A baby's ability to crawl is a skill that many parents look forward to. The ability to move independently by crawling normally appears in children from 5.5 to 9 months. If your baby crawls, this indicates that his back muscles and spine are developing correctly. But not all babies go through the crawling stage; some even skip it altogether, going straight to walking. Is this acceptable, what are the norms for the development of the skill and at what months does a baby begin to crawl, we will consider in our article.

At what age does a child begin to crawl?

Conscious motor activity does not appear in the baby until he learns to hold his head well and masters turning over from his back to his stomach. When the child is able to independently, without any effort, turn in the back/tummy position and back, and turn with his head held high, then his muscles have already become stronger and are ready to master the next important stage - the skill of crawling.

The formation of this skill can also be influenced by some factors that must be taken into account when assessing the baby’s development. The most significant among them are:

On a note! The presence of the crawling reflex can be observed even in newborn babies. Checking for the presence of this reflex is very simple. Lay your baby on his tummy and place your palm on your baby's feet as a support for his legs. The child will immediately try to push slightly away from your palm, unconsciously trying to move forward.

Development of crawling stages in infants

Everyone has it infant You may have your own “individual style” of crawling, but in general, experts identify several stages through which the baby gradually goes through to fully develop the skill. The sequence of stages can be viewed in the table, which describes the baby’s motor development step by step in a certain period.

Interesting fact! On many forums for parents you can find discussions about when girls and boys begin to crawl, emphasizing the fact that motor activity differs in both sexes. But it is worth noting that the development of crawling skills does not depend on the gender of the child. Therefore, if you have a son, then you should not worry that boys begin to crawl later than girls or vice versa.

In most cases, the child goes through all stages of crawling development. Some infants prefer to act according to their own “plan”, choosing the most convenient method of transportation for themselves and using it for a long time. Babies who are active from birth can bypass the first stages and immediately learn to crawl on all fours. Others can move on their bellies for up to 8-9 months, and then, having learned to sit and stand up without support, try to take their first steps.

Exercises to develop crawling skills in children

The desire for independent movement and knowledge of the child’s environment is inherent in nature. If the child has the opportunity to crawl during active hours and there is a suitable surface, then many parents simply let the process take its course. If you want to help your baby learn to control his body and improve his coordination of movements, you can perform simple exercises with him.

Developing arm muscles

A good exercise for a child aged 5.5-6 months with a developmental mat. Place the baby on the mat in a prone position. Bright toys on the rug should be hung at eye level. The baby will try to reach the toy, leaning on one hand in order to touch it with the other.

Exercises on the ball

A special fitball will help strengthen the child’s back and abdominal muscles. In the first lesson, you need to place the baby with his back on the ball, holding it under his armpits. Easily swing the ball forward/backward. 3-5 minutes is enough. In the second lesson, we place the child on the ball in a lying position on his stomach, holding him by the back and feet. We put a toy in front of the ball. The child will try to get it by moving his palms over the ball.

Daily massage

Many neurologists recommend massage to help the child begin to crawl. Massage increases blood flow in the spine and stimulates the back muscles. Light stroking movements from the shoulders to the lower back should be alternated with more intense ones. You can carry out the procedure yourself by watching a training video, or trust a specialist.

The baby is not crawling - should we sound the alarm?

In rare cases, it happens that the child does not begin to crawl at all. Instead of crawling he uses alternative way movements, for example, trying to jump in sitting position, swinging on all fours and bouncing, or sliding on his stomach. There is no need to worry about this if:

• the baby uses both arms and legs equally;
• learns to coordinate the movements of the left and right side torso, trying to be in motion even without the ability to crawl;
• The child, in combination with the above, has all the conditions for proper physical development and growth.

Important! If you feel that something is wrong with your baby's motor development, consult your pediatrician.

The most important thing for a child is to be able to independently explore his environment and strengthen his body, preparing it for walking. Encourage your baby in his first attempts to crawl, develop the skill in game form. With the right approach, your efforts will be rewarded, and the child will cover any distance with the help of crawling.

The achievements of a growing baby are always a joy for parents. Its development in the period up to a year is rapid. It seemed that just recently the baby could only move his arms and legs and reach for rattles. Now he is turning over with all his might, trying to sit down and get on all fours. Soon he will learn to crawl and begin to actively explore the available living space. At the same time, adults are often concerned with the question: do all children crawl before taking the first step, and do babies need to be stimulated to develop this skill?

Every mother looks forward to her baby starting to crawl. The role of crawling in the development of the baby

The child makes his first attempts to reach the desired goal at six months. Trying to reach a rattle or ball with his hand, he gets down on all fours and slowly learns to move on his knees towards the goal.

By 9 months, movement on all fours becomes conscious and coordinated. The stage when a child begins to crawl on all fours indicates that his bones and muscles are ready for new physical activity. Such training has a positive effect on the development of the baby:

• the process involves muscles that will soon be involved in walking;
• strengthening the back muscles contributes to the development of correct posture;
• work synchronization different parts baby bodies;
• inclusion of both hemispheres of the brain;
• mastering the skill of balance;
• orientation in space.

Early learning of the crawling skill indicates the baby’s positive activity and good heredity. Perhaps one of the parents began crawling also early. If the child does not strive for motor activity at nine months of age, it makes sense to consult a neurologist. The cause of delay is hereditary factors or health problems.

The child begins to make active attempts to crawl by 6-7 months, however, all babies are individual, and the period may vary

Children's pediatrician Evgeniy Olegovich Komarovsky focuses on the importance of crawling in infancy. It stimulates walking much more effectively than walkers and jumpers. However, the doctor emphasizes that it is impossible to give a specific date for when a child will crawl. He can do this if he is fully prepared.

Use skill: how does it arise and what does it depend on?

At what months does a baby begin to crawl? This indicator is influenced by the following factors:

1. Gender of the child. Girls are often ahead of boys in development, and crawling is no exception.
2. Baby weight. Overweight babies (regardless of gender) master crawling somewhat later than their peers.
3. Time of birth. Babies born ahead of schedule or weakened as a result of illness, begin to crawl later than their peers.

The time when a child begins to crawl depends little on the ratio of his height and weight. If they are ahead of the norm (the baby looks larger and older than his peers) and the child develops normally, there is no reason for a delay in mastering the skill of crawling.

How does a baby learn to crawl?

It is important to understand that a child masters the skill of crawling gradually. The development of motor functions occurs in stages:

• 3 months – the child confidently holds his head, lying on his stomach, turns it in different sides, raises the body, leaning on the hands;
• 4 months - the baby can rise in his arms from a lying position, roll over from his back to his tummy, rest his legs if he is held vertically;
• 5 months - the baby tries to sit and crawl on his belly;
• 6-7 months – the baby rolls over well from his back onto his tummy and gets on all fours, actively mastering the skill of crawling, so parents should carefully monitor his safety.

