Baby crawling is an adorable and heartwarming sign of child development that excites a parent/guardian. But also gives an overwhelming sense of stress to cope with the new changes. Crawling is the discovery stage that offers freedom and curiosity to move to different parts of the house.

 The crawling journey should be fun, interactive, and involving everyone. Parents must create a haven to allow the child to explore as much space as possible. For motivation, practice crawling with your baby. Though silly, it's a simple cognitive and physical development exercise to enhance confidence, but it motivates the child. A parent should remove obstacles that may cause harm or make the experience daunting.

When will my baby learn to crawl?

Child development is unique for every child. Crawling early or late shouldn’t matter of panic. Most babies begin between 6 to 10 months of age. The movements help strengthen the muscles, especially the shoulders, arms, and back. It encourages kid’s brains as they explore their surroundings

Benefits of Baby crawling phase.

Here are some of the benefits of kids as they start crawling.

• First activity

Child crawling is one of the first activities that a child does that pushes to explore new stuff and equip the brain, thus establishing core developmental skills in a kid.

• Balance and coordination.

The crawling skill comes with multiple movements, with some babies lying on their stomachs and walking their arms and feet forward, making a swimming movement with their body. These movements help strengthen and push the boundaries of their physical skills.

• Learning patterns.

As babies start crawling, they establish better patterns, visual tracking, and other motor talents. This makes the baby feel excited and breaks the monotony of a single move.

Guidelines to ensure your baby's safety at home when they start crawling.

To keep your baby safe, healthy, and happy while enjoying the crawling process, parents can implement the following activities:

• Clean and disinfect your floors.

Cleaning the house assures your child doesn’t contract illness or get exposed to germs due to unclean surfaces, as the kid will always put their hands on the mouth.

• Keep all plugs, cables, and heaters out of reach.

Welcoming the crawling stage comes with keeping some things far and locked away. As the kid starts crawling, they will try and get their hands on everything they see. It is advisable to leave all electric plugs off, and long cables should not be left on the floor as they can lead to electric shock. It's reasonable to turn down heaters, which can burn a child and prepare the house for the incoming phase.

• Sharp corners covering.

As the kids start crawling, they may be at risk with the sharp corners, leading to bruises or bumps. Parents can invest in soft corner guards or form corner guards.

• Remove small objects on the floor.

It’s important to keep small objects and choking hazards away from the young kid, especially on the floor. Make sure the environment is clean and free of dangerous objects.

• Lock cabinets in the house.

Securing cabinets is necessary and will give parent /guardian peace of mind. The locks prevent greater danger of injurious chemicals, liquids, medicines, or detergents.

• Stairs and doors.

Kids are explorers and will try even impossible missions regardless of age. The staircase shouldn't be an option during the crawling age as it's a potential accident area. Parents should block off stairs with a baby gate and also put door knob covers.

• Secure furniture.

As the kids start crawling, they try to pull and stand up using whatever is nearby. Parents can place stable furniture to help support the child to their next walking stage.

• Closing danger zones.

What seems friendly and safe places can be risk zones for babies. Favorite areas such as kitchens, gardens, or swimming pools pose a significant danger to children. Parents need to secure the locations with the baby gate or monitor the baby's movements.  

Conclusion

Crawling comes with fun, dirty bumps, and new experiences. Parents can make the phase enjoyable and memorable by implementing all safety precautions.