To make the child crawl faster. Exercises to master the skill of crawling. The age at which babies begin to crawl

Every mother follows the progress of her baby with trepidation and impatience. All significant events are carefully recorded in the diary - when the child began to roll over, when he said the first “Aha,” when the first tooth appeared. One of the main events and achievements of a child’s first year of life is the ability to crawl independently. When a child begins to crawl, his worldview completely changes. He no longer needs to ask someone to pick him up. Now he can move himself wherever he wants.

Many people think that crawling is very easy, and most parents complain about the child’s long-term inability to crawl. In fact, in order for a child to stand on all fours, raise his body and begin to move on four points of support, it takes a lot of effort. To do this, the baby’s leg and arm muscles must be sufficiently developed. Therefore, do not worry that the baby still does not crawl; perhaps he is not yet strong enough.

When should a baby start crawling?

Looking at the title, let's start with the fact that the child does not owe anything to anyone. All children are different and have different abilities. However, there are standards according to which a child must sooner or later perform some actions. For example, a baby should be able to roll over on his own no later than five to six months, but normally this happens at 2-4 months.

The baby begins to crawl around five months. At this time, he is still weak on his knees, staggers and often falls. By seven months, the baby usually masters the acquired skill perfectly and crawls very quickly. Most late date crawling starts at 9 months. It happens that a child does not crawl at all, but immediately begins to walk, already closer to one year. But such a development of events is extremely undesirable. After all, when a baby crawls, the muscles of his legs, arms and spine become stronger, he learns to coordinate his movements and even think.

The ability to crawl depends not only on the physical fitness of the baby. Everyone knows that overweight children begin to crawl, walk and move a little later. Crawling is also affected by psychological behavior in family. If a baby is given any toy upon request, why should he try to move somewhere?

Today, massage is one of the powerful stimulants for the development of a child’s physical skills. Numerous reviews from young mothers agree that after a massage the child moves better and more confidently. In general, every child, even absolutely healthy ones, needs a massage, at least a restorative one.

Usually, up to a year, the baby takes three massage courses of 10 sessions each. The first course is done at 3 months, after which the baby begins to more actively and confidently turn from back to stomach. The second course takes about 6-7 months. The second course is aimed at strengthening the muscles of the back, legs and arms. After such a massage, the baby often begins to actively crawl and tries to sit up on his own. The third course of massage is done closer to the year to prepare the child’s muscles for an upright position.

Of course, massage is not a mandatory event; the child will be able to crawl and walk successfully without it. However, massage can speed up this process, strengthen and heal the baby’s body. It is best to seek a massage from a professional. A master of his craft should do at least a few sessions. Then, after watching the massage therapist’s movements, mom will be able to repeat the massage herself at home.

The massage should be done in a warm room so that the child does not freeze. First, the baby is stripped naked and placed on a warm, clean diaper. Best used for massage baby oil. After this, they knead every part of the body - first the feet, legs, palms, arms, then the back, tummy and neck. It is very important to monitor the strength and directions of the massage therapist’s movements. Because with hypertonicity, stroking movements are performed, and with hypotonicity, patting the muscles with the edge of the palm.

Massage should be daily, it is advisable not to skip days. Each massage should last at least 10-15 minutes to get the desired effect. The benefits of massage are also evidenced by the fact that after a session of good quality massage babies sleep long and soundly.

Muscle training exercises

In order for a child to start crawling as quickly as possible, he needs to be trained. These simple exercises will help you strengthen your baby's muscles and teach him to crawl.

