Author:
Ellen Moore
Date Of Creation:
16 January 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Most babies start crawling between 6 and 10 months of age. However, if your child is older than this age and has not yet learned to crawl, do not worry. Some plump babies learn to crawl later because it is more difficult for them to do this because of their heavy weight, while others skip the stage of crawling altogether and begin to walk right away.But if you still want to teach your baby to crawl, you must make sure that he is ready and there are certain signs of this - the ability to hold his head, roll over and even sit. To teach your child to crawl, start at step 1.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Preparing your baby
1 Give your baby a lot of tummy time. Your child loves to play lying on his stomach, and placing him in this position will allow him to explore the floor and his body, which is central to the development of motor skills and control of the head, as well as the muscles of the arms and neck. You can start putting the baby on the tummy as early as possible, at first letting him lie down for a minute or two, which may seem uncomfortable to him at first. When the baby is just beginning to learn about the world, lying on his stomach will not be so comfortable for him, because he will not feel complete control over his body. However, giving him a few minutes to lie on his tummy every day from the first months will help him develop and learn to crawl at a fast pace. - As the baby grows, at about 4 months of age, he can already raise and hold his head, look around and better control his body. This will mean that he will soon learn to crawl.
- Don't let your child get bored when he is lying on his stomach. Talk to him in a calm tone, give him toys, or even go down next to him on a level so that he also feels more comfortable on his tummy nearby.
- Naturally, every time you put your child to bed, you must put him on his back, so as not to injure or, in the worst case, not suffocate. But when he is awake and in a good mood, lying on his tummy will be very useful and effective for his development.
- Try to ensure that the baby has positive associations associated with lying on his tummy. Spread him out when he is not hungry, slept and in a good mood. Of course, you do not need to do this when the baby is naughty.
2 Limit the time your toddler spends in walkers, car seats, and high chairs. Although the child needs to sit for a while, make sure that he is as stimulated as possible while awake. Contrary to its name, walkers will teach your child to walk more slowly because they will not feel the urge to do it on their own. If you're just not doing anything with your baby, put him on his stomach and just encourage him to move instead of sitting him in a high chair or in a crib to watch a mobile or a toy for hours. - The more movements a child can do until tired, the better. You need to stimulate the child more to move, so that he is trained and ready to crawl or walk.
3 Help your baby to strengthen his back. Before he can sit up on his own, he needs your help. If your baby is trying to sit up, be sure to support his back and head with your hand so that it doesn't wobble and the baby can stay upright. This will help develop and strengthen the muscles and subsequently hold the head well when crawling. - The more the child lies on his tummy, the sooner he will be able to sit on his own.
- Also, you can stimulate the child to look up, to do this, move the bright toys over the child's head. This exercise will strengthen the muscles of his back, neck and shoulders.
- As soon as the baby can lean forward and hold onto the arms, he may be ready to crawl.
4 Make sure your baby is ready to crawl. You do not need to force him to do this, because it can cause damage or discourage desire. he is not ready. Instead of comparing your baby to other children, focus on your baby's natural development at your own pace.Children are ready to crawl after they learn to sit unsupported and move their heads to the sides and be able to control their arms and legs. Also, they must be able to roll over. If the child already has all these skills, then perhaps he will soon begin to crawl. - As soon as the baby learns to sit on his own, he will feel more confident if he begins to move on all fours, because he already freely keeps his head up, observing what is happening around him or simply sways, which is also not so bad.
- Maybe your baby has already reached the point where he is on all fours and gently sways back and forth, if possible, trying to move. This is a sign that he is almost ready to crawl!
- If your baby moves both right and left legs equally, has good coordination, you should not worry that he is already 10 months old and there is no progress. If you have a different opinion about the development of the child, then, of course, consult your doctor.
- Some of the toddlers show that they are ready to crawl when they learn to cross arms and legs. This is when the toddler uses the opposite arm and leg to move forward instead of using the same side of the body. There are many different ways to learn to crawl, and you don't have to worry and expect your toddler to do the right thing.
