When babies begin to crawl it is an exciting phase, where they can move to discover the world around them. Babies usually begin to crawl between 6 and 10 months, although it will depend on each child. Some go straight to walking without having crawled first, and others begin to crawl very early and take longer to learn to walk. Each child is different and you have to respect their times. Today we are going to talk about how to teach a baby to crawl.
Crawling
Thanks to crawling, babies have more freedom of movement and can move more quickly on all fours. They learn to crawl on the ground to gain freedom and some do it in one way or another. There are various types of crawls as we tell you in this article. There is the crowl, the sitting style, spinning top, croquette, snake, typical crawling and bear crawling.
Es a step in the psychomotor development of babies, it is a good and positive thing for them. Through crawling it is also a way of communicating before being able to speak, and it also favors the neural connections between the two hemispheres. Improves vision, fine motor skills, and the vestibular and proprioceptive system.
But sometimes there are some babies who do not crawl or have a hard time doing it. That he does not crawl does not mean that anything bad happens to him, far from it. Each child has his own rhythm and you have to wait for him to have the necessary neurological and body development to do so. Although remember that if you have any questions or concerns you can consult your pediatrician and he will know how to assess whether everything is going well. At home we can encourage, stimulate and help them crawl.
How to teach a baby to crawl
Teach proper, we cannot teach a baby to crawl. But we can stimulate and encourage crawling to help them achieve it. Let's see some tips to get it:
- Give him freedom on the ground. Leave enough space for him to do it freely.
- Put it on a non-slip surface. For example a carpet or an eva rubber floor where it does not slip. If your shoes or socks slip, it is better to remove them.
- Lay it upside down. In order to crawl, babies need to work their balance and they will be able to do it while lying on their stomach.
- Put her toys around her but out of her reach. Put flashy objects or their favorite toys in front of them but they have to move around a bit. So the baby will have to reach out to catch them or crawl to get to them. Also then use a ball. It is a motivation for them and reaching them is a party.
- Crawl around. Get close to your baby on all fours. So your baby will see that in this way it is much easier and faster to move if he does not support the tummy. This step is often difficult for some children.
- Gently rest your hands on their feet. This way your hands will stop, and it will be easier for them to bend their knees to push themselves forward.
- That crawling is like a game. You already know that children learn better by playing, if it is something fun. Don't pressure or scold him if he doesn't succeed. On the contrary, congratulate him on his achievements and if he cannot reach his toys and gets frustrated, you can give them to him.
Protect the house
When children learn to crawl, it is quite an achievement in their development but there are also more dangers to be aware of. Protect the plugs so that they cannot put their fingers or any object. You also have to be careful with drawers and cabinets that are at their height, as well as doors. There are stops and protection closures on the market to prevent handymen from getting caught when trying to open them.
Because remember… enjoy this very special moment in your child's life and don't get hung up on it if it doesn't already.