This is one of the most simple exercises, which trains the baby's hands. To do this you need to put six month old baby on the changing table and let him hold onto a thin stick. After this, you should carefully lift the stick. This exercise helps the baby support his own body weight with his hands. But be careful that the child does not hit his head if he suddenly lets go of the stick. If the baby does not want to hold on to the stick, you can offer him a toy.
For the next exercise you will need a towel or small blanket. You need to twist a roll from a piece of fabric and place it under the baby’s chest. Your arms should hang from the roller, your back should be slightly arched, and your stomach should be on the floor. In this position, the baby trains the vestibular apparatus and learns to coordinate its movements. When playing this way, it is very easy for a child to grab toys with both hands.
The following exercise will teach your child to stand on all fours. Gently place the baby on your lap, but hold the baby at chest and stomach level. You seem to be placing the child on four points of support, but holding the weight yourself. You can also place the baby with his chest and stomach on an oblong pillow. The baby will instinctively want to find support points and will stand on his hands and knees.
Sometimes a child simply does not understand what you want from him. Show your baby how to crawl on all fours by example. Place your child on all fours and carefully move his arms and legs. Just move it one by one from place to place right hand, left leg, etc. You can also involve your child new toy or shiny thing, so that the baby strives to move forward.
It happens that a child stands firmly on all fours, but still does not know how to crawl. In this case, you need to make a support for the baby’s legs. As the child moves his foot and pushes off, place your hand behind the child's foot so that he can push off and move forward. Gradually the need for additional support will disappear.
You can strengthen your back muscles with a fitball. The baby is placed directly on the ball and gently rolls back and forth, from side to side. All this must be done carefully; if the baby is afraid, the exercise should be stopped.
If your child does not want to crawl, despite all your efforts, you can use next step. The baby is placed on the floor on all fours, and a wide strip of fabric is passed under the chest and tummy. For these purposes, you can use a sheet folded several times along its length. After this, you need to sort of lift the baby and carefully move him forward. The child will involuntarily move his legs and arms and will soon begin to crawl on his own.

If you do these exercises regularly, at least once a day, in a month you will not be able to catch up with your child - he will crawl so fast.

Swimming

Exercises in water are very beneficial for any organism, especially for children. It's easier to move in water, and your muscles work just as intensely. To teach a child to crawl, you need to let him swim in water for at least 20-30 minutes every day. It is best to use a special swimming ring for this, which is worn around the neck. With its help, the mother will be able to free her hands, and the baby will get maximum movement with absolute safety.

Teaching a child any skill is long, patient work that is priceless. Even if your baby never crawls, all your exercises, massages and swimming lessons will not be in vain. Muscle training is aimed at preparing the body of a small person for upright walking. Thanks to them, the baby will be stronger and stronger. Love and appreciate your child for who he is, even if he cannot crawl yet.

Video: how to teach a child to crawl

Infant crawling is often considered an optional intermediate stage of development, and some parents are even proud that their little one did not crawl, but immediately began to walk. There is no clear opinion among doctors whether a child should mandatory crawl - some experts suggest not to worry if the child does not strive to crawl, but otherwise develops satisfactorily, while others recommend teaching the baby to move on all fours, since this stage of development is very important.

Thus, orthopedists note that crawling babies are better prepared for the stress that occurs when walking, their motor skills are better developed, and psychologists and neurologists consider crawling important for the development of certain skills in the child in the future.

Benefits of crawling

Many parents perceive crawling as an imperfect stage in the ability to move in space, so they do not understand why doctors recommend teaching a baby to crawl if the child does not want to do it himself.

During the crawling process, a baby:

Connections are established between the hemispheres of the brain. Thanks to this, coordination of movements is significantly improved and the risk of developing dyslexia (inability to master reading skills with the proper level of development of other abilities) and dysgraphia (inability to master writing skills) is reduced.
Activates brain activity, vision and hearing
Actively developing tactile sensations, since babies, crawling, come into contact with a variety of surfaces
Spatial orientation develops

In addition, when a baby crawls, he begins to learn not only the world, but also own body. Crawling movement requires the child to be able to correlate visual information with the size and capabilities of the body; he must learn to determine where to move and how to avoid obstacles.

Promotes crawling and development of spoken language.

A baby on all fours gets the opportunity to explore new picture peace. How much time did he observe the surrounding objects from above, constantly being in the arms of adults! Now the objects around have become closer, so visual perception worsens, and the child better perceives new colors and shapes.

