GM.A.41 ON TUMMY, CREEPS FORWARD WITH ARM PULL

Creeping forward is a preliminary skill to crawling.

Not all children creep before they crawl, but most children who creep will crawl, even if only for a short time before they pull themselves up to stand and subsequently walk.

The basic movements used in creeping are the same as those used in crawling. The baby shifts her weight onto one side and the free arm reaches forward. She then shifts her weight onto the opposite side or her lower trunk, so that she can free and bend the opposite leg. She has been learning all these ‘pieces’ of movement over the past months.

How to Assess

Method: Place your child on her tummy with toys about 60 cm in front or her. Score plus if she pulls forward with  one arm and pushes off with the opposite foot, alternating this movement, to reach the toys.

How to Teach

It is important when teaching this skill for your child to be clothed suitably. Have her arms and legs bare – or at least her hands and feet – or she will slip and become very frustrated. However, you want her tummy to slide along the floor during the movement, so keep her trunk completely covered (no bare mid rills) in a jumpsuit.There are several different ways to teach creeping.

You will probably find that if your child has mastered the skills up to this stage, you won’t need to teach this action, she will just do it spontaneously. However, it is worth mentioning to keep her toys just out or reach to add some incentive!

You can encourage the push-off with her feet during play sessions by placing her on her tummy so that her feet touch the wall or some furniture. The sensation of pressure on her feet will encourage her to push off and move forward.

Do continue to carry your child as discussed in GM.A.25 and to put her down as in GM.A.39.

Pick her up from her side sitting position.