5 Consider the age of the child. If he's 6 months or older, then he might be ready to start crawling. Just keep in mind that babies start to crawl on average between 6 and 10 months of age, although many babies start crawling earlier, or even much later than this age. If the baby is only 3 months old, you should not wait for him to crawl until there are signs that he is ready for this, i.e. holds the head, turns over, drags itself on the floor, etc. 
6 Choose a convenient location. Your child should learn to crawl on a comfortable, soft surface, but not soft enough to make it difficult to move. A blanket laid on an ordinary rug, or just a comfortable rug, is very suitable for this. If you have parquet flooring, spread a nice, soft blanket over it. This will keep the baby comfortable and reduce the risk of injury if accidentally on the floor. - Some parents recommend putting the baby in a bodysuit or diaper so that there is direct body contact with the surface. This will give a stronger grip on the surface. If the child is wearing a lot of clothes, he will feel very constrained.
- Turn on bright lighting in the room. If the light is dim, it is likely that the child will feel lethargic and sleepy.
7 Lower the child gently to the floor on the back. Look at your baby to feel close. This will help him get used to the floor and he will feel calm from the fact that you are around. Make sure that at least 10-15 minutes have passed after eating and the food has begun to digest a little. He should feel calm and happy when you place him on the floor. 
8 Turn the baby over onto the tummy. If he already confidently rolls over, then he can do it himself. You can help him a little to lie on his tummy. He should be able to support the head with his hands and rotate it freely when it is on top. In this position, he should be able to control his arms and legs. If he cries and you can see that he is uncomfortable, it is better to try next time. But if he shows that he is ready to move on, learn the techniques from the next step to help him crawl forward.
Part 2 of 2: Getting Started Crawling
1 Place your child's favorite toy a little further away than he can reach. You can talk to your child and nudge him to take the toy, or say something like, "Come on, take your toy ..." to encourage him to move forward.Then the baby will begin to swing back and forth, try to tear his body towards the toy, or start moving to get closer to it. Just make sure that the child does not get upset or angry that he could not reach the toy. 
2 Let the child crawl towards you. You can also move a few centimeters away from him, go down to him and say: “Come here! Go to your mom / dad! " Again, if the child gets upset, walk up to him so he doesn't cry. Thus, he will want to move towards you and make sure that crawling and dropping on all fours is not so scary. He may also look at you in the mirror and move closer, which is another great way to nudge your child forward. - When the baby begins to move (but not crawl), support his torso, because it turns in different directions.
3 Place the mirror directly in front of your child. Hold or place a mirror 25 cm away from your child so that he can easily see his reflection. The kid will want to see himself better and closer, and for this he will try to crawl forward. If your child has already tried and is used to playing with the mirror, this will be even more effective. 
4 Crawl next to your child. Instead of the baby crawling towards you, you can also crawl to the side of the baby. Together you can crawl forward to a toy, a mirror, or the other parent. This will encourage the child to repeat after you and will not make him feel lonely. Rather, the toddler will feel like he is playing a game and will want to do what mom and dad or brother or sister are doing. - You can stimulate the baby to crawl forward if one of the older brothers or sisters is crawling nearby.
5 Limit your baby. When he starts crying or looks upset, don't force him to continue. On the contrary, wait until the next day to try again. If you force the child to crawl when he is not ready or does not want, then you slow down the process, and the child will associate it with something bad. On the contrary, the toddler should perceive crawling as a fun, inspiring activity. - Do not give up. If the child can only stand on the floor for a few seconds at a time, try again after a while or put it off the next day.
6 Reward your baby after a successful workout. After your exercises are finished for today, give your child a lot of warm feelings, love and praise him. Don't be discouraged if your toddler isn't doing very well. On the contrary, give him more physical love, body contact and attention, a bottle of warm milk if he wants, a toy, or treat him like an adult. He should have positive associations from crawling and he should want more. - It goes without saying that if the child moved towards the toy, you should give it to him at the end of the exercise, even if he could not crawl to it himself. He should feel satisfied, not upset that he is learning to crawl. It will even become attractive to him and he will want to try crawling around some more!
- As soon as your child learns to crawl and explore your home, you can celebrate this pleasant event! And then get ready to secure your home for your little one!
What do you need
- soft, large and thick rug or blanket
- small mirror (optional)
- baby's favorite toy