When babies crawl, all of their visual fields are activated. The baby learns to look under his arms and down, and a well-developed lower field of vision is directly related to caution and the ability to easily master school skills.

While crawling, the baby’s systematic formation of the “height” coordinate occurs, and if the child does not want to crawl and immediately tries to walk (especially in a walker), the systematic formation is disrupted regardless of how many months the little one is.

WITH psychological point In terms of vision, babies who crawl grow up to be more persistent and purposeful. When children begin to crawl (usually a child begins to crawl at the age of 6-7 months), their vision is already well developed. The baby perfectly sees the object that interests him, located at a distance, and in order to get it, the child is forced to make an effort. This is how the character of the baby is formed and the understanding that any set goal requires effort.

In addition, when the baby crawls, on a subconscious level he begins to get used to being without his mother for some time and to occupy himself independently.

During this period, the baby needs increased attention, since he is able to reach dangerous objects, but a confidently crawling baby is easier to teach to walk than children spending time in a safe playpen. Moving on all fours helps the baby psychologically get used to moving independently, and stronger muscles give confidence.

How crawling affects physical development

When a baby tries to crawl, he develops basic neural reactions.

Crawling helps:

Learn to subjugate the body, since in order to crawl, the child needs to master the alternation of limbs, the ability to make a turn and examine the surroundings
Compensate for neurological problems that could not be completely eliminated with massage (dystonia and torticollis)
By strengthening the back muscles, prepare the spine for increased loads for walking, which allows you to avoid the development of osteochondrosis in the future

Until the moment when the baby crawls, he needs to learn to find sources of sound signals and recognize visual signals, and roll over towards the object of interest.

When a child crawls, he needs to correlate all this information with his capabilities. In addition, when the baby crawls, it activates brain activity thanks to the simultaneous work of arms and legs (limbs right side alternate with the limbs of the left side).

In order to crawl, children must be able to hold their head while lying on their tummy, rise up using open palms, forearms and outstretched arms, and also roll over independently.

If the child does not crawl

Many parents have no idea at what month a baby begins to crawl, they compare the data of everyone they know and are very worried about why their baby is not crawling yet.

Exist certain deadlines, in which the child usually begins to crawl, but each baby develops differently. Children have different temperaments, so a fidgety and restless explorer begins to crawl at 5 months, and a calm or lazy toddler can crawl at 8 months. And these terms are variants of the norm.

Famous pediatrician Komarovsky notes that even the order of formation of various skills is individual character, therefore, do not rush nature, do not focus on certain deadlines (what time should the child sit down, stand up, etc.).

Separately, it is worth noting the cowards who prefer to explore the world on parental hands, and large children - such babies need to be helped to crawl the first meters, etc.

However, adults should pay attention to general development crumbs and determine in time why the child is not crawling, since there may be serious illnesses, preventing normal development child.

For most children, in order to crawl, it is enough to frequently be on the floor, where free movement is possible, and the presence of an interesting goal.

If a toddler is completely healthy and is simply too lazy to show physical activity, he needs to be helped to master crawling skills and taught to move independently (often such sloths do not even want to roll over on their own).

If the child does not begin to try to crawl at least a little, the baby can be taught to crawl by doing special exercises with him.

How to help your baby learn crawling skills

As Komarovsky notes, it is important not only how much time you spend with your child, but also the regularity of the activities. The doctor recommends not using a walker or helping the child sit down and stand up, since the parents’ task is to encourage the child to independently learn new motor skills.

Exercises with a gymnastic ball

Exercises on a fitball (gymnastic ball) are good for stimulating the development of motor activity in infants. Classes may include:

Wiggle. We lay the baby on his tummy (and then on his back), and, holding him with his hand, rock him slightly
Handle support. We push the ball with the little one lying on his tummy (we hold him by his legs) forward. When approaching the floor, the baby will instinctively put his arms in front of him and open his palms (such exercises help teach the baby to unclench his fists, because in order to crawl, the child must be able to lean on his palms)
Leg support. The exercise is performed in the same way as the previous one, but the baby must touch the floor with his full foot

All these exercises are well demonstrated in the video.

