Watching your baby crawl for the first time is an enormous milestone. It shows that their motor skills are increasing, and they are getting even more curious about the world around them.

For many parents, waiting for that moment can seem like forever. However, it’s important to remember that every baby reaches milestones at different rates, and that’s okay! Generally, babies first start to crawl between six and twelve months, but you shouldn’t worry if it takes a little longer.

Of course, you will still want to encourage your baby to take those first steps (or arm stretches). Luckily, there are ways to help your baby crawl for the first time – here are five of them.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

1: Create a Comfortable Crawling Space

The first step is to create a space in your home where your baby can attempt to crawl. Make sure it’s a safe space with plenty of room. Ideally, you will choose a soft space without any furniture in the way.

Your baby’s immune system is not as strong as yours, which is why Playmats are helpful when creating a comfortable crawling space (not to mention a soft surface for added safety). With a soft mat, your baby won’t crawl on the bare floor in your home and pick up as many germs. Instead, they’ll enjoy the comforting softness of the mat, which is much safer – physically, too! These soft mats can be placed anywhere in your home, from the living area to the baby’s nursery. Plus, they come in various designs to suit your surrounding décor.

2: Lots of Tummy Time

To get your baby comfortable with crawling, you must first get them comfortable. That’s why lots of tummy time is so helpful. Basically, it means putting your little one on their belly for a while and letting them get used to it. Of course, this should always be supervised and done on a comfortable, soft surface. You can find a variety of tummy time mats to keep your little one occupied while on their stomach.

3: Crawl with Your Baby

Babies learn through their parents. There’s a reason children end up sounding like their parents – it’s because they mimic them! Fortunately, you can use this to your advantage by crawling around with your little one. Doing so will encourage your baby to copy you.

4: Let Them Reach Up

Before your bundle of joy can crawl around, they must build some muscle in their arms. Those arms need to drag their weight, after all! To encourage that, try playing games involving them reaching their arms to the sky. The more they do it, the more muscle they build, making crawling much easier.

5: Encourage Crawling with Toys

Don’t underestimate the power of toys! If your baby is close to crawling for the first time, provide some encouragement by using tummy time toys or even just holding out their favorite toy just a little away from them. Doing so will make them want to reach you, and they may quickly figure out that the quickest way is by crawling.

With a bit of encouragement and a lot of patience, you will see your baby crawl across the floor before long. Soon, you will be reminiscing about when your baby couldn’t crawl anywhere! Once your little one masters the ability to crawl, consider getting a play table so that they can practice standing and balancing.