The main skills that a baby masters in the first year of life are presented in the table:

Main stages of mastering a skill
The development of the skill of crawling occurs gradually, the first attempts are more like rocking on all fours

Babies master the skill of crawling gradually. At three months of age they try to crawl forward on their bellies. The direction of movement is forward, sideways, backward, so it is not always possible to understand that the child is trying to crawl. When performing such exercises, the baby moves like a small caterpillar, which requires a minimum of energy. Gymnastics teaches you to control your arms - pushing off with your elbows, the child automatically crawls back. Having realized how this happens, he repeats the movements again.

Having learned to control his hands, the child tries to get up on all fours, leaning first on his elbows and then on his palms. Many parents notice how their babies sway while standing on all fours. Long training sessions improve the coordination of the baby’s movements, and he begins to cross crawl, alternating the movements of his arms and legs. The right arm and left leg move synchronously, and vice versa, gradually the rhythm becomes clear, and the crawling speed increases.

Many parents are interested in: what happens first - the child learns to crawl or sit? Experts believe that first the baby must learn to crawl on its belly, and then learn to sit. It is forbidden to force a child to sit down. The baby must get stronger and sit up on his own, since sitting creates a vertical load on the spine.

It is important for parents to focus on developing crawling skills. It will strengthen the muscles and help the child sit up. It happens that babies do not crawl on their tummy at all, and immediately go to all fours, which is also a variant of the norm.

The baby is not crawling - is it worth sounding the alarm?
To prepare the baby for crawling and strengthen his muscles, it is recommended to massage the baby

During walks, mothers often share their babies' achievements with each other. Having learned that many babies already crawl, and it’s time for the baby to master this skill, mothers begin to actively encourage him to crawl. Good results are achieved by a professional baby massage and exercise therapy - the muscles are strengthened, and the baby begins to actively move. However, it happens that none of the possible measures gives results.

There are several reasons why the baby does not crawl:

• poor muscle development;
• birth injuries of the newborn;
• long-term stay in a cast, stirrups;
• excess weight;
• characteristics of temperament.

If the baby is already 9 months old, but shows poor physical activity, you should tell your pediatrician about this at your scheduled appointment. The doctor will recommend correction methods - massage, diet, exercise therapy, and, if necessary, refer you for consultation to specialized specialists (orthopedist, neurologist, cardiologist and others).

What should parents be wary of?

Only a specialist can figure out why a baby does not crawl. Mom should be wary if he tries to make characteristic movements, dragging an arm or leg behind him. Also, you should not lose sight of the situation in which a baby over 9 months crawls only on his belly, without making an attempt to get on all fours. It is advisable to read the literature that will tell you how long and how to stimulate the crawling skill.

In some cases, if the child has a prolonged lack of interest in crawling, it is necessary to consult a doctor. How long does it take for premature babies to crawl?

The development of premature babies depends on the time of birth. Babies with 1st degree of prematurity begin to cackle at 2-3 months, babies with 3rd and 4th degrees of prematurity - a few weeks later. As a rule, three-month-old babies confidently hold their heads, and at six months they roll over from their tummy to their back and back. These babies sit on their own at 8-12 months and stand up at one year old.

Since the first motor activity that prepares for crawling occurs in premature babies at 6-9 months, they begin to crawl later than their peers. Typically, children born prematurely master this skill at ten months of age.

How to stimulate active crawling?

Pediatricians do not recommend helping a child crawl and get on all fours. The baby will achieve everything on his own after his muscles get stronger and are ready for the load. However, parents cannot always be passive observers. You can help in the following ways:

• lay the baby on his tummy on a rug or bed so that he has plenty of room for visibility and movement;
• place bright balls or attractive toys within sight;
• seeing the object of his interest, the baby will begin to stretch his arms;
• Having noticed this moment, it is important for parents to create supports for his legs with their hands - he will push off and begin to crawl on his tummy;
• soon the baby will understand that he can control the body himself, and he needs to be shown an example of moving on all fours;
• over time, the baby will notice that he can do the same, and regular exercise and massage will help strengthen his muscles;
• You should not ignore the advice of a neurologist and pediatrician regarding massage - there are known situations when completely passive babies, after a course of massage, became active and learned to crawl in a few weeks.

Bright toys that are not easy to reach can help your baby crawl.Safety rules

The safety of an apartment for a baby who has learned to crawl can be determined by assessing the situation through the eyes of a young researcher. To make your trip around the apartment educational, you should avoid encountering dangerous objects and ensure the following conditions:

• comfortable temperature - there should be no drafts on the floor, clothes for crawling must be comfortable and sufficiently insulated when the apartment is cool;
• sharp corners, wires, potentially dangerous items– contact with them should be excluded by placing protective locks, plugs, hiding or hiding everything that the baby can pull and taste;
• household chemicals and hazardous liquids - all clothing care products, medications, cat food, paints and other potentially hazardous liquids should be hidden in cabinets with special restrictions;
• cleanliness - you should not strive for absolute sterility of the floor, since the baby needs to get used to “household” microbes, but there should be no garbage or animal hair.

In each room you can organize a safe corner with your favorite toys and interesting things. Then the baby will have a purpose to move around the apartment and the mother can relax, detachedly watching his games. There are a lot of interesting things ahead, because when the baby learns to walk, there will be more worries and concerns about safety.

“Stomp, stomp, stomp baby,” is sung in a funny children’s song. This event will occur approximately a year after the child is born, and by then he will have time to master many other useful skills.

Before they start walking, children try to move around by crawling from place to place. Why and when does a baby start crawling? Do all children have to be able to do this?

When does it start to crawl?

From the first minutes of life, a newborn baby begins to learn the world. He looks at everything around him, listens, touches and tastes any thing he can reach. And so, when there are no unexplored secrets left within reach of the hand, natural inquisitiveness encourages the baby to show interest in other subjects.

This period of active cognitive activity begins somewhat earlier than children learn to walk. Therefore, in order to reach a bright toy or mother’s mobile phone, the baby tries to move forward in other ways available to him.

At first, he begins to get good at rolling on his side and on his stomach. Then he will be able, pushing off with his leg or arm, to turn in the other direction, move forward or backward. And when the baby finally understands and masters his new capabilities, he will learn to crawl in the direction he needs.

Usually, the first attempts to crawl are observed in children from the age of five months. By the age of seven months, the most active and persistent babies can crawl quite long distances.

Such data on how many months a child begins to crawl cannot be considered the norm, since in infancy the development of children occurs purely individually.

