Oh my… did your baby just step forward on its own? Littloo parents, you must be so excited and cheerful as you already bought a pair of baby knee pads! Yes, the transition from crawling to walking is an exciting milestone in infant development and we know it well. For both, parents and baby, this milestone is a small step that signifies their independence and mobility. But now there’s more weight on your shoulders. How? As a parent, you now have to support your baby’s further development from crawling to walking. Don’t worry! Your reliable friend Littloo is here with all its support. With our curated baby crawling tips, you can easily do that.
Curious? Let’s explore them together!
Let’s Motivate Them Further!
So, here we begin! Parents, a fun fact for you from Littloo! Are you aware of the prop-motivation technique? Toy-based motivation tactics never fail to attract your little cuddles! They aid in baby movement stages.
1. Charm Them With Toys
Turn their everyday play into a stepping adventure! Parents, you can charm your babies with their favourite toys. Place them at a distance and observe how these toys work like a magnet. Your baby will be motivated to get hold of their favourite toys. This is one of our baby crawling tips that will make your little one move on its own feet.
2. Magic Balloon Luring
A balloon can be the perfect lure for your baby to get on his feet. The helium balloon tethered to a wristband can work like magic. It will act like a floating coach, luring your baby upward to reach, wobble, and shift weight while strengthening those wobbly legs.
3. A Little Treasure Hunt Adventure
Hmm! This is some ground-level magical adventure. Babies are curious creatures and everything they do, seems adventure to them. With these sweet little tips, we can make these baby development stages into a jingly adventure. How? Well, you need to just roll a sensory ball wrapped in crinkly foil or jingle bells and this wrapped bundle will definitely evoke curiosity in our little buds. The unpredictability will lure them to explore it.
4. Furniture Hacks
Now is the time for another hack from our baby crawling tips! For this, we have to create secure pathways between two or more, stable furniture pieces. This will be the practice ground for sideways movement. You can also use a stool squat station in between. For this, you must use a lower-height stool with feet flat on the floor. This way they can rest on them in between, also this way, they will develop leg muscles. Or there’s another way too, you can place toys at ground level to practice standing-sitting transitions, strengthening leg muscles.
Read more: Supporting Baby's Gross Motor Skills: Crawling, Rolling, and Sitting
Let’s Support Them Further!
Parents, you can encourage your baby’s transition to walking by doing a few things. What are these few things in our baby crawling tips guide? Nothing too tough, relax! You should be considerate of providing them with plenty of floor time. Tummy time encourages and enhances them for crawling. Also, let’s keep them safe when they begin to crawl. How? Babyproof your household, let them explore every corner barefoot. Why barefoot? This will help them to balance easily.
Strategy |
Benefit |
Implement |
|
Barefoot Time |
Will develop foot muscles |
On varied surfaces for at least 2 hours |
|
Assisted Squatting |
Will strengthen legs |
Place toys within reach but still maintain the height, Place them near support surfaces. |
|
Furniture Cruising |
Improves weight shifting |
12-19” distance apart between furniture so they can find a safe support to lean in between! |
Littloo’s Baby Crawling Tips- Understanding the Stages
We know you are super excited to venture onto this journey! But hold yourself, because first, we must understand their developmental stages. Especially for new parents, let us elaborate. Parents, before your baby starts walking, they’ll go through several developmental stages. These developmental stages are the foundation for their independent mobility.
Baby Walking Milestones:
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Milestone- 6 Months: Sitting Up
This first milestone usually occurs at 6 months of age. In this position, babies can control their neck muscles. This provides them with an upright posture. Now when they master this position, the movements further strengthen their core and back muscles.
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Milestone- 6-9 Months: Crawling
Moving further comes the next phase, crawling. Littloo’s baby crawling tips book says that this step strengthens your baby’s arm and leg muscles. Wait, your baby didn’t crawl? No worries! Because scooting and army crawling is normal too. Some babies prefer scooting before they adapt to crawling. So, don’t stress over this.
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Milestone- 9 Months: Pulling Up to Stand
At this stage, babies usually can pull themselves up to a standing position. Not independently though! Either they use some furniture to support themselves or lean on you for support. This increases strength in their legs and promotes balance. What else does ‘Pulling up to stand’ do? Well, it develops babies’ muscles for weight-bearing and further prepares them for the next stages of mobility.
Read more: How to Choose The Right Pediatrician For Your Baby
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Milestone- 9-12 months: Cruising
Now your precious baby is cruising! Feels nice, isn’t it? New parents, you might be wondering, right? Our baby crawling tips guide reveals that cruising is the activity when your baby starts to move sideways while holding onto furniture for support. What does it do? This develops both, their balance and coordination. Also, now they will be more confident in an upright position. Don’t take cruising lightly, it is important to learn how to shift weight from one foot to the other. Yes, it’s the basis of our walking.
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Milestone- 11-12 Months: Independent Little Steps
Look where we are! It is the final stage before walking. Independent steps are the first unassisted steps babies take when they reach 11-13 months. By taking independent steps, babies develop enough strength, balance, and coordination to briefly let go of support. The steps can be wobbly but kudos to our little buds! They have done it.
Littloo parents, we know that you are flying over the moon over this but we must remember that every baby develops at their own pace. Our guide says that we must not rush them or push them unnecessarily. While some babies go through every milestone, some babies can altogether skip certain stages or reach them earlier or later than average. So, let’s keep this in mind and let our babies thrive naturally.