7 Top Tips to Encourage a Baby to Crawl
•Posted on February 09 2023
As a parent myself I know how much you will want to encourage your little one to reach the next stage of their development. As soon as they can roll over we encourage them to sit up, then the next step is crawling. But what can you do to help your little one on their way? Here are some ideas!
- Are they ready
Firstly check your baby is ready. Crawling is an exciting milestone that most babies will reach between 6-10 months old. It may take some little ones a little longer, but they will get there in their own time.
- Make Space
It’s important to make sure your little one has a good space to move. Without too many obstacles incase they roll over. If you have smooth floors then your little one might find it easier to crawl without slippy clothes on. You could also invest in some of our Crawling leggings with a non-slip knee pad.
- Tummy Time!
Tummy ti\me isn’t every babies favourite thing, so you might have to make it fun by getting down on the floor to play with them or making sure that they have lots of their favourite toys to play with. Tummy time strengthens your little ones arms and neck which they will need to progress onto crawling.
- Create a Tunnel
A tunnel can be very motivating for your baby! You can either buy a simple pop-up tunnel or put together a makeshift one with 2 chairs and a blanket. Then if you sit on one side and put your baby on the other side it will really encourage them to move towards you. Or you could put a favourite toy at one end and stay at the other end with your little one to help them move through the tunnel.
- Place objects just out of reach
When your little one is sitting or lying down, place interesting toys just out of their reach, so they need to move their body to reach them (don’t put the toy too far away otherwise this will discourse them). This encourages them to move their arms and to lift their chest and back which is great for muscle development.
- Do a demonstration
This could be you or you could get an older sibling or friend to show them. Get down on the floor and slowly crawl around so your little one can see the movements clearly and encourage them to follow you.
- Encouragement
Use lots of excitement to get your baby motivated to crawl. Use encouraging words and excitement in your voice so your baby knows how happy you are. Cheer for every attempt made by your baby, no matter how big or small. Your tone can be one of the biggest motivators for them. The most important part of your child learning to crawl is knowing they have support. This is important for building resilience.
Why Crawling is Important
Crawling is vital for babies it is shown to help strengthen the arms, hands, and fingers for fine and gross motor skills and provides sensory stimulation to all the joints on the front of their body. It is also shown to make a huge difference in children’s motor skills which become more evident when your child reaches school age. The muscles that will develop because of crawling are important for good posture, handwriting, and even athletics! Who knew it would be so important?!
If you have any other helpful tips, add them below👇
Have a great day
Katie
Comments
0 Comments
Leave a Comment