You can place a gymnastic ball in the crib at the baby’s feet - this is how we teach him to push off with his feet. Stimulates crawling and leg flexion while lying on the ball.

Exercise "wheelbarrow"

You can teach your baby to lean on his arms by lifting the baby so that one of your hands supports him under the chest, and the other - by the legs. The child’s hands should touch a hard surface - this is how we teach the baby to move his hands, resting on his palms.

Exercise with a roller

A rolled up blanket helps teach your baby to work with his hands. It is placed under the chest of the baby lying on his stomach. In this case, the legs and tummy lie on the surface of the bed, and the head and arms hang from the bolster. Toys should be placed on the sides - this stimulates the child to turn his head and move his hands, and also trains the vestibular apparatus.

Watch a video about developing a baby's crawling skill

Exercise with toys

Good support also develops when the baby tries to reach a toy with one hand, standing up on outstretched arms.

It is also useful to sit on the floor, place the baby in front of you between your legs (facing forward), and place toys at some distance from your legs. To get the toy, the child will have to reach for it, turning over on his stomach. Help him lie with his stomach on your leg, and bend the baby’s legs, fixing them with your other leg. So the child will play for some time, standing on all fours.

Do not forget about regular gymnastics, as well as massage.

Exercises with a towel

Exercises with a towel help teach your toddler to get up on all fours. The child is laid out on his tummy, and a rolled towel is passed across the body from below. Using this towel, the baby rises above the surface so that his palms and knees lightly touch the surface, and we rock the baby a little.

If you want to help your baby master the most important skill - crawling, then you should not rely on textbooks. It will take time for your baby to learn to crawl, and your support and encouragement will help him succeed in this difficult task.

Five tips on how to help your baby get on all fours:

1. Lie on your tummy

Lying on your tummy under your mother's supervision - best exercise to strengthen muscles and proper development. Crawling on your stomach will play a big role in developing your baby's vision, and will also help him understand the connection and interaction of the right and left sides of the body.

Before placing your baby on his tummy, make sure the location you choose is safe. If the floor is wooden, place a rug or sheet on it to prevent your baby from getting a splinter.

Keep in mind that too much clothing combined with a blanket or sheets on the floor can restrict your baby's movement, making it more difficult for him to start crawling. Keep the house warm, and it is better to remove all excess from the floor to provide your baby with better grip on the floor.

It is also helpful to lie on the floor next to your baby and maintain eye contact. If your baby is surrounded by his favorite toys and can see you at any time, then he will have just as much fun on the floor as on a swing, in a chair or in your arms.

2. Comfortable crawling

Sit next to your baby while he is on his tummy and extend one leg. Place your baby across your body so that he or she is standing over your leg on all fours. Place your child's favorite toy on the other side of your leg - this comfortable position will help him think about the possibility of crawling.

3. Reward your child with toys

While your baby is practicing on his tummy, encourage him with words and favorite toys. Sit a step or two away from your baby, take a toy and twirl it in front of your baby, calling his name. Every time the child tries to crawl towards the toy, praise him - and he will feel much more confident.

4. Help the baby

Try one of these techniques to help your baby crawl.

Towel: the most difficult thing for a child to overcome is force gravity. Roll up a towel and place it under your baby's chest while he's lying on his tummy. Take both ends of the towel and gently lift the baby up. Hold him so that he does not feel the burden of his weight, but at the same time can move around.

Hands: Another way to help your child is to place your palms on his feet. This will allow the baby to push off when moving forward.

Book or small box: place in front of child easy a cereal box or small book and place your baby's hands on it. When moving, the object under his hands will slide, and this will help him understand the essence of the movement.

5. Creating obstacles

After the child gets used to lying and crawling on his stomach, make the task more difficult for him - place pillows around him and Plush Toys. Sit on the other side of the room so that there are obstacles between you and the baby - this will encourage the baby to crawl towards you.

