Part 2
Getting your baby to crawl
One way to start baby crawling is to place his preferred toy just out of reach, and then encourage them to make a movement towards it. Your baby may be angry that you have placed his toy out of reach, but most babies should start to make a rocking and crawling motion in the direction of the toy.
A variation on this approach is to sit a few feet away from your baby and encourage him to crawl towards you, by using positive words of encouragement. You can help him further by crawling slowly towards your baby, especially if he is frustrated or starts to cry. Crawling yourself will reassure him that crawling is a normal thing to do, and something he should want to do himself.
Most babies are fascinated by their own reflection and you can get your baby to crawl by holding a mirror up in front of him, about 10 inches away. This method can be even more effective, if your baby is given a mirror to play around with, so he feels comfortable with the object.
Because your baby likes to mimic what you are doing, try crawling alongside your baby and this can make him feel closer to you, and offer reassurance. The two of you can crawl towards a toy that has been placed a short distance away, or towards a mirror.
You can also encourage your baby to crawl by getting an older brother or sister crawl alongside your baby.
Your baby has moods just like everyone else, and it's best not to practice crawling if they seem frustrated or tired. Wait a day or so before trying again, so that your baby associates crawling with being fun, rather than with crying or not being in a good mood. Your baby may want to crawl only for a few seconds; the important thing is to persevere.
Because you want your baby to associate crawling with positive things, offer plenty of encouragement and loving words when he crawls. If he's old enough, you can offer him a treat after a successful crawling session, otherwise a warm bottle or a toy will encourage him.
Always offer the toy to your baby, even if he didn't manage to crawl all the way to it, if your crawling exercise involved him crawling to a toy. Next time you practice crawling, he will feel enthusiastic and excited about crawling again, and have positive memories of the experience. Before you know it, you will be baby proofing your home against a crawling baby!
