Reach for the Toy
Parent places baby on tummy and positions a toy just out of reach, gently guiding baby's legs in a crawling motion. The agent coaches the parent to observe early crawling attempts, weight shifting, and motivation to move — building gross motor skills and the drive toward independent locomotion.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Baby on tummy on a soft mat or carpet. One attractive toy within sight but just out of reach. Parent positioned behind or beside baby.
How it works
- 1~35s
Place the toy just in front of your child — close enough to see but just out of arm's reach. Watch what happens. Does your child try to reach for it? Does they push up on their arms or kick their legs? Some babies will army-crawl forward, others might rock or scoot. Tell me what your child is doing.
Watch for: Baby attempts to drag or scoot forward on tummy to reach the toy.
- 2~30s
Now let's see if your child can get up on all fours. Gently position yourself behind your child and see if they pushes up onto hands and knees. You can place your hand gently under their tummy for a little support if needed. Does your child get into that hands-and-knees position at all? Even briefly?
Watch for: Baby gets into a hands-and-knees crawling position.
- 3~35s
Let's give your child a little taste of the crawling motion. While they is on their tummy, gently move their legs one at a time in a crawling pattern — left, right, left, right. Keep it gentle and playful. Place the toy just ahead so your child has motivation. Does they start to push with their legs on their own? Does they seem to understand the movement?
Watch for: Baby rocks back and forth in crawling position or shows reciprocal leg movements.