By overcoming obstacles, the child will develop endurance, visual skills and motor skills.

Typically, babies start crawling between 6 and 10 months of age, but some babies don't crawl at all, and that's completely normal. They pass the crawling stage, but quickly learn to stand and walk.

Learning to crawl is a long and difficult process, so don't be discouraged if your baby isn't ready for it yet. Each stage of development takes time, so be patient and wait for your baby to mature.

The first year of a baby’s life is perhaps the most important and most difficult. The child changes literally before our eyes. In the first 12 months, he is “transformed” from a small, helpless baby into an active, cheerful baby. It is certainly not easy for him to learn new skills, and he really needs support and sometimes help from his parents. So your baby has learned to hold his head up, roll over onto his tummy and back again, and you can't wait for him to start crawling? After all, with the acquisition of this skill, your baby will turn into an active explorer of the outside world.

At what months does a baby begin to crawl?

All parents are looking forward to the moment when their baby, even if only on his knees, begins to move independently. Crawling is a very important skill for a child; with its help, the spine is strengthened, micro- and macromotor skills are developed, and coordination of movements is significantly improved. By crawling, the baby learns to control his body.

Many parents are sure that at 6 months the baby should master two skills - learn to sit and crawl. IN Once again I would like to note that each child is individual, therefore he has his own development schedule. Some children who have mastered the skill of sitting simply do not want to crawl. And having “jumped over” this stage, they immediately move on to mastering the skill of walking. It’s interesting, but some babies, having learned to walk, suddenly begin to crawl. Therefore, if your baby does not want to crawl, but is trying to immediately take his first steps, there is no need to worry. Apparently, he chose a different development schedule.

When should a child normally learn to crawl?

Children under one year old master the skill of crawling from 6 to 9 months. If the baby began to crawl earlier, this indicates his activity and positive heredity.

If, in trying to answer this question, we turn to medical statistics, then we can say that most children begin to crawl confidently at 8 months. But these are just average statistics.

Several opinions of famous doctors about how many months a child should learn to crawl:

- Benjamin Spock believed that infants should learn this skill between 5 and 6 months.

— Pediatrician Komarovsky clearly states that this question is incorrect, since there are no exact age criteria for mastering this skill.

If your baby is already 9 months old, and he doesn’t even try to crawl or try to get up, there is a reason to seek advice from a neurologist.

How to quickly teach a child to crawl on all fours: a set of exercises

Many pediatricians believe that a child can master this skill on his own. All parents must do is provide a favorable environment for their child. However, orthopedists and neurologists clearly speak about the benefits of crawling and recommend that parents (if necessary) use a specially designed set of exercises to help their children master the skill of crawling. But more on that later. First, let's define the concept of “favorable environment”.

According to pediatricians, from the age of three months the baby should be given some freedom. Namely, at this age it needs to be placed on a special developmental mat. If you haven't purchased such a rug, that's okay, place baby on tummy on the floor. Are you surprised? Don’t be surprised, American pediatricians call ordinary flooring “an athletic gym for babies.” Of course, the floor should first be covered with a warm rug or blanket; it should be clean, level and, of course, safe. Don't also forget about comfortable clothes. It should not hinder the baby's movements.
Don't leave your baby in the playpen for too long . The playpen is confined space, which, one way or another, limits the desire to move. TO
It is necessary to give the baby some motivation to move . To do this you can put a bright toy so that he couldn't reach her.

A favorable environment for crawling has been created, but the child still makes no attempt. What to do? There are two options: either wait or take action. Most parents prefer the second option. For them, we will give a few effective exercises, which will help the child quickly learn a new skill.

How to teach a child to crawl: effective exercises

Exercise to strengthen the vestibular system

Place the baby with his tummy on the carpet and his chest on the cushion. In this case, the legs and tummy should lie on a hard surface. In this position, the child can turn his head in different sides. Place toys next to the baby on both sides so that he can reach them with his hands. This exercise will teach you to maintain balance and strengthen the baby’s vestibular apparatus.

