Guide to the Lying Stage: Senses, movement and presence
In the first year of life, your child goes through major motor development – from being a newborn lying helplessly on their back, to rolling over onto their stomach, crawling, creeping and eventually walking.
In this article, we focus on the development that takes place during the first months of your child’s life, including how you as a parent can support your baby’s motor development through everyday play, presence, and activities.
At lære sin krop at kende
Det nyfødte barn har ingen kropskontrol eller erfaring med at bevæge sig i verden uden for livmoderen. I den første tid efter fødslen, vil din babys bevægelser være tilfældige og ukoordinerede, men for hver uge der går, vil du opleve, at bevægelserne bliver mere og mere viljestyrede, velkoordinerede og flydende.
Dette sker i takt med, at barnet lærer sin krop at kende, får erfaringer med hvordan det føles at bevæge sig og bliver gradvist mere opmærksom på sine omgivelser.
Motorisk udvikling gennem milepæle
Et barns motoriske udvikling sker gennem såkaldte ’Motoriske milepæle’, hvor dit barn gradvist udvikler sine færdigheder gennem gentagne sanse- og bevægelsesoplevelser.
F.eks. vil den lille baby, der bliver lagt på maven, til at starte med kun lige kunne løfte og vende hoved fra side til side. Men i takt med, at barnet ligger mere på maven og oparbejder styrke og balance i den maveliggende stilling, vil det efter nogle måneder kunne ligge stabilt på underarmene og dreje hovedet fra side til side.
Og når barnet er i 5-6 måneders alderen, vil det kunne ligge på strakte arme og løfte maven fri af underlaget.
The 3 Primary Senses
When a child develops motor skills, it happens in interaction with the senses. Humans have 7 senses: taste, smell, hearing, sight, touch, proprioception (muscle-joint sense), and balance.
The last three are often called the primary senses because they form the basis for movement and motor skill development.
Sense of touch
Registers touch, temperature, and textures.
Muscle and joint sense
(Also known as Proprioceptive sense)
Provides awareness of body position and movement.
Sense of balance
Helps the child keep balance and orient themselves in space.
Sense of touch
Sense of touch helps your baby register touch, pressure, cold, heat, pain, and textures. This builds body awareness and the ability to distinguish between surfaces, textures, and shapes. To stimulate your baby’s tactile sense, you can:
- Hug, stroke, kiss, and caress your baby all over the body – ideally skin-to-skin.
- Massage hands and feet using sensory balls, brushes, or soft cloths.
- Let your baby touch and explore toys with different textures and surfaces.
Muskel-led-sansen
The proprioceptive sense gives your baby an understanding of where their body parts are and how they move in relation to each other. It helps them regulate strength, precision, and coordination. You can stimulate this sense by:
- Letting your baby grip your fingers or toys of different sizes.
- Moving your baby’s arms and legs, e.g. making “cycling” movements with the legs or crossing and stretching the arms.
- Pressing gently against your baby’s soles (both when lying on the back and stomach).
Sense of balance
Sense of balance registers the head’s position and movements in relation to gravity. It develops your baby’s sense of space, direction, movement speed, and balance. You can stimulate it by:
- Laying your baby on their stomach, either on your chest or on a flat surface.
- Rocking, swinging, or spinning around with your baby in your arms.
- Rolling your baby from side to side or from back to stomach and back again.
- Gently holding your baby upside down.
In short, your baby uses their senses to collect information about their body and the surrounding world – information that helps them adapt and control movements, like reaching for a toy or keeping balance.
Supporting Motor Development Through Play
For babies, play is an important part of motor development. As a parent, you can support your child’s learning of new movements and motor skills through playful activities. Many games stimulate multiple senses at once. For example, placing your baby on their stomach on a soft surface with toys in front encourages reaching, feeling, and balance.
Similarly, everyday life naturally stimulates the senses – when your baby hears your voice and turns to look at you, squeezes your finger, or is rocked in your arms for comfort.
Here are some tips for supporting good play habits in everyday life:
Everyday Routines
Include small motor- and sense-stimulating games in daily routines such as diaper changes. Examples: tracking an object with the eyes, holding or reaching for toys, or gently rolling your baby from side to side on the changing mat.
Remember, play and presence should be enjoyable – not a task. Although movement and sensory stimulation are important, what matters most is that you enjoy the time together. Follow your baby’s signals and invite play when they are alert and content.
Creating Good Conditions for Play
Toys: Look for toys with clear color contrasts, different textures, and possibly sounds when moved. These catch your baby’s attention and motivate them to reach out, feel, and explore.
Environment: Place toys within your baby’s reach so they are easy to grab and hold. As movements become more coordinated, vary toy placement to encourage further movement.
The lying stage forms a crucial foundation for motor development. When lying on the back or stomach, your baby gains body awareness, strengthens muscles, and stimulates the senses – all of which later form the basis for rolling, crawling, creeping, and walking.
As a parent, you play a central role in supporting this development through presence, play, and simple daily activities that give your baby opportunities to explore, feel, and move. This way, you help your child lay a strong foundation for further motor and sensory development.
Laura Mittet | Motorikland
Laura Mittet (34) is a mother of three girls, pediatric physiotherapist, and holds a master’s degree in Educational Psychology. She has many years of experience with children – in public institutions, private practice, and child psychiatry.
In 2022, she became part of Rødovre Physiotherapy and Health Center and co-founded Motorikland – a universe for babies, children, pregnant women, and parents in the postpartum period. Here, physiotherapy, group courses, and workshops are offered with focus on movement, play, presence, and professional guidance.
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