The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) has recommended that infants should have firm mattresses in their cots. For their safety they should be encouraged to sleep on their backs. The group issued the revised guidance on the safest sleeping conditions for babies and it includes a rigid sleep surface. The guidance also recommended that bedding such as positioners and wedges, along with car seats, should not be used regularly. The AAP suggests that using a dummy is a good way to get infants to go to sleep, as is taking care that the child does not overheat. The ECU Play Project recently stated that reading to the children when they are older can encourage them to play more frequently. It was also found that children who have a structured day enjoy 30 more minutes’ free play every day compared to the children with no structure to their day.
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