Prices are the maker’s own list prices, checked October 5, 2026, and may have changed since.
Quick answer. Our top tummy time toy is the Infantino Prop-A-Pillar ($65.99), a caterpillar pillow that props your baby up for tummy time and stacks into a C-shaped seat for early sitting.1 If your baby hates tummy time, shorter, more frequent sessions with your face in front of them help more than any toy; a floor mirror such as Sassy’s adds a face to look at.2,3,4
Tummy time is time on the stomach while your baby is awake and someone is watching. It strengthens the neck, shoulder and arm muscles a baby needs to sit up, crawl and walk, and it helps prevent flat spots on the back of the head.2 Many babies protest at first and do better after a few tries.3 The right toy gives them a reason to lift their head and look. This guide covers what makes a good tummy time toy, four picks checked against their makers’ own pages, and how much tummy time to aim for.
Key takeaways
- Start a day or two after birth: two or three short sessions of 3 to 5 minutes a day.2
- Build up to at least 15 to 30 minutes of tummy time a day by about 7 weeks.5
- Always awake and always supervised; if your baby falls asleep, move them onto their back in their own sleep space.2,5
- Your face is the best motivator: something interesting in front of your baby encourages them to lift their head.3
- By 2 months most babies hold their head up when on their tummy.6
- Never let a baby sleep on a tummy time pillow, and never put one in a crib.7
What Makes a Great Tummy Time Toy?
Where should a tummy time toy sit?
Low, at your baby’s eye level when they are on their belly, so that lifting the head is rewarded with something to see: a mirror on an easel, a propped-up book, or toys hanging low from a gym.4,8
What do babies like to look at?
Faces most of all: the AAP suggests having something interesting, such as a parent’s face, in front of a baby to encourage them to lift their head.3 A baby-safe mirror puts a face there when you cannot; textures, crinkles and gentle sounds give them something to reach for.
Does a tummy time pillow help?
It can make early sessions easier by raising the chest, but it is only for awake, supervised floor time: never for sleep, in a crib or on a raised surface.7
What makes a toy safe for tummy time?
An age grade from birth, nothing small enough to choke on, and use on the floor with an adult beside your baby.2,7
Best Tummy Time Toys: A Curated List
Each pick was checked against its maker’s or publisher’s own page on October 5, 2026.
| Pick | What it is | Ages (maker) | Care | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infantino Prop-A-Pillar | Tummy-time pillow and sitting support | 0 months and up | Spot clean only | $65.99 |
| Sassy Floor Mirror | 9.5 in mirror on an easel, with attached toys | 0 months and up | Not stated | Through retailers |
| Lovevery Play Gym | Activity gym and tummy time mat | 0–12 months | Machine-washable | $150 |
| Indestructibles: Baby Animals | Chew-proof, rip-proof book | 0–2 years | Washable | $5.99 |
Specifications are the makers’ and publisher’s own.1,4,7,8,9
1. Best Tummy Time Support: Infantino Prop-A-Pillar Tummy Time & Seated Support
Who it is for: Babies who find flat tummy time hard in the first weeks.
Extended, the caterpillar props your baby’s chest for tummy time; stacked, it becomes a C-shaped support for a baby learning to sit. It comes with two detachable toys, a crinkle sun and a BPA-free teether, and is rated from birth.1
Infantino’s instructions: never let a baby sleep on it, never put it in a crib or playpen or on a raised surface, and keep an adult with your baby the whole time. Spot clean only; it cannot go in the washing machine.7
What it does well
What it does not
- Spot clean only.7
- $65.99 for a pillow; a rolled towel under the chest does a similar job.
The spec that decides it: supervision. It is a floor toy for awake, watched time only, never for sleep.7
2. Best for Visual Stimulation: Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror
Who it is for: Every baby doing tummy time, especially when you cannot be the face in front of them.
A baby-safe mirror on a soft frame that stands on an easel back, about 9.5 inches square, with a cloud with ribbons, a ring of rainbow petals and a tracker ball attached. Sassy rates it from birth and sells it through retailers rather than directly.4
It works because babies lift their heads for something interesting in front of them, and a face is the most interesting thing there is.3
What it does well
What it does not
- No price from Sassy: it varies by retailer.4
- A mirror is not a substitute for you on the floor.
The spec that decides it: the height. At about 9.5 inches it sits right at a baby’s eye line on the floor.4
3. Best Tummy Time Mat: The Lovevery Play Gym
Who it is for: Families who want a single mat and gym for tummy time and the rest of the first year.
