GM.A.22 ON TUMMY, ACCIDENTALLY ROLLS TO BACK

Rolling is a baby’s first means of locomotion and therefore a very important skill and very rewarding for the child. It should mainly be used as a positional change to allow her to play more freely with her hands or to be able to see better.

How to Assess

Method: Observe your child while she is playing on her tummy on a firm surface. Score plus if she accidentally rolls onto her back in an attempt to see something or to play with a toy.

How to Teach

This is a continuation of GM.A.15. It happens at this stage by accident when the child pushes up on her hands, slightly unevenly, and overbalances, rolling onto her back. This sudden unexpected movement may frighten the child and make her wary of pushing up so high on her hands again, so quickly reassure her and praise her for rolling over.

To help her to gain control over her rolling, guide her from her legs, slowly, so that she doesn’t lose control of her head at the end of the movement. Say ‘roll over’ each time you do it.

Next, place her on her tummy and encourage her to roll by herself, using your direction and an exciting toy to tempt her. If she tries but doesn’t quite succeed, help her to finish the movement.

Practise this skill when you are dressing your child and when she is playing on the floor

Positioning, Carrying and Playing

Your child may become so adept at rolling that she flips over onto her back as soon as you place her on her tummy. She may do this because it is easier for her to see around when on her back, so make sure that she has a variety of interesting things to look at when you want her to be on her tummy – and this should still be a lot of the time.