When baby’s start being on the move a whole new world of adventure opens up to them. Whether they’re crawling, shuffling, or hitching along on their elbows makes no difference – once they’re off, there’s lots of fun to be had exploring their surroundings from this new perspective.
Of course, you need check your play space to make sure things are safe now your baby is mobile, but you can also see which new play possibilities you can add in. The easiest thing to do is set up some ‘play stations’ around the room, with something enticing in each place for your baby to crawl over to and explore. You don’t need to buy anything new but it’s a great idea to keep changing what you put out so you catch your baby’s eye with something new, and you provide lots of different shapes, sizes and textures for them to explore.
How about a little peek-a-boo treasure hunt. We talked about babies loving seeing familiar faces with last week’s lift-the-flap love book and you can extend this into a game too. Take some photos of favourite people (you might want to laminate them or cover them in sticky backed plastic to make them a little sturdier) and ‘hide’ them around the room. You’ll want them to be easy for your baby to spot, so have them down at crawling level, poking out from behind the sofa or the corner of the toybox. Then it’s ready, set, go! to see how fast your baby can round up granny and grandad from behind the bookcase!
These ideas encourage your baby to practise their crawling and develop their gross motor skills. They encourage exploration and give you lots to chat about together as you play.
Our SUPERbaby play series focuses on simple, playful ideas you can use with the youngest of children to have fun and encourage them to develop important early learning skills. The emphasis is on ideas you can easily fit into a busy week, using materials you’ll have around your home. View all our SUPERbaby ideas here.
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