Exercise to strengthen muscles

We place the baby in the crib on his tummy. We hang a toy above his head. The child, raising himself on one arm, will try to reach the toy. To master the skill of crawling, a child must learn to lean on his hands when moving. This exercise will teach him not only to lean on his hands, but also strengthen his arm muscles.

Exercise to master a new pose

We place a small pillow or a specially made cushion under the baby's chest and belly. The child must learn to stand on all fours, and for this he needs to be shown this position. You can rock the baby a little on the roller so that he rests on his legs and then on his arms.

Exercise to strengthen the muscles of the back and abdomen

To practice, you will need a fitball (a large elastic ball). Place the baby's tummy on the ball and gently rock it.

Exercise "Frog"

The child should lie on a hard surface on his stomach. Mom grabs his legs by the shin and gently bends and straightens them. After performing this movement several times, it is necessary to hold the baby’s legs in a bent position. He will try to push himself away.

Exercise - three of us crawl

This exercise involves two adults. One will move the child’s arms one by one, the second will move the legs. So, the first one moves the child's right hand forward. The second moves the left leg, etc. This exercise teaches the child the basics of cross crawling.

As practice shows, babies, like monkeys, love to repeat the movements that another child makes. Invite a baby who has already learned to crawl well. Believe me, it won’t even take a couple of hours for your baby to master this skill. Of course, if he is already 6 months old.

Why do some babies crawl backwards?

As a rule, babies begin to crawl on their tummy. But even in this case, many of them prefer to choose own way movement. Some kids move backwards or sideways. The second stage of mastering this skill consists of trying to push the arms forward and pulling both legs. Only after this do infants switch to cross crawling on all fours.

Why does the baby crawl backwards?

Some parents, watching their child, notice that the baby is already crawling quite quickly, but is only moving backwards. And they begin to retrain him. However, there is no need to rush into this. Experts believe that the baby subconsciously understands which muscles are best used when moving and which ones should be spared. Among other things, this method of movement has its advantages:

The load on the muscles increases gradually.
All parts of the spine develop in a gentle manner.
Crawling backwards trains the vestibular system.

Over time, the baby must change the direction of movement himself.

However, if after a couple of months the baby still crawls only backwards, parents should be wary and consult with specialists. Perhaps the baby has problems with muscle tone. So, if your baby is persistently crawling backwards at six or seven months, there is no reason to worry. But if nothing has changed in nine to ten months, you may have to introduce special corrective exercises into his regime.

A child does not crawl at 8 months: reasons, should all children be able to crawl?

Crawling is an important stage in a baby's development. This skill prepares him for walking by strengthening his muscles. Crawling is a skill that contributes to:

Strengthening the muscles of the back, arms and legs.
Development of the musculoskeletal system.
Improving psychomotor development.
Proper development of the central nervous system (central nervous system) and brain.

Expert opinions: is it necessary for a baby to first learn to crawl and then walk?

Children's specialists disagree on whether infants should master this skill. Some argue that if a baby at the age of eight months has not learned to crawl, there is nothing to worry about. He simply belongs to the group of “non-crawling” children. Such children first learn to walk, and only then crawl. Other doctors recommend that parents whose baby is not crawling at eight months visit an orthopedist and neurologist. Parents should know that they begin to crawl at ten to eleven months. For them this is considered the norm.

Many neurologists agree that crawling has a very beneficial effect on the development of the nervous system and its absence can have a negative impact in the future. Crawling children begin to speak earlier; as a rule, they do not have speech therapy problems.

The reluctance of a baby to crawl can be caused by the following reasons:

The child has health problems .
The baby is constantly in a confined space (in the playpen, in the crib).
Features of a child's temperament . Some children prefer to watch what is happening and do not show much interest in mastering this skill. The information in another article on our website will help.
Overweight. It is difficult for obese children to crawl.

