GM.B.76 PULLS A WHEELED TOY ON A STRING

This skill requires either twisting to look behind while walking or backward stepping, both of which require a well-developed sense of balance.

How to Assess

Materials: An attractive and preferably noisy pull-along toy.

Method: Give your child the string of the toy and ask her to pull it along, or demonstrate the action. Score plus if your child pulls the toy for 2 metres either walking forward and pulling the toy behind, or stepping backwards to pull the toy along.

How to Teach

First you’ll need to find a toy that is particularly attractive to the child and then to demonstrate how to get it to perform. Remember that your child will only be interested in the sight and the sound of the toy – not in walking twisting backwards, or walking backwards, so you will have to convince her that the best way to get the toy to perform is to walk with it – not to sit down and pull it towards herself. So first hold the string in her hand and walk forward with her pulling the toy. Once it has started to move she will probably stop walking to watch it so direct her to ‘Keep walking’. Gradually she will get the idea of taking it for a walk. Perhaps she can take an animal pull-along toy for a walk while you walk the (real) dog.