GM.A.40 GETS FROM CRAWL POSITION TO SITTING

Again we see how important it is for the baby to learn to shift her weight onto one side, elongating that side while the other side shortens. Get into a crawl position yourself and feel what happens as you move to sit.

How to Assess

Method: Place your child in the crawl position. Sit to the side and slightly behind her. Call her, perhaps encouraging her with toys. You may also observe this movement during play. Score plus if your child pivots her hips around into a sitting position. She must reach a fully upright sitting position, pushing herself up on her arms until she can lift them from the floor.

How to Teach

You have already started teaching this skill in GM.A.39, with your ‘put down’. Continue here by placing her in her ‘side sit, knee to the sky’ position. Rotate her around into crawl and from here, by controlling her from her hips, back again into the side sitting position. This must be done to both sides, and bring her back into a sit slowly, so she has time to walk her hands back.

It is important to place one leg in front ‘knee to the sky’ as this is exactly the position all children use to get into and out of crawl.

This must be done to both sides. You will find that she will learn to pivot quite quickly, but walking her hands back will take longer. Continue to help her at her pelvis, giving downward and backward pressure. She will gradually need less and less assistance.