As the mother of an infant, your physician will strongly urge you to give your baby Tummy Time. Back when we all used to sleep on our bellies, the stomach muscles got a workout and every baby crawled. Now our nation of SIDS-panicked back-sleepers has such a collective flabby gut, many kids skip right over crawling and walk instead. This is supposedly bad for development, another thing your physician and spiteful other moms will tell you.
Anyhoo, if your babe’s not the type to coo and gurgle when placed on her belly, floor toys like the transcendently cute Wish Come True line will help. Each three-inch figure has a chiming bell inside, and a heavy bottom so it rocks from side to side without falling down. Plop one down in front of the kid and watch him stretch and reach to bat it. Heck, at $7.50 they’re cheap enough to get all six and make an obstacle course. According to the manufacturer, you’re supposed to make a wish when you rock them. Here’s one: I wish Tummy Time was over.
One caution: the Wishing Toys are in “blind boxes,” meaning you won’t know which one you’ve got until you open the package. Hey, maybe you can wish for the one you want!
Available at friendswithyou.com.