8mo–20mo9 minReadingDevelopmental playFamily time
Button & Flap Crawl-and-Fetch
A simple set of ‘press and open’ resources that your child explores with hands, then fetches by leaning, crawling, cruising, or early steps—linking hand play with whole-body movement.
What you'll need
Essentials
- a flap book (or a cloth/washcloth to cover and reveal a toy)
- a safe ‘button/press’ item (e.g., a pop-up toy or a remote with batteries removed)
- a small plastic container with an easy lid (or a box to open/close)
- a blanket or play mat
Nice to have
- a low stable surface (sofa edge) for cruising to reach a placed item (close supervision)
- a small basket to place items into and take out of
- 2 cushions to create a comfy sitting spot
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 3-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneWhen sitting, can lean forward to pick up small toys.Body· 8mo–20mo· stretch· Step 2
- MilestoneReaches for nearby objectsBody· 4mo–11mo· stretch· Step 2
- MilestoneCrawls or scoots for floor mobilityBody· 7mo–12mo· core
- MilestoneSits without supportBody· 6mo–9mo· stretch· Step 1
- MilestoneCruises along furnitureBody· 10mo–15mo· core
- MilestoneTakes first independent stepsBody· 12mo–15mo· stretch
- MilestoneWalks independentlyBody· 15mo–20mo· stretch
- MilestoneStoops or squats and stands againBody· 15mo–18mo· stretch
What it practices
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Provide resources that stimulate babies to handle and manipulate things, e.g. toys with buttons to press or books with flaps to open.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)