Baby's Senses: Proprioception (Body Awareness)
Proprioception is one of those senses you might not have heard of, but Baby is using it from the very first trimester of pregnancy! It's the body awareness sense, and it does two important jobs: telling us where our body parts are without having to look, and helping us know how much force to use when grabbing, pushing, or lifting something. Special receptors in the muscles, tendons, and skin send that information straight to the brain. Proprioception is what makes it possible for Baby to eventually grab a toy without looking at their hand, or pick up a cracker without crushing it.
Baby gives their proprioceptive system its first feedback as they move, stretch, and push against the womb. After birth, activities like swaddling and baby massage help them continue building the internal map of their body. With each new physical challenge—reaching, rolling, crawling, walking—Baby adds detail to that picture.
How It Develops
Body Awareness in the first year
How to Help
Activities by age
When to Get Support
Concerns & next steps
⚑ How Proprioception Develops
As Baby's proprioceptive sense develops, you'll notice them gaining more control over their movements and learning how to use just the right amount of force. Watch for these signs in Baby's first year:
2 Months
Moves their legs and arms off the surface when excited, beginning to sense their own body in space
Can be calmed by swaddling, which gives Baby's body clear sensory feedback about where they are
4 Months
Begins reaching for toys held above them with an increasing ability to come to midline
Brings their hands to their mouth, showing they can "find their hands"
6 Months
Reaches both hands to play with their feet, an early sign Baby is building a mental map of their own body
Uses hands to support themselves while sitting, practicing keeping their body upright in space
9 Months
Experiments with the amount of force needed to pick up different objects
Explores objects using both hands and mouth together
Sits unsupported with increased control
Starts crawling, moving arms and legs together with more spatial awareness
12 Months
Moves in and out of various positions to explore and reach desired toys
Uses thumb and pointer finger tips to pick up tiny objects with just the right pressure
Pulls to stand and cruises along furniture, developing balance and body control
Helping Proprioception Develop
Try these expert-designed activities to help develop Baby's proprioceptive sense!
▶ Beep Baby
▶ Hand Claps
▶ Action Songs
▶ Lifting Up and Down
▶Sightseeing with Baby
▶ Blow More Raspberries
▶ Body Points
When to Get Support with Proprioception
If you notice ongoing challenges, like frequent clumsiness, using too much or too little force with objects, or poor awareness of their body in space, write down what you see and share it with Baby's healthcare provider.
KEEP EXPLORING
↑ Sensory Development: Baby's Eight Senses
Vision
Hearing
Smell & taste
Touch
Vestibular
Interoception