IN Lately has become fashionable all over the world early development children. Restless parents, from the cradle, begin to teach their children to speak, read, sing and dance at the same time. They proudly declare that their child did not even try to crawl, he immediately walked. But is it really that good? Parents should realize that it is during crawling that the baby develops the first spatial orientation skills. Put in a little effort and your baby will definitely master this skill.

It goes through certain stages in its development. And for each age-related neoplasm, there are clear time limits when the baby must master it. Each skill is not just a specific physical activity, this is also training a small organism, preparing it for the next more complex skill. One of these important skills is crawling.

When does a baby start crawling?

Crawling is a natural step in a baby's exploration of the world. After a child at 3-4 months has learned to roll over from his back to his stomach and raise his head, leaning on his elbows, his horizons expand significantly.

Now a much larger number of objects around him become available for him to study. And, of course, the inquisitive little one wants to explore everything he sees.

This is precisely what becomes the first incentive to try to move and get the object of interest.

So at what month does crawling begin? The average age for this is considered to be between 5 and 6 months of life. The crawling skill begins to appear at about 5 months. By six months, the child is already trying to actively move, first pulling himself up on his stomach, and eventually getting up on all fours.

The first movement can hardly be called crawling, because the baby simply crawls on his tummy. Over time, he uses his arms and legs to work, moving on his belly.

Crawling becomes real and complete when the child, lifting his entire body parallel to the floor, begins to crawl on all fours.

Is it necessary to teach?

In most cases, children cope with mastering a new movement skill on their own. But the help of parents in this difficult matter will help the baby quickly master new horizons, get to know his body and its capabilities.

Important! Crawling is important stage, necessary to prepare the body for upright walking. Thanks to it, the baby’s arms and legs are trained, and the muscles of the tummy and back are strengthened.

This preparation of the musculoskeletal system will then play the role of a “corset” when the child rises on two legs, and will help him keep his spine straight. This skill also helps the toddler find the fulcrum of his body and learn to maintain balance.

Another advantage of this stage is that when the baby begins to crawl, his thinking is actively trained. Matching the alternating movements of the limbs is a rather difficult task for a baby.

He learns to make decisions by choosing which toy he needs to reach. Coordination of movements and their relationships are also trained.

Did you know? Crawling affects the entire further development of the child. This is due to the fact that while crawling the baby makes synchronous movements with its versatile limbs. Thanks to this, the relationship between both hemispheres of the brain is actively functioning, and there is a constant exchange of information between them.

How to teach: exercises

Before you start teaching your toddler to crawl, mommy should consult a pediatrician. The doctor must examine the baby, check his musculoskeletal system and neurological reactions. If everything is normal - green light you, start learning.

To help your baby learn a new movement skill, there are several fun exercises.

We lie on our stomach

This is a basic exercise when starting to learn to crawl. It's simple, it gets you going emotional contact between parents and child, allows the baby to better understand the world.

The toddler needs to be placed on his tummy on a wide and fairly hard surface. It's best to do this on the floor. But the floor must be clean and warm so that the baby does not catch a cold. Lay a rug or several blankets on the floor and clear the space of unnecessary objects. Leave a few especially bright and interesting toys. Lie down on the floor next to your baby.

Communicate with him, attract him, draw his attention to toys. If they don’t particularly captivate the baby, take “more interesting” things. For example, a TV remote control, a tube of cream or anything else interesting, but forbidden for a child.

Such things fuel his interest in getting the item he is interested in on his own. Stroke the baby on the back, encourage him to reach for things by moving a little.

Make sure that your baby's clothes are not restrictive and that the amount of blankets does not make it difficult for him to try to move around.

This exercise is quite suitable for babies as young as 5 months, who have not yet even begun to attempt to move independently, so it will show parents as best as possible how to teach a child to crawl early.

Support on straight arms

Confident support on straight arms is the answer to the question of how to teach a child to crawl at 6 months if he has not yet attempted to explore the world on all fours.

