How to Encourage Your Baby to Crawl: Floor Setup and Simple Games

A baby girl crawls toward a soft fabric book on a dark grey play mat while her dad sits on the mat facing her and cheers her on.

Your baby can push up, pivot in a circle and maybe rock on hands and knees, but going forward is still a mystery. Either way, you have probably wondered whether there is anything you can do to help crawling along.

There is, and most of it is simple: time on the floor, a reason to move and a parent down there with them. This guide is a practical playbook of floor setups and short games you can try at each pre-crawling stage. For typical crawling ages, the different crawling styles and whether skipping crawling matters, see our companion guide, when do babies start crawling?

This is general information, not medical advice. Floor play is for a baby who is awake and supervised by an adult the whole time, and a play mat is a play space, not a place for sleep. If you have any questions about your baby’s movement or development, ask your pediatrician.

First, what actually helps

Pediatric sources agree on a short list:

  • Plenty of tummy time. NICHD’s Safe to Sleep campaign explains that supervised tummy time helps strengthen a baby’s neck, shoulder and arm muscles so they can start to sit up, crawl and eventually walk.
  • A reason to move. The CDC suggests placing toys on the ground or on a play mat a little out of reach and encouraging your baby to crawl, scoot or roll to get them, then celebrating when they do.
  • Room to practice. The NHS asks parents whether they can create a space at home where their baby can explore safely.
  • Less time held still. The AAP strongly urges parents not to use baby walkers, and ZERO TO THREE notes that lots of time in baby seats and carriers takes away from floor practice.

What does not help: pushing. ZERO TO THREE cautions that pressing a child toward a skill they are not ready for can actually slow learning. Think of everything below as invitations, not drills.

Set up a floor that invites moving

You do not need special equipment. You need a stretch of floor your baby can use and you can watch.

  • Floor level, not furniture. Practice happens on the floor, never on a bed, sofa or other raised surface a baby could roll or crawl off.
  • A runway, not just a spot. A baby who is about to crawl needs space in front of them to go somewhere. If the play area is a small square tucked against a wall, there may be nowhere to aim. Our guide to how much floor space a crawling baby needs walks through sizing by stage.
  • A crawl-through check. ZERO TO THREE suggests walking, or better yet crawling, through your home to spot hazards at your baby’s level. The AAP warns against leaving small objects on the floor or under the couch, and names balloon pieces, button batteries and coins as especially dangerous.
  • Bare legs and feet, when the room allows. ZERO TO THREE notes that babies use all the muscles in their feet and toes to grip the floor, which is why it suggests letting babies go barefoot.
  • Gates before stairs become the goal. The AAP recommends sturdy gates at the top and bottom of stairs, because a new crawler will often head straight for them.

Many families like a defined spot for practice. If you want one, the GRHomera Playmat is a one-piece mat with a coral fleece surface, non-slip backing and 1.3 in (3.3 cm) total thickness, in Beige or Dark Grey and three sizes. It can sit on a hard floor or on top of carpet. The play mat size guide can help you pick a footprint that leaves a real runway. Whatever surface you use, stay right there while your baby practices.

Games for each pre-crawling stage

Babies do not all go through these stages in the same order, and some skip crawling altogether. Use whichever section matches what your baby is doing now, and keep sessions short and fun.

Stage 1: Pushing up and pivoting on the tummy

Before crawling, babies need strong arms and shoulders and the idea that moving gets them something.

  • Clock face. While your baby is on their tummy, place a toy just off to one side so they pivot to see it. Next time, use the other side. Alberta Health Services’ pediatric physiotherapy video suggests putting toys out of reach so babies practice moving in both directions.
  • Lift your eyes. Hold a toy a little higher than eye level so your baby pushes up through their arms to look at it. The same video suggests holding toys so that babies lift their heads higher and straighten their arms.
  • Face to face. Lie on your tummy facing them. NICHD suggests having someone sit in front of baby during tummy time to encourage interaction. Your face is often the best toy in the room.

Tummy time a struggle? See what to try when baby hates tummy time.