The period when the baby begins to crawl depends on several criteria:

1. Degree development of the musculoskeletal system. The faster the muscles of the arms and back become stronger, the more confident the child will feel when leaning on his arms, and will soon begin to crawl.
2. Degree nervous system development. Understanding the principle of movement by crawling is the result of hard work of the brain. By this moment, the baby should have formed neural connections responsible for coordination of movements, development of a sense of space and distance.
3. Features of development. Each baby masters the world around him at his own pace. Some have a preference tactile sensations and then they begin to crawl earlier. Others immediately want to observe and only then try to touch.

In addition, it is believed that the time period at which girls begin to crawl begins a little earlier than for boys. It has also been found that premature babies do this a little later, at about ten months of age.

1. Body type. It is usually more difficult for chubby toddlers to learn to crawl, so this process may take them longer.
2. Stimulation. Creating favorable conditions for the development of the ability to crawl can contribute to more early development this skill.

Thus, it is impossible to accurately predict when a baby will learn to crawl. It often happens that a child at 8 months is not yet crawling, but is already beginning to learn to stand and step from object to object. He may not have the need to crawl at all.

Ways to crawl

The little one chooses the method of movement depending on how it is more convenient for him or how he likes it best. There are three main manners of crawling:

• on the stomach;
• in Plastun style;
• On knees.

The easiest way for a baby to learn to crawl is on his stomach. Already at three months he can roll over and lie on his tummy for a long time, looking around him. At the same time, he makes involuntary movements, rests his hands and feet on a hard surface, trying to move in the direction of interest to him. Read more about when a baby starts to roll over

However, the baby cannot rise, but, on the contrary, presses his stomach to the floor. This can rather be called poking.

With this method, the baby cannot move quickly. Often, crawling on his stomach, he moves not forward, but backward. The ability to crawl in this way strengthens the muscles of the back and neck, helps get rid of intestinal colic and improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. For other methods of getting rid of colic, see the course Soft Tummy

The way when a child begins to crawl on his belly is very similar to how adults do it.

The main differences from the previous crawling model are the movement of the legs. The baby, lying on his stomach, spreads his legs wide and bends them at the knees. And then, pushing off from the floor, he straightens his legs and thus moves forward. At the same time, he rises on his hands, tightening his body.

Crawling on the belly helps children develop the skills of alternating movements and is an excellent prevention of hip dysplasia.

By the time a child begins to crawl on all fours, he usually already knows how to sit well. After all, it is from a sitting position that it is most convenient to get on all fours. In this case, the baby rests on the surface only with his arms and legs. He can stand on his knees or on straightened legs. Read more about when a baby starts sitting

Crawling on all fours is considered the most difficult way, because the child must keep his body in an elevated position. In addition, he needs to be able to maintain balance and coordinate his movements.

"On knees"

At first, the baby performs all movements not very confidently, often standing in one place, swaying back and forth. However, when he fully masters the technique of crawling on all fours, he will move quite quickly. This method is very useful for forming the curves of the spine, the ability to correctly distribute the load on the body during movement and control the direction of movement.

The baby can immediately learn the most basic method of crawling, and then move on to another technique. The most difficult is the ability to crawl using the “cross” method.

Refusal to crawl: is there any reason to be wary?

The ability to crawl is very important for a baby's development. If a child does not want to crawl, you should not ignore this, considering crawling simply as a transitional stage between sitting and walking.

After all, when the baby begins to crawl, the first signs of independence are formed, he has greater freedom and opportunities.

In addition, crawling is very useful for:

• training the muscles of the back and limbs;
• formation of the skeleton and development of the musculoskeletal system;
• development of coordination of movements and the ability to navigate in space;
• preparation for upright walking;
• improvement of psychomotor development (when crawling with support on the palms of the hands, the child receives a large number of tactile sensations);
• development of the nervous system and brain.

The ability to crawl affects the development of the cerebral hemispheres; a strong relationship is established between them and there is no predominance of one of them over the other. Children who have learned to crawl have abilities in both the exact sciences and the humanities and have creative inclinations.

Neurologists believe that the crawling period is more important for the development of a child’s nervous system than the first steps.

Also, the ability to crawl has a positive effect on the timely development of speech and the absence of speech therapy problems.

Therefore, if the baby has no desire to crawl at the age of 8 months, it is advisable to establish the reason for this behavior and try to correct the situation (you must remember that the period at which boys begin to crawl may come a little later).

Reluctance to crawl can be caused by several factors.

1. Health problems. Muscle weakness, deviations in the development of the musculoskeletal system and nervous system may be observed.
2. Temperament. Children show their curiosity and activity to varying degrees. Some people prefer to watch rather than try to reach and touch an object. This baby does not express much interest in crawling.
3. Finding in a closed space. Spending most of his time in the crib, the baby simply does not understand that there is a big and interesting world which he can study.
4. The child is not allowed to lie on his stomach. There is no need to specifically lay the baby on his stomach, but you need to stimulate his activity by any means.
5. Weight. Even fat kids will try to move with everything accessible ways. Most often, a large child does not crawl on all fours because it is difficult for him to support his body.
6. No need to crawl. Overly diligent parents are so protective of their child that they rush to help him in any situation. The baby simply does not need to try to get something, because the mother helpfully presents everything in which he shows interest.

In most cases, the reason for the reluctance to crawl is not very serious and the problem can be solved. The main thing is to know how to teach a child to crawl and show a little patience.

Crawling is a natural reflex that is present in children from birth, but fades over time. Therefore, parents do not need to try to teach their toddler to crawl. It is enough to create for him the necessary conditions and simply observe the baby’s behavior, only slightly directing his actions.

Important to remember! Before you try to teach your baby to crawl, make sure that the baby is developing normally and has no health problems.

Parents' help should include the following.

1. To make a child want to crawl:

• put it on the floor more often, surrounding it with interesting things and moving objects;
• you need to interest him, lure him with a bright toy or a loud rattle;
• in the process of trying to learn to crawl, it is important to praise and encourage the baby more often;
• as a role model, demonstrate to him how to crawl.

1. Develop the musculoskeletal system:

• do a strengthening massage (if a child has problems with physical development, you should seek the services of a professional massage therapist);
• do gymnastics with the baby (the simplest exercises should be started from the first month after birth);
• carried correctly in your arms.

1. Learn to navigate in space and control your body:

• learn special exercises (flips, frog, etc.);
• exercises with a fitball, exercises with a roller (the most effective method, how to teach a child to crawl on all fours);

1. Ensure compliance with safety precautions and hygiene requirements:

• put the baby on a clean floor covered with a rug or blanket (no need to teach him to crawl on the bed or lay a mattress on the floor);
• remove objects that the baby can pull onto the floor, shorten long curtains;
• remove small and sharp objects;
• remove cords from electrical appliances, power extension cords and carriers;
• dress the baby in clothes that will not restrict his movements.

Compliance with all these points will soon lead to positive results. The most important thing for parents is to understand: in order to start crawling, the baby must want it himself, and you shouldn’t expect any effect from regular training.

