Twist and Swing
Stand with the baby whilst your back is straight, shoulders are back and down with good posture. Hold the baby with your forearm across the chest, under the arms. The other hand is placed under the bottom. Next, tilt the baby slightly forwards and twist the baby around to one side of your waist, at the same time lift your knee on the same side, then repeat but this time gently swing the baby around to the other side and lift the other knee. Inhale as you raise your leg and exhale as you lower. Repeat this for as long as you and the baby are happy. Stop when you get tired or the baby has had enough.

Benefits: Excellent for the waist and a good workout for the thighs, arms and abdomen. Also works the heart and lungs. For the baby it is good for the vestibular system.
Caution: Do not lift the baby if you have back problems; as an alternative do this exercise without the baby. Avoid doing the
exercise too quickly, taking care that the baby is moved slowly from side to side. If under 5/6 months hold baby to the chest to keep secure.

Side Lunges
Stand with the baby whilst keeping your back straight and your shoulders back and down maintaining good posture. Hold the baby across the chest under the arm with one arm; use your other arm (the stronger one) to hold under the bottom. Spread your legs around 3.5ft to 4ft apart and feet turned slightly outwards, bend right knee and swing the baby to the right side then repeat on the left side. Repeat this cycle 3 to 4 times. Advise the parent to stop when they have had enough.

Benefits: Stretches and tones the thighs, abdomen and arms, strengthens the back. Good for baby’s vestibular system.
Caution: Lean the baby slightly forwards, do not do the exercise too quickly but slowly and precisely. Avoid shaking the baby, or for young babies hold them close to your body.

Relaxed Walking
Using the Tiger in the Tree hold, by placing you forearm over the baby’s shoulder, with their head by your elbow and facing slightly down with baby’s cheek resting on your arm. Use your other hand by placing it on top of his back or massage his tummy as you walk slowly around the room. Hold the baby into your solar plexus, which is just above your belly button and take some long deep breaths.

Squats
Stand with your legs more than hip distance apart whilst keeping your back straight. Hold the baby with one arm across the chest under the arm and the strong hand under the bottom. Bend your knees lowering your bottom towards the floor, and then come up slowly to the count of 5 (more or less depending on the fitness of the group and the size of the babies). Repeat 4 to 5 times again depending on the group you have. Advise the parents to stop when they have had enough and make sure everyone in the group has good balance. Repeat the words: “Down, 1,2,3,4” as you perform this exercise.
Benefits: Strengthens and tones the legs and buttocks, strengthens the back and arms.
Caution: Lean the baby slightly forwards to protect the head and neck or for young babies hold them close to you.

Koala Cub
Stand with the baby whilst keeping your back straight and your shoulders back and down maintaining good posture. With knees hip distance apart, hold the baby across the chest under the arm with one arm, and with the other (the strongest) hold the baby under the bottom. Extend the arms then roll the baby in towards you and back again.
Benefits: Baby’s vestibular system, parent/carer’s arms.

Bouncy Ride

Sit with your legs outstretched and baby on your thighs either facing out or in. Hold baby around the torso gently and bend the legs a little up and down. If baby is enjoying this continue a little faster. (Only gentle for young babies).

Sing:
“Bounce little baby, bounce, bounce, bounce, Bounce little baby, fast, fast, fast.”
Benefits: For parent/carer strengthens and tones hips, abdomen and thighs and waist. For baby provides vestibular system and body awareness.
Caution: Support head and neck and do only slowly for babies under 6 months.

All Aboard

Sit with your legs outstretched and place baby facing you on your thighs or sit them between your legs. Holding baby’s hands pull gently on one arm then release the pull and pull the alternate arm. Lift your bottom cheeks off the floor alternately in sync with your arms and walk across the floor on your bottom. Repeat the words: “Choo Choo!”

Benefits: For parents/carers strengthens and tones hips, abdomen, thighs and waist. For baby strengthens arms and body awareness.
Caution: Only for babies over 6 months with good head and neck control. Alternatively, if baby is a non-head holder, he or she can sit with their back to you whilst you move their arms forward alternately.

Row your Boat

This can be done a number ways. Sit with your legs out stretched and either sit the baby on your lap or between your legs either facing you or away from you. Hold the hands gently and pull the baby forwards by the arms then release and slightly tilt them backwards.

If the baby is facing you, put the soles of your feet together and sit the baby in between your legs with a cushion over your feet for safety as the baby may fall back.
You can do this as partner work by facing another parent/carer with your legs apart, either touching the soles of your partners feet or have one inside the others ankles, this will give you an inner thigh stretch and if the babies face each other it is stimulating for them. This can be done as a group exercise sitting in a circle, using a ribbon to link everyone.
Benefits: Strengthens and tones the legs and arms and abdomen.
Caution: Young non-head holding babies should have their back supported by the adult’s tummy; care should be taken not to lean too far forwards, to ensure that the head and neck of the baby is well supported.

