You’ve noticed your baby is doing more moving and grooving than they had been previously. They might not be crawling quite yet, but many of the signs are there that they’re ready to start. So what can you do to encourage them to start crawling independently? Well, believe it or not, there are certain toys for crawlers that pique their interest enough to really motivate them to move.
We’ll cover everything your want to know about getting your almost-crawler to this next exciting stage. From signs that your baby is ready to crawl, to the best types of toys to help propel them forward.
Ready to crawl: Safety first
Roll and follow toys when your baby starts to crawl
These can be as simple as a fun vehicle or silly animal on wheels, or as complex as a motorized jiggling ball or doll that crawls. The idea is to give your baby something interesting to crawl after; as a bonus, many of these toys can be rolled back and forth between you and your baby to promote coordination and manual dexterity, two things babies need to become crawlers.
Buy it! Hape Walk Along Puppy Pull, $35; amazon.com
Play mats to explore
Play mats provide a clean, soft, easy-to-transport surface for crawling, whether you’re at home or on the go. In addition to providing a safe spot for practice, many mats also include features like crinkly flaps or squeaky attachments that encourage your baby to go investigate and play!
Buy it! StillCool Baby Play Mat, $27; amazon.com
Tunnels for when there are signs your baby is ready to crawl
Like play mats, tunnels offer another novel, safe environment for practicing this new way to travel. Your baby will be curious simply to find out what it’s like inside and to see what’s at the other end, but tunnels are also great to use along with other toys; roll a ball through it or place a toy they love at the opposite end and watch them go!
Buy it! Hide N Side 6ft Crawl Through Play Tunnel, $20;l amazon.com
Mirrors to encourage crawling
Babies are naturally drawn to faces, so why not use that to your advantage by encouraging your child to crawl toward one of the cutest faces around — their own! Make sure you’re only using unbreakable child-safe mirrors, which come in a variety of styles that can be easily set up on the floor at baby’s eye level.
Buy it! B. Baby Activity Mirror, $16; amazon.com
How do you help your baby start to crawl? Give them blocks
These are often thought of as a toy to keep stationary, sitting babies occupied, but don’t underestimate your baby’s desire to destroy things! Stack up some colorful, baby-approved blocks and show them how much fun they are to knock down. You might be surprised at how quickly they come over to do it on their own!
Buy it! Melissa & Doug Wooden Building Blocks Set, $28; amazon.com
Cause and effect toys for moving and grooving
Anything that lights up when a button is pushed, makes a sound in response to your baby’s movement, or has some other direct response to their activity is great for budding crawlers when placed just out of reach. Babies love action/reaction toys, so getting that interaction will motivate them to crawl over and see what happens next.
__Buy it! __KingsDragon Baby Musical Set, $33; amazon.com
