Montessori Toys To Encourage Crawling (7 Montessori Toys We Recommend)
Crawling is a very important milestone for a young child. It is the gateway to many more milestones like sitting up, walking, running, and climbing. Parents must support this stage and encourage them to crawl. If they are starting to crawl, it is important to strengthen those skills to prepare them for walking and other next-level skills.
What are the best Montessori toys that encourage crawling? The best Montessori toys to encourage crawling are those that promote floor play and movement. It should have the perfect balance of fun, engagement, and challenge. If the toy is too easy, it will not engage them. If it is too challenging, young children will get frustrated and give up.
Montessori Toys that Encourage Crawling
We have come up with a list of Montessori toys that will help your baby crawl and master the skill. These toys are specifically designed to encourage crawling and promote the development of gross motor skills.
Montessori toys to encourage crawling are among the best toys for crawling babies, providing them with a safe and stimulating environment to explore and move. With a range of toys that encourage crawling, such as crawling tunnels, activity gyms, and push toys, you can actively support and promote your baby’s mobility and independence.
Additionally, we will provide insights on how to encourage crawling and offer guidance on choosing the best toys to promote crawling. By incorporating these toys to help crawling into your baby’s playtime, you can enhance their physical development while nurturing their natural curiosity.
Let’s explore the world of encourage crawling toys and embark on this exciting journey of your baby’s growth and exploration.
Wooden Push Toys
Wooden push toys are simple and easy to play with. Their natural look and feel engage babies to explore the toy.
Babies learn that when they push the toy, it moves. It will be a fun way to keep them moving and crawling as they push the toy.
It is also a great way to introduce cause and effect. They will learn that if they apply force and manipulate the push toy, it moves.
Wooden Rattle Rollers
Wooden rattles are engaging and stimulate your baby’s curiosity. The sound the rattle makes gets them to examine the toy closer and play with it.
When babies drop the rattle, it rolls away, pushing them to move towards it by crawling. They will have a hard time resisting crawling toward the rattle because the noise it makes is interesting and they will want more.
Wooden rattle rollers are classic and are proven to be effective in encouraging crawling, teaching cause and effect, and developing gross and fine motor skills.
Spinning Drum
Montessori spinning drums contain wooden board panels with different colors and a mirror. It also has a bell inside that makes a noise every time your child spins it.
You can encourage crawling by putting it at a distance, spinning the drum to make the noise, and motivating them to crawl towards it.
The bell and the mirror keep them engaged. It does not only encourage crawling, but it also develops fine motor skills too, as well as color recognition and cause and effect.
Ball Roller
Ball rollers come in different designs and usually have a bell inside. Balls are always fun no matter the age. Babies at crawling stages do not have good control with their hands so they are likely to push, drop or throw the ball when playing.
This will encourage them to go after the ball by crawling. It will strengthen their leg and core muscles while developing fine motor skills like grasping and holding.
Sensory Ball
Sensory balls also come in different designs that will provide different sensorial experiences for your kids. They are safe for teething babies when they can bite and play with them at the same time.
Sensory balls roll on floors and mats easily so babies are motivated to crawl after them so they can continue to play.
The colors, shapes, sizes, and different textures are exciting and engaging.
Rattle Ribbons
Rattle ribbons have long colorful dangling ribbons attached to a wooden rattle with bells on them.
You can encourage crawling by shaking the rattle handles and dangling the ribbons away from your baby. The sounds of the bells and the shaking ribbons motivate the child to move and crawl toward them.
It is a fun game to do with your baby, helping them move and building a strong bond between you and the baby too.
Crinkle Mats
Crinkle mats are great sensory tools for crawling babies. The crinkling sounds, the feel of the mat, and the colors and patterns encourage movement and exploration.
Your child will love moving from one side to the other, exploring and enjoying the sensory experience.
Sensory mats are easy to use. Your baby will be crawling without much encouragement from you.
FAQs
What to do if my baby is not interested in crawling? First, check if your baby is within the age range for crawling. Most of the time, babies need encouragement and motivation to try new things. This is why toys are important. They will not know they are moving when they are having fun. Try the toys we recommend above. Encourage them and show them how to play with the toys. If they are still not interested in crawling, go back to the togs they are interested in and use that as motivation to crawl. Put it at a distance to encourage them to move towards it. If that does not work, revisit the activity after a month or two when they are ready.
Can I use household items to encourage crawling? Yes. Most of the time, young kids are more interested in playing with household items than with their toys. Use the ones that they play a lot with, put them on the floor, keep them at a distance, and encourage them to crawl toward the object.
Can I use food as a motivation to crawl? Yes, you can but we recommend that you stick with toys. Food should be given at the meal table so they can associate food with mealtimes. You can use wooden fruit toys instead. Use their favorite fruit or vegetable in wooden form as motivation to crawl.
Summary
The best Montessori toys to encourage crawling are those that promote floor play and movement. It should have the perfect balance of fun, engagement, and challenge. If the toy is too easy, it will not engage them. If it is too challenging, young children will get frustrated and give up.
Children need support and encouragement when they are learning and trying to achieve milestones, especially crawling. The right toys will help them. Choose wisely.