Warrior Walk

Stand with the baby whilst your back is straight and your shoulders back and down with good posture. Holding the baby around the torso either facing you or away from you, lift the baby high and as you lower the baby bring your knee up high and sit the baby on the thigh for a split second. Repeat on the other side. Walk around the room repeating this process for as long as the baby is happy. Stop when you get tired. Alternatively, when your arms get tired just hold the baby with its back into your solar plexus (just above your belly button) and just do the walk.
Benefits: Good aerobic workout for heart and lungs, strengthens and tones the arms, legs and abdomen and is good for balance. For the baby it is good for the vestibular system.
Caution: Do not lift the baby if you have back problems. As an alternative you can do this exercise without the baby. Make sure the baby is held slightly forwards so that the head and neck is protected. For C-section only lift to a comfortable height, or do without the baby.

Rocket Ship
Kneel down holding your baby around the torso whilst they sit on your thighs. Gently bounce the baby up and down and after a few bounces kneel up lifting the baby up high. Then gently wiggle the baby back down to the starting position. This can be repeated 2 to 3 times if the baby is happy. A cushion can be placed in between the bottom and calves to make this more comfortable for the parent/carer.

Benefits: Strengthens and tones the arms and abdomen. For the baby it is good for the vestibular system and body awareness.
Caution: Can be strenuous on the knees. For babies with poor head and neck control they should be tilted forwards so that their head is supported.

Koala bounce
Stand with baby with your back straight and your shoulders back and down keeping good posture. Place your knees more than hip distance apart. Hold the baby with your forearm across the chest holding under their arm and place the other hand under their bottom.
Option I — For babies with poor head and neck control: keep the baby close to the body and tilt them slightly forwards, but keep your own back straight, bending the knees.
Option 2 — For younger babies with good head and neck control: the baby can be close to you or slightly away from your body, and as you bend your knees you can also drop your arms to increase the intensity of the bounce if your baby is enjoying it. Stop if the baby seems distressed.
Benefits: Strengthens and tones the arms and abdomen. For the baby it is good for the vestibular system and body awareness.
Caution: Can be strenuous on the knees. Babies with poor head and neck control should be tilted forwards so that their head is supported. This exercise should not be done too vigorously.

Toppling yogis
Parents sitting side by side and legs out stretched, baby sitting on the thighs facing each other. Hold baby across the chest with one arm and use your other arm to support the back. Then gently lift them forwards so that most of the baby’s weight is supported by your thighs, but you can feel their feet. Bring the babies up to say “hello” then gently sit them back on the thigh. Supporting the back of the head, with one hand gently tilt them back over the thigh into a back bend and bring them back up to say “Peekaboo!” Repeat this 3 to 4 times or until the baby has had enough. Take the cue from the baby as to whether he wants to go back or forwards.

Benefits: Good for the vestibular system, strengthens the legs, back abdomen and spine, develops trust.
Caution: Make sure there is a pillow next to the thigh where the baby’s head will go back, and make sure there is full support of the head before going back. Do this exercise very gently for younger babies and take a cue from their actions whether they want to come up or go back, this will he indicated by the action of the head.

Butterfly Baby

Sit with the soles of your feet together with your back straight and put the baby in your lap. Either hold the baby into your lap and rock from side to side or place your hands on the floor behind you and rock. If the baby is small then the legs can be
crossed.

Benefits: Inner and outer thigh stretch, good for bottom and hips. Good for babies’ vestibular system. Mummy Butterfly

Sit with your legs apart and the baby either sitting between your legs or on your lap depending on the size of the baby. Keeping your legs straight, raise one leg of the baby and on the same side and at the same time raise one of your legs and
hold for a few seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.

Benefits: Strengthens and tones the legs, abdomen and hips. Good for balance.
Caution: Anyone that has had a C-Section should avoid until six months has lapsed. Care should be taken if anyone has had back problems. Lean baby against body to support the head.

Daddy Butterfly

Sit with your legs apart and the baby either sitting between your legs or on your lap depending on the size of the baby. Keeping your legs straight, raise both the baby’s legs and both of your own legs at the same time and hold for a few seconds, release back to the floor then repeat.

Benefits: Strengthens and tones the abdomen, legs and hips. Good for balance.
Caution: Avoid until six months post C-Section or 3 months post natural birth. Care should be taken if anyone has had back problems.