually encourage them to reach up and play with the dangling toys on their belly once their head, neck and shoulder strength improves.

The tummy time bolster has places to attach the bugs so they don’t move to far away from your baby’s reach while they feel the different textures and try to explore them with their mouth and fingers.

Use the tummy time bolster and the mirror for play on their belly to improve their neck, trunk and arm/hand strength, while working on their social and language skills by talking and smiling into the mirror.

Pack the mirror separately in your diaper bag for on the go fun, it’s soft and easy to travel with.

After baby has begun to roll, hold their hips and place them in a seated position in front of the arch to work on the trunk strength needed for more independent sitting.

Attach these brightly colored and interactive bugs to links onto your car seat or stroller straps so baby can play with them separately rather than always having them attached to the arch.

I have a material connection because I received a review copy (book, CD, software, etc.), or an item of nominal value that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content.

Disclosure: http://cmp.ly/1/kh58t7

Photos by: Derek Wilmot