Stage 2: Rocking on hands and knees

The AAP describes this phase well: babies may rock on their hands and knees for a while, and because their arms are stronger than their legs, they may push themselves backward at first. Cheer for that. Backward is still moving.

  • Something to push from. ZERO TO THREE suggests placing the palms of your hands behind your baby’s feet when they are on all fours. It helps them feel stable and gives them something to push off from.
  • Over your leg. Sit on the floor with your legs out. Alberta Health Services suggests helping a baby into a hands-and-knees position over your leg, with their hands reaching down to the floor.
  • One more inch. Put a favorite toy just beyond reach. Once they get it, let them play with it before you try again. The win is part of the game.

Stage 3: The belly crawl

Many babies start by pulling themselves forward with their arms while their tummy stays on the floor. That is a real way to get around.

  • Raise the target. Alberta Health Services notes that toys on the ground keep a baby looking down, while a toy held a little higher encourages them to lift their head, straighten their arms and get up on all fours.
  • Leg hills. NHS inform (Scotland) suggests encouraging babies to move over obstacles on the floor, such as your legs or cushions, so they bring their weight forward onto their arms. Sit with your legs out and let your baby climb over them toward you.

Stage 4: The new crawler

Once your baby is moving forward, the game shifts from “Can I move?” to “Where can I go?”

  • Pillow course. The AAP suggests creating miniature obstacle courses from pillows, boxes and sofa cushions as your baby becomes more agile. It also warns: never leave your baby unsupervised, because a baby who falls between pillows or under a box might not be able to get out. Keep the course low, simple and right next to you, and put it away when you are done.
  • Peekaboo behind the hill. The AAP suggests hiding behind one of the obstacles and surprising your baby with a “peekaboo!” The CDC lists smiling or laughing at peekaboo among 9-month social milestones, so many babies love this one.
  • Where did it go? The CDC suggests hiding a toy under a blanket while your baby watches so they can look for it. Put the blanket a short crawl away.
  • My turn, your turn. The CDC suggests passing a toy back and forth. Move back a little each turn so your baby crawls a bit farther to take theirs.

Things to skip

  • Baby walkers. The AAP says walkers do not help children learn to walk, present a tipping hazard and make falls down stairs more likely. It has called for a ban on the manufacture and sale of walkers with wheels. A stationary activity center without wheels is the AAP’s suggested alternative.

When to ask your pediatrician

The AAP says that if you feel your child is not moving normally, you should discuss it with your pediatrician. The NHS suggests asking for advice if your baby isn’t showing any signs of moving by 12 months. NHS inform also lists signs worth raising with a health professional, including a baby who seems to use one side of their body more than the other, or whose arms or legs appear weak, floppy or stiff.

The CDC’s advice applies here too: you know your child best, so don’t wait. If your baby was born early or has a health condition, ask your pediatrician what to expect for them.

Quick checklist

  1. Baby is awake and alert, and you are on the floor with them.
  2. Floor checked at baby height for small objects, cords and batteries.
  3. A clear runway in front of your baby, on the floor, not a raised surface.
  4. One or two toys, placed just out of reach.
  5. Pick one game for the stage your baby is in. Stop while it’s still fun.

FAQ

How can I encourage my baby to crawl?

Give plenty of supervised tummy time and floor time, place a toy a little out of reach, get down on the floor at your baby’s level and celebrate any movement, including backward. The CDC, AAP and NICHD all describe versions of these ideas. Avoid baby walkers.

My baby goes backward instead of forward. Is that normal?

The AAP explains that because babies’ arms are stronger than their legs, they may push themselves backward at first, and with practice they discover how to go forward. Keep offering toys just ahead of them. If you have concerns, ask your pediatrician.

Do babies need a special mat to learn to crawl?

No. What helps is time on the floor and space to move. A play mat can define a comfortable practice spot on hard floors or carpet, but it does not replace supervision. Use any mat for awake, supervised play only.

What if my baby never crawls?

The AAP notes that a few children never crawl and use other ways to move, such as scooting or slithering. What matters is that your baby is exploring and using both sides of their body. If you’re unsure, ask your pediatrician.

Sources

— The GRHomera team