To help this skill develop faster, place your baby on his stomach and hold the toy higher above his head. The toy should interest him.

Curiosity will make the baby raise his head and reach for interesting subject, and since it is located a little high, the child will try to lift his torso up on straight arms.

Important! When the baby is already holding well, leaning on his arms, encourage him to reach for the toy with one hand, transferring the support only to the other hand.

Towel under belly

This exercise is designed to help in the formation of the vestibular apparatus. Roll the bath towel into a tight, coarse roll. Place the baby on top of the resulting cylinder.

Do this in such a way that the baby's arms and head hang down and the spine and legs are at the same level.

In this position, the baby can freely turn his head, looking at objects around him. His hands are free and he can reach any nearby toy.

We use fitball

Exercises using a fitball are very good for training the deep muscles of the back and the “corset” of the body.
Place the baby on the exercise ball with his tummy so that his head is on the other side of the mother. Hold your child under your armpits and start rocking him back and forth on the ball. With this movement, the baby strains his back and tummy, and the muscles that support the spine become stronger.

This exercise not only strengthens the back and vestibular apparatus, but also gently massages the tummy, improving peristalsis and preventing the appearance if they still bother the baby.

Little Frog

This exercise will clearly demonstrate to your child how to crawl. To begin, place your baby on his back and cup his feet in your hands.

Bring your feet together and then pull them closer to your baby. Thus, his legs are bent at the knees and spread to the sides. The pose becomes similar to the pose of a frog before jumping.

After this, turn the baby over on his tummy and repeat the exercise. Only this time, when you bring your feet up to your baby’s bottom, let him push off from your palms.
As a result, the little one will move forward a few centimeters. And very soon he will understand that with the help of such a movement he can move.

Crawling with support

In this exercise, you will control your child’s actions like a puppeteer. This way you will effectively show him the mechanism of movement. But you will need the help of another adult.

Place the baby on the towel roll you used earlier, so that he appears to be on all fours. Instinctively, the baby will begin to lean on his limbs.

One of the parents takes responsibility for the movements of the arms, and the second - for the movements of the legs. The roller is removed. And then the adults begin to move the baby’s arms and legs together and synchronously, showing how crawling occurs.

Crawl track

This is a special track developed by physiotherapist G. Doman, designed so that the baby can learn to crawl as early as possible. The device is a long and narrow “corridor”, something like a changing table. It is quite soft and has high, up to 20 cm, fences on the sides. Looks like a soft crawl space.

The track is wide enough to provide freedom for the little one, but at the same time narrow enough so that he can rest his legs against the sides and thus move along the “track”.

A track intended for crawling is usually placed at a slight slope, placing one of its edges on some elevation. The baby is placed so that the direction of his movement is downward.

But when children begin to crawl independently on all fours, their movement should be directed in the other direction - upward.

Did you know? A small sprinter usually crawls about one and a half hundred meters a day! The activity and duration of the baby’s route directly affects the development of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.

Useful tips

try to show your baby how to crawl. Any knowledge is best learned through a clear example;
arrange “lessons” only in a good and cheerful mood. The little one is sensitive to your mood and will adapt to it. Make your communication a joy!
all exercises should take place in the form of a game, and the more interesting the game, the more active and successful the baby will learn;
try to place toys around the child, place them at some distance so that the baby still has to reach them;
try to protect your child from bruises and falls so as not to overshadow his first experience. And praise your son or daughter as often as possible for their success and diligence;
You can also invite another baby who has already learned to crawl. Watching the actions of another child, your child will want to repeat them;
equip a special place so that the baby can crawl in it safely, and always make sure that his clothes are comfortable;
regularly place your little one on his tummy, helping him get up on all fours, and encourage him to stand even for a short time.

Important! The most important thing in communicating with a child is, of course, good mood, boundless love for your baby, perseverance and joy for small victories.

If you follow our tips and recommendations, your baby will soon delight his parents with worn out knees on his onesie. Curious and active, he will now be able to expand the horizons of his knowledge and explore the world around him.