Kids-Move

2. ARMS HIGH, ARMS LOW
(Yankee Doodle)
NOTE: Exercising baby involves more than just assisting baby’s muscle development. Simultaneously baby is gaining self-awareness and learning about you through your facial expressions, voice, and touch.
Baby is also learning about trust, moving in synchronization, and about body and spacial awareness. Baby is learning that she/he is someone who is fun to be with. All these things prepare baby to move efficiently and be confident in herself/himself.
The playful Arms High, Arms Low exercise stimulates your baby’s shoulder, chest, and upper-arm muscles. It also increases the flexibility of the entire shoulder area for reaching, creeping, and crawling endeavors. Let baby use her muscles to hold your fingers as long as possible during the movement. Gently raise her arms from a fully extended position at her sides to an overhead stretch in line with her ears. Whistle or sing along to Yankee Doodle.

HAND TO KNEE STRETCH
(Mary Had a Little Lamb)
This movement encourages flexibility in baby’s lower back and hip region, arms and shoulders. Flexibility enables baby to reach for objects, push to sit up, crawl, and eventually walk, run, and play ball. While baby is on back, grasp baby’s lower leg and opposite hand in a fully
extended position. Bend one knee up and bring hand down to touch knee. Then return both to full extension. Repeat eight times and change to opposite hand and leg. You will feel more strength and resistance in your growing baby’s
arms and legs as the days go by. Follow along to Mary Had a Little Lamb.