Encouraging Me to Crawl
Here's What To Do
Know that crawling looks different for different children. Some babies will crawl in an "all fours" position, some babies will "inchworm" forward on their tummies, and some will "bottom scootch" by sitting on their bottoms and using their legs to move forward. Some babies will use all of these methods!
If I'm learning my first crawling movements:
- Place a favorite toy out of reach in front of me.
- Gently lift one hip and help me bend my knee and hip on that side.
- Place your hand on the bottom of my foot (on my bent-knee side).
- See if I'll push my foot against your hand and straighten my leg.
- Repeat on the other side.
If I'm learning how to get up onto all-fours (hands and knees):
- Place me on my tummy.
- Gently pull my hips up so my knees bend and hold weight.
- I should help by pushing with my hands.
- Hold my hips to help me balance.
If I'm able to get up onto my hands and knees without help:
- Hold a favorite toy at shoulder height and encourage me to reach for it.
- Help me rock back and forth to music. Get on your hands and knees and rock back and forth yourself, and see if I'll follow.
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Give me a big hug before we begin.
Engage:
- "Can you get the toy? Push forward, you can do it!"
- "Let Daddy help you. I'm going to lift your hips up, you push with your hands. Great balancing!"
Encourage:
- Many children will move backwards in their first attempts to move forwards. Keep placing objects in front of me to encourage me to learn how to move forwards.
- Celebrate when I successfully move forward and grab a toy! I will be very pleased with myself.
Reflect:
- Am I attempting to move forward to get a toy, using any type of crawling?
Not quite ready?
Practice lots of tummy time with me. Encourage me to move to get toys while I'm in tummy time, by placing toys to my left or my right, or holding them up in the air.
Ready for more?
Encourage me to crawl or move forwards in my own way. Place toys even farther away, or help me crawl through a tunnel at the playground or through a cardboard box tunnel.
As your child masters this skill...
They will make movements that prepare themselves for crawling or other forward movements.