The importance of crawling as a stage of development is beyond doubt among modern pediatricians. This skill affects the physical, psycho-emotional, and sociological spheres of the baby’s development. Young parents think about when a child begins to crawl and why it is so important soon after his birth. Let's take a closer look at this topic.

Everything related to a baby’s health up to a year has its own norms and average statistical indicators. And how many months do babies crawl? This usually starts at 5-7 months. But don't forget about individuality. Many children can immediately learn to sit up, walk, and then crawl, which is also considered an option for full development.

If the child crawls at 4 months and, most likely, does it on his belly, there is no need to worry either. This means that he is ready to explore the world, help him with this.

The opinions of pediatricians and pediatric neurologists regarding what time children begin to crawl differ slightly. The first consider the norm to be between five and seven months. The latter expand the range, considering it normal to start crawling at both 4 and 9 months.

Experts from both professions agree that crawling is important. It is not advisable to skip it, sometimes it is even worth stimulating it, teaching the baby to crawl. Attentive parents will not miss the chance to encourage their child, so to the question of how to understand that a child wants to crawl, the answer is simple - he will stretch in the direction he needs, try to roll over, pull himself up, sometimes even be capricious, calling on his parents for help.

What determines what time a baby will crawl?

There are many factors influencing the development of this useful skill. Among them are the main ones, such as:

• Sexual characteristic. No matter how strong boys are considered to be, the fact that most of them master crawling later than girls is undeniable. In most cases, there is nothing to worry about when boys start crawling at 7-9 months. They need more space and time to improve their skills. It is quite normal for girls to crawl at 4 months, because they master all skills faster.
• Individual development. The standards have been developed a long time ago, but they are by no means accurate. Individual development, heredity, genotype and other physiological factors independent of parents always play a huge role.
No matter how strong the baby’s desire to actively explore the world around him through movement, until the muscles of the musculoskeletal system become stronger, he will not be able to do this on his own.
• Degree of psycho-emotional development. Every month new emotions appear. One of the most powerful is curiosity. Therefore, if a baby wants to touch an object that is new to him, it is better to help him crawl on his own, rather than simply putting the thing in a small hand.
• Physiological readiness of the central nervous system. Since all processes are controlled by the brain, it must be sufficiently formed for the baby to control his movements. He understands and consciously moves his arms and legs at closer to two months, with the initial formation of connections in the brain that are responsible for this. But the age when the baby begins to crawl comes a couple of months later, with sufficient formation of the necessary neural connections.
• Relationship between age and weight. Pediatricians note that the presence excess weight delays the moment when babies begin to crawl by at least several weeks.
• Physiotherapy, encouragement of activity. Children who have undergone physiotherapeutic procedures from the first weeks of life begin to crawl and sit somewhat earlier than others.
• Help. Stimulation also plays an important role. By creating conditions for the development of crawling skills, interest in bright toys, teaching the correct and necessary movements, parents help the baby crawl.

The answer to the question of when a baby begins to crawl can only be given by defining an extended time frame - from four to nine months. But parents are able to influence its early development, stimulating the baby to crawl as early as four months.

Based on this, we conclude that how babies crawl at 6 months depends not only on themselves, but also on their parents.

Stages of crawling development

And now about how babies begin to crawl for the first time and about the gradual improvement of this skill. This happens in several stages. Some children go through all of them, some may skip one or two:

• The easiest way for a baby to crawl is on his stomach. It is difficult to say exactly at what age a child crawls like this, but usually it is three to four months when he makes his first attempts to move independently.
• Then, having grown stronger, the child crawls on his belly, every day mastering more and more areas of the house, improving skills and developing muscles. Thus, the child crawls at 5 months and until he masters the next stage. It is important to remember that crawling in all directions is considered normal. There is no need to worry when the baby constantly moves backwards or to the side, this normal phenomenon, no matter how many months he starts crawling.
• As soon as you notice that the child is crawling on his belly easily and naturally, rest assured that he will soon begin to walk on all fours. In this case, he will place emphasis on his hands in combination with bent at the knees or straightened legs. It is crawling on all fours that pediatricians call correct and full crawling. Active children master it already at 6 months.

A baby who starts crawling on his tummy may never fully develop this skill, missing several steps. Many children do not crawl at all, which does not prevent them from learning to sit and then walk in time.

Physiotherapy - an assistant in preparing for crawling

What mother wouldn’t want to teach her baby everything, including crawling? Simple exercises will help you do this, with the help of which your child will learn to crawl much faster:

• "Frog" - one of the first exercises that is introduced to you in the maternity hospital. It is not only an excellent prevention of dysplasia, but also helps prepare the legs for crawling. It is performed in two versions: on the back and on the tummy. In the supine position, the mother gently and carefully bends and straightens the baby’s legs in a frog pose. And in a position on his tummy, he gives him the opportunity to independently push off from her palms with bent legs.
• Rise – we lay the child on his back, give him our big fingers so that he grabs them tightly and, holding the baby’s hand, lift it, gradually increasing the degree of elevation to 45.
• Coups – position as in the previous exercise. We gently turn the baby, holding tightly to his mother’s fingers, from side to side, making sure that he has time to turn his head.
• Swinging on a fitball – place the baby with her tummy on the ball with her head away from her mother, hold her firmly under her arms and gently rock her. Do the exercise for 1–2 minutes 2 times a day. The child's age is from three months.

You need to do exercises between feedings, at least half an hour after eating.

While doing massage and exercises, talk gently to your baby and turn on calm music. Make all movements as gently, accurately and smoothly as possible. If the baby cries or gets irritated, postpone classes for another time.

Doing a massage

Good for the baby to do. It will strengthen the body and help the child start crawling much earlier. A strengthening massage consists of light, gentle stroking first of the arms, then of the legs, tummy, and back. Perform 1-2 times a day.

During the first month, the duration of the massage should not exceed 2–3 minutes. Gradually, the time can be increased to 10 minutes, usually by this time the child is already more than six months old.

How to get your baby to crawl?

• Creating comfortable conditions.
• The presence of bright toys, safe objects that are clearly of interest to the baby.
• Encouragement and praise.
• Simple physical exercise, light massage.
• Example of another child.

Do not deny yourself and your baby communication. Children are especially prone to imitating and repeating each other's actions. Therefore, when one baby begins to crawl, the rest of the group will certainly quickly begin to repeat after him.

Even if the baby is just learning to crawl, the space where he is should be absolutely safe.

Why is it important for a child to crawl?

According to pediatricians, crawling on all fours and the benefits from it are undeniable. It consists of the following:

• Strengthening the muscles of the spine, back, neck, arms and legs.
• Active development of coordination, which contributes to the development of skills such as orientation in space, maintaining balance, rhythm, and sequence of movements.
• Formation of physiologically correct bends of the body, preparation of the spine for upright walking.
• Stimulating the development of intellectual abilities.
• Relieving muscle tone, eliminating torticollis and other similar problems in the musculoskeletal system.

