GM.A.56 CRUISES SIDEWAYS AROUND FURNITURE

The baby’s first way of moving on her feet is to cruise sideways around furniture. She faces the furniture, not looking where she is going. She shifts her weight on to 1 leg and moves the free leg to the side. Then she moves her weight to that leg and brings her unweighted leg up to it, and so progresses around the table.

How to Assess

Method: Stand your child at a chest-high piece of furniture and place a favourite toy just out of reach. Score plus if your child takes at least 4 steps to the side.

How to Teach

Here you will be teaching your child to shift her weight to the side. You have already started doing this in GM.A.53. Continue with these exercises.

Stand her with her arms resting on a chest-high support. Place a toy about 1 metre away and draw her attention to it. Kneeling behind her and holding her around her hips, transfer her weight to the opposite leg from the side to which you want her to step. Step the free leg one step to the side, lean her weight onto that leg and step the other leg across to it. Gently place her arms one by one to the side on the table so that she is upright over her legs. Repeat this stepping until you reach the toy. Talk to her while you are doing the movement, so that she knows what you are trying to do.

A fun exercise for your baby is to stand her on a rocker board and gently and slowly tip it side to side. This is more advanced than standing on your lap. You might need help to do this – one person rocking the board and one supporting the child.

Practise the movement at different supports, such as the coffee table, the lounge, the side of the bath.

Encourage sidestepping by placing her at one end of the lounge while you sit at the other end or by standing her at the bed to walk along and ‘wake Daddy’.

Many low-toned babies have flat feet and may need boots to give added support to the foot and the ankle. If you are worried about your baby’s feet, consult your therapist. It is also a good idea to practise with training pants on, rather than a bulky nappy. If your baby is standing on wide-apart legs, remember the leg bands (GM.A.12).