Tummy Time origin story – made for my Lara
When my daughter was a baby, we were told what every parent is told: do lots of tummy time.
She did not agree.
Every session went the same way. Her on the mat, unimpressed. Me on the floor next to her, waving toys, making them talk, giving them names. I’m a software developer, so eventually I did the only thing I really know how to do: I built something.
A caterpillar, on purpose
Young babies are drawn to bold, black-and-white shapes, so I drew a simple high-contrast caterpillar and made it climb slowly up a tablet screen. I put the tablet on the mat in front of her and lay down beside her.
She looked at it. She followed it. And tummy time got a little calmer for both of us.
From one caterpillar to an app
That caterpillar became Tummy Time. Since then it has grown a timer and leaves for older siblings to feed it, plus optional Premium extras: session reports, a caterpillar that moves around the screen, surprise leaves, a camera background and a dark theme. It’s still deliberately quiet: no jingle, no flashing colours and no ads.
What it is, and what it isn’t
Tummy Time is a calm visual target for a few minutes of tummy time, with a parent right there. It isn’t a medical device, and it doesn’t replace your pediatrician — if you’re worried about how your baby is moving or developing, please ask your doctor.
My daughter is older now, and she has opinions about every app I make. The next one even carries her name: LFC — Lara’s Animal Flashcards.
