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Learning to sit
- 0-1 Years
- 1-5 Years
- Child development and growing up
- Moving and being active
The ability to sit up will give your baby more independence and a new way to look at the world around them. When your baby is learning to sit use a firm surface such as the floor or carpet. Do not sit them on a bed or cushion.
Remember each baby is unique and will develop at their own speed.
Explore the topics on this page:
Supported sitting
Supported sitting is when you or another person supports your baby in a sitting position. It helps your baby learn about being in an upright position before they are able to do this themselves.
To help your baby learn to sit, place them between your legs in a sitting position facing away from you and rest their hands on your knees.
You can help your baby by encouraging them to reach forward while they are in the supported sitting position. This will help them develop their balance while they are sitting which will help them to sit independently.
Activities you can do with your baby in the supported sitting position:
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- sing ‘horsey horsey’ with your baby sitting on your lap, with your knee or leg between their legs
- sing ‘row your boat’ with your baby sat on your lap and moving backwards and forwards as if you are rowing
Unsupported or independent sitting
You can start to encourage your baby to sit independently when they are showing the signs they are ready. When your baby is ready, they can start to sit independently for short periods. Your baby will be able to sit for longer as they build up their balance skills and confidence.
Make sure to supervise your baby whilst they are learning to sit without support. They may not be ready to be left alone. They are still developing their balance skills and may hurt themselves falling over.
Activities you can do with your baby to help them improve their balance skills while sitting:
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- place soft toys in front of your baby to encourage them to reach forward and play
- place toys further away from your baby so they must stretch and reach for the toys
- blow bubbles towards your baby so they reach towards the bubbles
While they are learning, make sure to give them lots of encouragement and praise. This will help your baby feel secure.
Once your baby is sitting independently you can also start to introduce solid foods (also known as family foods). Read our information on weaning and introducing solid foods.
Need more support for your child?
If your child needs further support developing their early physical skills, read our activities to support your baby's movement.
Last reviewed: 1 November, 2023