When should you be wary?

They have already written about why it is useful for a child to crawl on all fours, all that remains is to find out why the baby sometimes does not want to do this.

Most common reasons refusal to crawl:

• Existing diseases of the musculoskeletal and nervous system, as well as delays in their development, confirmed by a pediatrician and neurologist. Often these problems are detected fairly quickly and are almost always solved with minimal parental effort.
• Having excess weight.
• Excessive care, when everything is given into the hands and there is no need to reach out on your own.

The baby is growing, raising his head, trying to roll over - all this makes him happy loving parents, proudly watching the growth of the baby. At this time, parents begin to worry about the question: at what month does the child begin to crawl. There are generally accepted standards for the motor activity of infants in the first year of life.

The normal age to start crawling is 7-8 months. It is impossible to say exactly from which month a child should start crawling. Every baby is different, so some may start crawling at 5 months, others will take it up interesting activity closer to 9 months of life.

Sometimes the baby skips the crawling stage and immediately stands on his feet, which parents are very proud of. Experts believe that skipping the crawling stage negatively affects the formation of the baby’s skeleton. The process of crawling strengthens the baby's muscles and vertebrae, and develops spatial thinking and coordination in young children.

The first step to the baby’s independence, to understanding the surrounding space. Develops curiosity and determination. Gives you confidence in your own capabilities. Having learned to crawl, the baby will open up new possibilities for itself and begin to develop more intensively.



Intellectual development. The first year of a baby’s life is characterized by the fact that motor activity is closely related to the mental and emotional development of the infant. The more active the child is, the better the blood supply to the brain. Movement is interconnected with the development of speech and ensures coordination between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Strengthening muscles and spine. During crawling, the muscles of the limbs are involved, as well as the back, physical activity on which correctly develops the curves of the spine and strengthens the muscles themselves. When crawling on your belly, when the legs are spread apart, hip dysplasia is prevented. Active strengthening of all muscle groups naturally corrects elevated and decreased tone muscles, torticollis, body asymmetry.

Formation of coordination of body movement. Maintaining balance, orienting in space - all this is possible through the skill of coordination.



When it's time to crawl

Only in a born baby can the rudiments of crawling be noticed. If you place the baby on the tummy and lightly press on the heels with your palm, the baby will reflexively push away. After 3 months of age, these movements develop from unconscious ones into controlled skills.

The baby raises its head, makes a turn, the world around the baby changes, revealing new attractive sides. As soon as the baby begins to hold himself in a position on his tummy on his elbows, he immediately begins to reach for bright toys and things located in the distance and makes attempts to crawl.

Mastering the skill of crawling depends on many reasons:




Mastery and stages of crawling

Before a child begins to crawl, there are several stages of crawling development. These steps were originally laid down by nature, because children’s body muscles develop gradually, and each stage requires the development of specific muscle groups. Some kids, with good physical development, may skip certain stages of crawling.

Lying on his stomach, the baby reaches for a bright toy, trying to move forward. The arms are stretched forward, the baby pulls himself up on them. This is how the first attempt at crawling begins - a little forward, or a little to the side. Sometimes children crawl backward, pushing themselves away, instead of pulling their body up. This stage begins around the 5th month.

With the help of their parents, sometimes on their own, children begin to understand that it is much more convenient to crawl, raising their body. The baby leans on his elbows, helping himself with his legs, and begins to crawl on his belly.

The baby simultaneously throws his arms forward, and then very quickly pulls his knees towards his hands. Outwardly, it is very similar to how frogs jump.

The baby tries to stand up and crawl on all fours. Raising their butts, they stand swaying for a long time. The first attempts to crawl on all fours are usually not very successful. The baby falls on his side and gets tangled in his arms and legs. But with experience comes understanding, the baby begins to cross-rearrange the right leg together with the left hand, after which the arm and leg change smoothly.



Cross crawling is the most harmonious, rational, distributing the load on the baby’s spine evenly. When crawling crosswise, the baby does not have to balance. The back is straight.

In addition to the generally accepted types of crawling, some babies develop their own methods for movement:

1. Rolling. Most often it is used by children with weak shoulder girdles. In this case, it is necessary to carry out additional exercises to strengthen the muscles of the arms;
2. Moving backwards. Very often, babies begin to crawl backwards. This is due to the still weak coordination. There is nothing wrong with such a movement. Once the baby gets comfortable, he will begin to crawl correctly;
3. Sitting on my butt. Cases of such crawling are not uncommon. Having bent one leg under itself, the child pushes off with the other leg. Children move in this way quite quickly.

We provide security

The help of parents in raising a child cannot be overestimated. The health and development of the baby depends on attention, care, and daily exercise. Before you ask the question: at what month will a baby start crawling, you should make a lot of efforts to help your baby quickly become a strong and healthy child.



So, how can it help? loving family who wants the baby to start crawling earlier. The first step is to ensure the safety of the child:

Prepare a specially equipped place on the floor. Lay down a blanket and sports mat. Close all sockets silicone pads hide sharp corners of furniture. The crawl space should be protected from drafts.

If there is a tablecloth on the table, heavy vases, books - all this must be removed so that the child does not accidentally knock over a heavy object.

Secure cabinet doors, remove all containers from the child’s path. household chemicals. A curious researcher wants to taste everything, which can lead to serious consequences.

The room must be clean. When the baby learns to crawl, it is better to take pets to another place.



All exercises should begin when the child is healthy. If the baby cackles or is capricious, reschedule the exercises for a later time.

Exercises to help you start crawling

The baby is already actively rolling over and trying to lean on his arms - which means it’s time to prepare the baby for independent crawling.

Consolidation of revolutions. Mommy holds tightly, without squeezing the baby’s hand, the baby should grasp thumb moms. Gently directing the baby's body to turn over, the mother holds the baby's left leg with her right hand, helping to make the turn over.

Charging for pens. Start when your baby wakes up. Mom lets you grab hers thumbs hands, and clasping the child’s hands, raises the baby’s arms and spreads them to the sides, lowering them, crossing them on the baby’s chest. Movements should be smooth, not abrupt. This exercise strengthens the muscles of the shoulder girdle, and also gives a boost of energy to the baby and accustoms him to morning warm-up.



“Little Frog” - prevention of dysplasia, creation and consolidation of the skill of crawling. Taking the legs by the shins, slowly bend them in favor of the frog, then straighten them slowly. Putting the baby on his tummy, place your palms under the heels, let the baby push off with his legs several times, moving forward a little.

A fitball or large ball will be a great help for the development and strengthening of the baby’s back muscles. Place the baby on the ball with his stomach, holding the baby in the armpit area. You should swing the ball from side to side slowly, watching how the baby strains his back.

