Have you ever wondered if those expensive latest and greatest play toys are necessary to put on your baby registry? This blog can help you understand whether or not these toys, such as bouncers, activity centers, and swings, are good for development.
Potential Benefits & Disadvantages of Baby Containers
Baby containers are toys/play devices that help contain your baby. Common toys include swings, baby seats, standing activity centers, jumpers, and baby walkers. What is not as commonly known about these devices is that they can restrict movement opportunities that actually develop a baby’s range of motion and muscular strength and allow for mastery of foundational developmental milestones.
As a pediatric physical therapist who works with babies who are not meeting their milestones, I do not tend to recommend container devices for babies. This is because the time spent in a device takes away from time that could be spent developing purposeful movement in an unrestricted environment. Toy companies will often market their devices as “good” for development. Let’s explore this a little more from a developmental standpoint.
Typical Developmental Milestones of Babies 2-18 Months:
| Age | Motor Milestones/Skills |
| 2-3 months | Controlling head including holding the head up against gravity in tummy time propping on elbows when in tummy time |
| 4-5 months | Brings both hands to the middle while on his/her back begins to roll from belly to back and back to belly holds head up high against gravity in tummy time and begins reaching for toys sits supported by you while maintaining head in the middle |
| 6 months | Independently sitting reaching in sitting or playing with a toy using both hands |
| 7-8 months | Pushing up onto straight arms on their tummy pivoting around in circles while on their tummy occasionally pulling the knees in for hands and knees positioning in preparation for crawling occasionally belly crawling or army crawling with opposite arm/leg movements |
| 9-10 months | Beginning to crawl on hands and knees beginning to pull up to a kneeling position at a surface standing with support at a coffee table, couch, or chair with flat foot contact |
| 10-12 months | Pulling up to standing standing with support with flat foot contact and weaning support by reaching out with a hand walking sideways or “furniture cruising” from place to place squatting to pick up toys while holding on |
| 12-18 months | Standing up from the middle of the room standing independently walking independently |
Types of Baby Containers & The Impact of Each Device
Now let’s dive into the different types of baby containers and the potential impacts each device could have on your child.
Baby Swings or Bouncers
– Toy company recommended ages: newborn+
Swings are a great strategy for calming, however, they often cradle the baby’s head. This can result in increased pressure on one side of the back of the head, resulting in flat spots. Swings or bouncers also give increased vestibular input to the baby, which can make it harder to calm your baby unless they are bouncing, swinging, or being held. Swings and bouncers are appropriate to use in moderation and for shorter periods of time, approximately 20-30 minutes.
Baby Seats
– Toy company recommended ages: 3-4 months
At 3-4 months, a baby is working on holding the head up in midline and gaining trunk control for independent sitting. By placing a baby in a fully supported seat, the core muscles no longer have to work to hold him/her upright. In typical development, as a baby learns sitting balance, they will assume a ring sitting position with the legs making a circle vs straight out in front. Most seats typically have a barrier between the legs that restricts this much-needed weight shifting and knee bending. Once babies are able to sit independently, these devices can be used for feeding, but are not recommended for play.
Standing Activity Center or Jumper
– Toy company recommended ages: 3-4 months+
A 3-4-month-old baby should be beginning to lift their head in tummy time and starting to weight shift for rolling. They cannot yet sit or stand independently. It does not make sense to have a baby use their underdeveloped legs, ankles, feet, and toes when their foundational building blocks of core strength and stability have not yet been developed. Standing is a 9-10-month-old skill, and jumping is beyond that. Using jumpers and standing devices can actually teach a baby to push onto the toes when standing and walking, and can result in toe-walking.
Baby Walkers
– Toy company recommended ages: 6-12 months
A 6-month-old baby should be working on independent sitting and gaining trunk control. By placing a 6-month-old baby in a walker where they are fully supported by the sling, it allows them to “sit” in the toy instead of developing core control and putting weight through the feet to support him/herself. Additionally, if the baby is not tall enough, the feet will not come into full contact with the floor, and the baby will use his/her toes to push off. I recommend toys such as a push walker so that your baby can begin putting weight through the legs and feet at the appropriate age, around 9-12 months.
What To Use Instead of Baby Containers
Floor play! Save your money and space and work on the development of milestones on the floor with a floor mat. There are a variety of floortime strategies, such as using visual toys with lights and sounds to get your baby’s attention for movement. For those who have the concern of a large fur sibling or older, not as furry sibling, a nice gate for a safe play space is helpful. The more your baby has exposure to moving in these positions, the faster they achieve the developmental milestones that will set the tone for mastery of higher-level skills.
If you have a concern about your baby’s developmental milestones, reach out to your pediatrician. Or contact The Center for Physical Rehabilitation for an evaluation or consultation!
Resources: https://pathways.org/