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Show Playing games with your baby is part of your fun and satisfaction satisfac-tion as parents. But with a little attention to his needs for muscle mus-cle strengthening you can make these games contribute to his growth. The baby will give you the signal when to begin. Usually around three months, his arms and legs start to wave and kick strenuously in the air. Since it is time for the body to step up its straightening process from the curled up pre-natal position, you such a good stretch, this game is especially well suited to before-the-bath fun. With an arm grip m6ving both arms at the same time, stretch so the baby's arms point toward the ceiling, back up over his head, out to the sides, along the body all with a kind of circular motion. Do the arm and leg games four or five times each, but the sitting game should be done only once at a time. After the baby gets the idea, you can use this method of lifting him from his bed, several times a day. In addition to muscle development, develop-ment, exercise for baby stimulates the circulation in the months before be-fore he has the strength to move about much for himself. can help along with stretching games. A physical education teacher, who knew just what a baby's muscles mus-cles need to prepare them for sitting, sit-ting, crawling and later walking, began when her daughter was three months old to devise games for the two of them to play together. togeth-er. Since it isn't a good idea to try just any exercise on a young baby, we'd just like to pass along the skill in proper muscle training which this specialist used on her own baby. First Stretching Game Mother grips both of baby's legs, one in each hand, then bends them slowly slow-ly until both knees push on the tummy. Now stretch the legs out straight, encouraging baby to do a lot of the pushing. Standing where the baby can kick your stomach sto-mach by stretching a little is a good incentive. Second Stretching Game At 4 months, try a little more complicated compli-cated stretching. Lift one of the baby's arms and the opposite leg toward each other. Then bring them back to position, keeping arm and leg as straight as possible, pos-sible, ending in a stretch. Do the same with the opposite arm and leg. Sitting TJp Game At about five months, the baby begins to want to sit up. Don't hurry this step, because sitting before the muscles are strong enough for their task might do harm. This game gives the baby a foretaste of sitting and is a lot of fun for both of you. With baby lying on a flat surface stand where his feet can brace against your stomach. Then holding hold-ing baby's hands, slowly pull him up. to a sitting position, then slowly slow-ly ease him down again. If baby shows any reluctance to follow your gentle pull upwards, don't rush perhaps he isn't yet ready to carry the weight of his head with support. But a daily reminder remin-der on your part will soon have him popping up to meet you half way. Windmill Game Because it has |