Lovevery sells it as an activity and tummy time mat for 0 to 12 months, with five developmental zones and low toys; the mat and zones are machine-washable. It opens to 50 by 47 inches.8 Our play mat and activity gym guide compares it with other mats.
What it does well
The spec that decides it: the footprint. If you have the floor space, it is a tummy time spot and a gym in one.8
4. Best Tummy Time Book: Indestructibles: Baby Animals
Who it is for: Babies who need something new to look at in front of them during tummy time.
The publisher calls Indestructibles chew proof, rip proof, nontoxic and washable, for ages 0 to 2. Baby Animals, illustrated by Stephan Lomp and created by Amy Pixton, has bright pictures and few words, so you tell the story; it is $5.99.9 Open it and stand it in front of your baby on the floor.
What it does not
- Few words: you supply the story.9
The spec that decides it: the price. At $5.99, it is the cheapest way to put something new in front of your baby.9
Creative Ideas to Make Tummy Time Fun
- Get down on their level: lie on the floor facing your baby, talk and sing; have someone you trust sit in front of them.2,3
- Short and often: start with two or three sessions of 3 to 5 minutes a day and build up as your baby gets stronger.2
- A clear floor: spread a blanket on a clear area of the floor, and stay with your baby.2
- Change what is in front of them: rotate the mirror, a book and a toy so there is something new to lift their head for.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best tummy time toys?
Our top pick is the Infantino Prop-A-Pillar ($65.99), which props your baby up for tummy time and becomes a seat for early sitting.1 Add a floor mirror such as Sassy’s, and a book to stand in front of your baby.4,9
How long should tummy time be?
Start with two or three sessions of 3 to 5 minutes a day from a day or two after birth, and build to at least 15 to 30 minutes a day by about 7 weeks.2,5
When should tummy time start?
A day or two after birth for most babies, while they are awake and someone is watching.2
What if my baby hates tummy time?
Many babies cry at first and do better after a few tries. Keep sessions short, put your face or a mirror in front of them, and try more often rather than longer.2,3
When to ask a professional: Most babies hold their head up on their tummy by 2 months.6 If your baby cannot, always turns their head one way, or is developing a flat spot, mention it to your pediatrician; a pediatric physical therapist can help. Read about torticollis and delayed motor milestones.
Need more than an article?
Gear can only do so much. If something about how your child eats, moves, or talks has been on your mind, a pediatric therapist is the person who assesses it — and most families do not need a referral to ask.
Find a therapist near you →Related DrParenting guides
All DrParenting guides →More from DrSensory
DrParenting covers the gear. DrSensory covers the development behind it, written and reviewed by clinicians.
Sources
- Infantino. Prop-A-Pillar Tummy Time & Seated Support™. infantino.com. Price, 0 months and up, tummy-time support extended and a C-shaped seat stacked, a crinkle sun and a BPA-free teether. Checked October 5, 2026.
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Benefits of Tummy Time | Safe to Sleep®. safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov. Checked October 5, 2026.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Movement Milestones: Birth to 3 Months. HealthyChildren.org, last updated August 12, 2020. healthychildren.org. Checked October 5, 2026.
- Sassy. Tummy Time Floor Mirror (item 80820). sassybaby.com. 0 months and up, cloud with ribbons, rainbow petals, tracker ball, easel back, 9.5 × 9.5 in; sold through retailers. Checked October 5, 2026.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained. HealthyChildren.org, last updated September 11, 2026. healthychildren.org. Tummy time: at least 15 to 30 minutes a day by 7 weeks, with an awake adult supervising. Checked October 5, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Milestones by 2 Months | Learn the Signs. Act Early. cdc.gov. Checked October 5, 2026.
- Infantino. Prop-A-Pillar instructions. cdn.shopify.com. Never for sleep, never in a crib or playpen, never on a raised surface, adult supervision at all times; spot clean only. Checked October 5, 2026.
- Lovevery. The Play Gym | Baby Activity & Tummy Time Mat. lovevery.com. Price, 0–12 months, 5 Developmental Zones, open size, machine-washable. Checked October 5, 2026.
- Hachette Book Group. Indestructibles (The Original): Baby Animals, by Stephan Lomp and Amy Pixton (Workman Kids). hachettebookgroup.com. Price, ages 0–2, chew proof, rip proof, nontoxic, washable, “few or no words”. Checked October 5, 2026.
Medical disclaimer. This page is for general educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your child. Product information is checked against the manufacturer at the date shown and can change without notice — confirm weight and age limits on the product itself before you rely on them. Talk to your pediatrician about your own child.