Playing with a roller is useful for transitioning to cross crawling on all fours. Place a roller under the baby's tummy and start rocking the roller. Trying to hold on, the baby will immediately use his arms, legs, and get on all fours.

Mom can show by her own example how to crawl while playing various games. Roll a ball, play catch, or get a toy.

Massage is required. A regular restorative massage that can be done at home. When performing a massage, you must remove all jewelry. It is enough to do a massage once a day, lasting no more than 10 minutes; you cannot massage before or immediately after meals. Babies' skin is very delicate, so the main movement is stroking. The arms and legs are stroked from bottom to top, the back and tummy are stroked from top to bottom.

There is no need to rush your child to start crawling faster. Each baby has its own development path. Some will start crawling earlier, others later, others will skip the crawling stage and immediately stand on their feet. The basic principles and principles of developing crawling skills should become the direction for harmonious development child.

From birth to one year of age, the baby goes through many stages of development. Relatives watch with great interest the baby’s new achievements, be it the first steps or the first rollover from back to stomach. But some successes deserve close attention, and crawling is one of them. When do babies start crawling and does anything need to be done to get the child to start crawling? Let's talk in this article.



You should know that the longer your child crawls without moving on to independent walking, the better. In this process, all the baby’s muscles develop, the musculoskeletal system is well trained, and the parts of the brain responsible for speech are activated. Children who have skipped the crawling stage or quickly passed it experience a tremendous load on the spine during their first steps. This can cause health problems because the muscle corset does not have time to prepare.

What time do babies start crawling?

Many parents “torture” pediatricians with the question “At what month does a child begin to crawl?” Average age , during which babies begin to master the skill of crawling - 5 months. However, you should not set clear boundaries. Some children begin to crawl at 6 and even 10 months (especially if the baby is quite heavy). Basically, this happens after he has learned to sit on his own. Crawling has a great positive effect on the health of the toddler and strengthens the spine and back muscles. During the period when the baby begins to crawl, Several stages can be distinguished:




Does it matter in this matter? gender of the child? There is an opinion that in physically Girls begin to crawl faster. They are more active than boys and learn important motor skills earlier. However, this judgment is incorrect. As a rule, the child whose parents pay enough attention to their health and development develops more rapidly. Moreover, it directly depends on physiological characteristics and the baby's temperament.

Useful activities when the baby begins to crawl

The best way to teach children something is to do it in a playful way. To encourage your baby to crawl, you can move beautiful, attention-grabbing toys away from him a short distance. The baby will reach out to them and try to make new movements. Adults can help in this process - carefully take the legs, as if creating support.



Gymnastics helps a lot. Eat special complex exercises aimed at mastering crawling.




Massage encourages children to crawl well. Wellness can only be carried out by a specialist with a medical education and only as prescribed by a pediatrician.

Important! The skin and body of a baby are much more delicate than those of an adult. Any massage must begin with light stroking, and in some cases, stroking is the only thing that should be done in the absence of proper experience and education.

Massage should be done once a day, half an hour before or after the child eats. Before the procedure, you need to remove rings and bracelets from your hands. Movements should not cause discomfort to the child. It is better if the duration of the massage does not exceed ten minutes. Children are more willing to trust the hands of their parents and therefore may behave restlessly during a massage performed by an invited specialist.



A changing table is an ideal place for this procedure, but you can use another flat surface, laying a thick blanket on it first (it is important that it is not too hard). The massage is done as follows:

• stroking pens, directing movements from the bottom to the top;
• legs stroke from feet to thigh. It is impossible to massage the joints of infants, so during movements we carefully go around them;
• backrest stroke first up, then down;
• after stroking movements, you can begin light kneading movements (only if the child feels comfortable).

Babies are responsive to visual examples. If parents or older children in the family show him how to crawl, he will understand the technique faster. When creating space for the baby to move, you should remove objects from the floor that could cause injury. In a house where there is a crawling child, it is better to carry out wet cleaning every day and wash the floors as often as possible.

When a baby starts to crawl: useful video

You can learn more about how to teach a baby to crawl in the video:

When to start crawling Komarovsky:

When a baby begins to crawl: calendar for the development of crawling in children of the first year of life, what is called “correct crawling”, how to help your baby learn to crawl.



When does a baby start crawling?

In the first article of the series about the development of crawling in babies, we will deal with you:

— what is “correct crawling” and how does it differ from reflex crawling and crawling,

- when does crawling appear in a baby and what kind of crawling does it occur (step-by-step calendar for the development of crawling in a baby),

— what determines the full development of crawling in a child,

- what is the significance of crawling in the development of a baby.

In the second half of the first year of life, the development of movements and mastery of crawling is one of the leading lines in the development of the baby. Crawling develops especially actively in babies aged 6-9 months.

When a baby starts to crawl: what is “crawling”

The baby does not immediately begin to crawl. At first, the baby crawls on its belly or on its stomach; this movement can appear at 6 months or earlier. But this is not crawling. This movement is called "creeping."

“Proper crawling” is crawling on all fours, not pulling yourself up on your hands. If a child only pulls himself up on his arms and does not get on all fours, then his legs do not participate in the movement and subsequently lag behind in development.

In correct crawling, the baby’s opposite arms and legs move simultaneously(right leg and left arm, then left leg and right arm), which develops the baby’s brain and requires good coordination of movements and a sense of balance.

It is this movement of the baby that is called “crawling.” And it is precisely this kind of crawling that is extremely beneficial for the overall development of the child.

The importance of crawling for child development

Why is crawling so important for a baby and why is it important for us, adults, to create all the conditions for the development of crawling:

First. Crawling at the age of 6-10 months strengthens the muscles of the arms, legs, back, abdominals, and neck. Crawling, in its essence, is the baby’s first form of independent movement. Having learned to crawl, the baby begins to sit up and stand up on his own, walk with support, step along the barrier in the crib, and change his position.

It has been noticed that children who begin to crawl in a timely manner and crawl actively, as a rule, then learn to sit down and stand up more easily and quickly (note: not “sit”, but “sit down and stand up”, this is a more important movement for a child), lie down, stand up and down, holding onto a support, stand.

Second. Crawling has a positive effect on the formation of correct postureand is a prevention flat feet. Therefore, it is important that the child learns to crawl before sitting or standing on his feet.

Third. While crawling, the child becomes more independent and active, gets acquainted with the properties and qualities of objects, his life experience and horizons expand, and his orientation in the environment around him is formed. It promotes good mental development child. In addition, a crawling child becomes much more active and learns to achieve desired goals.

According to research by T.L. Goddess, a child’s health is determined by his physical activity. Among children with health problems, 50% have low motor activity, 30% are lagging behind in the development of basic movements. Moreover, physical activity affects not only the physical development of the child, but also his overall development.

The more diverse the baby’s movements, the richer his motor experience, the more information enters the baby’s brain, the better he will be developed, including intellectually (Shchelovanov N.M., Kistyakovskaya M.Yu.)

Fourth. Crawling actively and harmoniously develops the baby’s brain and the interaction between the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Because while crawling, the child’s opposite arms and legs move simultaneously (he rearranges right hand simultaneously with the left leg, and the left hand along with right foot). That is why crawling is not easy for a child, as it requires good coordination of movements.

As you can see, crawling is a movement that is vital for a baby for its harmonious development. When and how does crawling appear in a child’s life, and why do many children now not crawl, but immediately stand on their feet and begin to walk?

When does a baby start to crawl: crawling development calendar

In the first months of life, a baby experiences the so-called “crawling reflex”. Sometimes you can see messages on YouTube and social networks that they – modern babies – are already crawling, although they have recently left the maternity hospital. This is not crawling! This is just a reflex that any healthy baby has.

How does this crawling reflex manifest itself? If a newborn is placed on his tummy (from the third to fourth day of life), then in this position he will begin to crawl, that is, make crawling movements with his body. If you place your palm on his soles, the baby will reflexively push off with his legs and crawling will intensify. Coordination of the movements of the arms and legs in the baby is not observed.

This crawling reflex is used to develop the muscles that extend the legs in children from one and a half to 3 months.

The crawling reflex is observed in the first months of the baby's life and exists until the fourth month of the child's life, then it should disappear.

How does real crawling appear in a child? This process takes several months.

By the end of the first half of life (at the age of 5 months) the baby can lie on his stomach for a long time, leaning on his palms; press your feet firmly with the support of your armpits. And also rolls over from back to stomach.

In the sixth month of life crawling develops– preparatory movement for crawling.

What is “creeping” - let's clarify the meaning of this word. A child at this age can spread his straightened arms (if they are already stronger) and, leaning on his palms, raise his body. If he sees an interesting toy in front of him, then he tries to pull himself closer to this object that interests him. To help your child crawl, you can create support for his feet. For example, place your palm under his feet as a support. Or use a roll made from a blanket.

From 6 months of age in the position on the stomach, the baby raises his head high, turns it to the sides, leans on outstretched arms, easily transfers the center of gravity from one hand to the other, and reaches for the toy. Gets on all fours.

At 6-7 months the baby turns over from his stomach to his back and crawls a little forward, sideways or even backwards. He persistently tries to get closer to the toy he likes.

These are the basic prerequisites for the further development of crawling.

If a child at 5-6 months lies on his tummy a lot, he will quickly learn to crawl, and then stand up and sit. Crawling movements usually first occur in a child when he, lying on his stomach, tries to reach a toy lying in front of him.

This is important to know: Crawling is healthier than sitting. After all, sitting, the child gets tired quickly. In the “sitting” position, having dropped a toy, he can no longer reach it, no longer wants to lie on his stomach while awake and demands to be seated.

By 7 months The baby can already crawl. At first, the baby most often crawls backwards or in a circle. Then you need to lure him with a toy, he will soon learn to crawl forward, as well as crawl onto a hill and slide down from it. Teach your baby at the age of 7 months to crawl onto a small elevation (a flat foam pillow on the floor) and slide down from it. You will find games for this in the continuation of this article (see the link at the end of this article).

At 8 months The child crawls a lot, quickly and in different directions. At 7-8 months, the baby crawls to the toy (located at a distance of 1-2 meters from him) immediately or with a short rest - distraction. He crawls in any way (of course, the most useful is crawling on all fours), changing the direction of crawling.

From 8 months The baby is already crawling not only on a flat surface, but can also crawl up the steps of a small children's slide to a small height or crawl onto a flat pillow lying on the floor.

Note: These standards are indicative and are designed for children with whom they do gymnastics daily or at least systematically at home and for whom all conditions have been created at home for the development of crawling. For example, there may be such a situation: the child was never given the opportunity to crawl on the floor, he was constantly in a crib, in a playpen or in the arms of adults. They didn’t do gymnastics with him. The baby also did not have the opportunity to practice crawling onto a flat hill. Such a baby is absolutely healthy from birth, but, of course, will not be able to climb a slide at 8-9 months, as stated above, because simply has no experience with such movements! He won’t do this not because he has problems and needs medication, but because no one has simply dealt with this with him. Most likely, such a baby will immediately move on to standing up and walking, bypassing the crawling stage. What to do in this case? Gymnastics and motor games will help give this baby the necessary and vital experience of movement and motor activity. And he will quickly learn everything with your help.

In connection with this example, the following question arises: does crawling arise on its own as a result of the maturation of the child’s brain or does it require our help in development? Let's figure this out. This is very important to understand, because children are often compared based on their ability to crawl as an indicator of their level of development. But this is not so!

When a child begins to crawl: is it necessary to teach the baby to crawl and do gymnastics?

For a long time, people believed that a child's mastery of movement in the first year of life was solely the result of brain maturation. And adults only need to provide food and hygiene care for the baby.

However, M.Yu. Kistyakovskaya’s study of the development of movements in children of the first year of life proved that the pace and sequence of movement development depend on the child’s living conditions and the interaction of the people around him with him.

We teach a child to crawl and perform special gymnastics with him not for the sake of the fact of “crawling or not crawling,” but for the sake of the harmonious and complete physical and general development of the child and the prevention of serious diseases in the future.

Children with whom adults have systematically practiced gymnastics since birth have better posture, good coordination of movements, speed, dexterity not only in outdoor games, but also in everyday activities, rapid mastery of all basic types of movements (running, walking, jumping, climbing, rolling, throwing and catching, throwing). Poor muscle development in infancy leads to poor posture, flat feet and other problems in the child’s health in the future (Golubeva L.G.)

As we see, the development of crawling and its improvement in a baby will largely depend on our correct tactics in raising the baby, on whether the adults did daily gymnastics with the child, whether they created conditions for crawling at home, and whether they communicated correctly with the baby.

When does a baby start crawling: individual differences in crawling

If a baby has learned to get on all fours by the age of six to seven months, then he usually immediately begins to crawl, leaning on his hands and knees (“correct crawling”). If the baby has not yet gotten onto all fours, then first he will crawl on his stomach, and only then will he master crawling on all fours.

Usually children at 8-9 months are already crawling on all fours, but there are children who do not crawl on all fours at all, but immediately pull themselves up, stand on their legs, move along the support and then begin to walk.

All babies crawl and start crawling differently. Some babies start crawling backwards or sideways and may take a few days or weeks to start crawling forward. Other babies glide on their buttocks or on their knees with support on their palms, and only then move on to crawling on all fours. Or they don't transfer. There are children who, having started crawling on their bellies, never switch to crawling on all fours and immediately begin to stand up and walk.

Usually, if the baby is systematically doing gymnastics at home and there are conditions for crawling at home, then he masters crawling on all fours without problems and crawls actively. After all, it is most useful for a baby to first start crawling and then stand on his feet.

Timeframe for mastering crawling do not in any way affect the timing of mastering walking. An actively crawling child may go late. A baby who crawls little can start walking early.

Many babies don’t crawl only because they don’t have the opportunity! They are constantly in a stroller, crib or playpen or on a sofa surrounded by chairs for safety, and they do not have the opportunity to practice the ability to get up on their knees and hands and try to coordinate their movements and crawl to an object of interest to them. Such children immediately stand on their feet and begin to walk.

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW: It must be remembered that it is more beneficial for a child when crawling appears before walking and sitting. If a child begins to sit and walk without crawling, then his muscular system is not yet ready to hold the body in an upright position. As a result, asymmetric loads arise on the joint-ligamentous apparatus and thereby create the preconditions for poor posture in the future.

In general, in the physical development of a child of the first year of life there is one thing: main rule: it is more important and expedient for the child to first master motor functions(this is the movement of the body in space, and crawling refers specifically to the motor function), and only then - static functions(maintaining one body position for several seconds, for example, sitting in a motionless position). Therefore, it is more important to teach children not to sit, but to crawl, and then to sit down; teach not to stand, but to stand up.

When a baby starts to crawl: what factors influence a baby’s crawling and development

What should the crawling surface be like?

To six month old baby started crawling, you need to give him as much space as possible for exploration (floor). If the floor is cold, you can lay a large warm blanket on it. To crawl, you need a hard, large surface (not a table, not a crib, or soft sofa). If a child spends most of his time in the arms of adults or in a crib, he will not strive to crawl, although he is healthy. It is in these cases that the child usually immediately stands on his feet without crawling and begins to walk, which is unfavorable for the development of the musculoskeletal system.

To induce the desire to crawl, in addition to a large, hard surface, there must be bright, attractive colors around the child. toys. But there should not be too many of them so that the child’s attention is concentrated on achieving the goal he desires.

How to properly use toys to develop crawling skills

— To develop crawling, use toys that meet three requirements:

1) they are new or clearly attractive to the baby,

2) the toy must be stable,

3) the toy should be comfortable for a child to grasp.

— At what distance from the child should you place toys?

a) First, the toys are placed at such a distance that, with outstretched arms, the child almost touches them with his fingertips.

b) If the child is already crawling a little, then the toy can be placed at a further distance (1 meter), then the distance can be gradually increased (up to 2 meters).

— For a child to crawl towards a toy you need to draw his attention to the toy, for example, move it or make a sound. Sometimes, in front of the child’s eyes, you have to move the toy slightly closer to the baby so that he begins to strive for it.

— How to help a child if he “doesn’t want” to crawl to a toy. Sometimes, even despite the baby’s great obvious desire to crawl towards the toy, he just cannot start crawling. Or it crawls not forward, but back from the toy or to the side. Then you need to help the child. We place our palm on his feet (soles) so that he can push off from our palm. When the child pushes off and crawls a little towards the toy, move the toy a little. If the child does not push against your palm even when supported, then bend his legs at the hip joint and move them to the sides (the “frog” position), the legs are slightly bent and place your palm. The baby will push off from the palm. And so repeat 2-3 times, after which give the baby the opportunity to receive the joy of reaching the toy and examining it.

— After the baby has crawled to the toy, let him play with it as much as he wants and enjoy the results of your efforts.

— Rolling toys cannot be used to develop crawling.(ball, cart, car), because they roll far away from the baby at the touch of his palm. And we need the child to be able, after crawling, to enjoy exploring the goal he has achieved - the desired toy. Such rolling toys like a ball can only be used when the child is already crawling, and we want to activate this movement that the child has already mastered.

- You need to know that The baby will not crawl right away. And you shouldn’t expect this from him right away. At first, trying to reach the toy, he may even crawl backwards rather than forwards, and only after several attempts will he figure out how to move forward and coordinate the movements of his arms and legs.

— If a child crawls to a toy on his stomach, then you can “tell” him another way - on all fours. Place your hands under your baby's tummy and lift him up so that he is on all fours. Help him crawl forward, showing the toy a little ahead. Sometimes a wide towel placed under the baby’s belly is used for this.

How can you encourage a child to crawl towards a toy? Example game - activities

I was asked this question at one of the meetings with site readers, so I answer it in detail and give detailed instructions about how this can be done.

The entire game will take approximately 3 minutes at a time. It can be repeated daily with different toys and new items.

Very important: During play, only the toy on display should be in the child’s field of vision. Place all other objects and toys away so that the baby does not see them. Also make sure that light from a lamp or the sun does not shine into the child’s eyes when looking at the toy. And try to make sure that nothing distracts him from the toy.

First part games-activities. Demonstration of the toy.

Place your baby on his tummy. Place a toy - for example, a tumbler - at a distance of 20-30 cm from him. It is bright, and attractive, and sounds, and moves! Rock the tumbler to make it sound and sing the song. For example: “Ta-ta-ta, ta-ta-ta! What a beauty! Ta-ta-ta! Ta-ta-ta! Reach out to me” (lyrics of the song – V. Vetrova). Then show how the tumbler walks: “top-top-top”, how she sings “la-la-la”, how she swings “kach-kach-kach”. If you have another toy, arrange a similar demonstration with it.

After this, take a short break.

Second part. Child grasping a toy.

Most likely, your baby will reach for this toy during or after the demonstration. Praise him for this, pet him, say encouraging words. If the baby reaches out to the toy, but cannot reach it, then move the toy closer to the baby. And again repeat a small demonstration - for example, rocking a pile. Let the baby reach for it again and continue like this. When the baby can pick up the toy, let him play with it and rejoice at the achievement.

Repeat with different toys and your baby will begin to be active and understand that he can use crawling to achieve desired goals. Gradually increase the distance to the toy so that the baby can reach it not just by reaching or crawling, but by real crawling.

If you do daily gymnastics with your baby (more on this in the continuation of this article), then place your hand as a support for the baby’s legs, he will push off from your hand and move forward towards the toy. He is already familiar with this movement from the “Frog” exercise. In the future, the baby will no longer require support, and he will learn to crawl without your help.

When to consult a neurologist

If crawling and its prerequisites did not appear in the baby in time, then you need to know what features of the baby’s development require consultation with a neurologist:

- If the child does not turn from back to stomach at 5 months,

- If the child has weak support on his arms in a position on his stomach, and in a vertical position of the body he rests on the front edge of the foot (stands on the tips of his toes supported by his legs).

- If the child does not get on all fours or sit with support on his hands by 7 months,

- If the child does not crawl on all fours, sits unsteadily, does not stand up against support at 9 months,

- In case of increased fatigue of the child.

Continuing from this article:

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