Rolling provides children with the first opportunity to be independently mobile and discover their environment through movement. It’s an intriguing discovery for baby, and sometimes a thrilling-but-nerve-wracking one for parents!
Needless to say, it is an exciting skills that helps to create the building blocks for more advanced movements. Rolling helps infants develop the appropriate muscle strength needed to perform other skills like shoulder strength needed to crawl or to help pull themselves up into sitting. It also helps develop vestibular and proprioceptive senses.
Rolling typically occurs during the first 4 to 6 months. Generally, stomach to back rolling is developed first, but it is not uncommon or atypical for children to start rolling back to belly instead.
Here are a few ideas to help your child learn to roll through play!
What you need:
- A mat or blanket
- Anything motivating or interesting to your child (a toy, your face, music, etc.)
- Remember: When practicing new skills, it is important to do both sides!
Back to belly
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- Place a toy or motivating object just out of reach–I encourage parents to put it above the baby’s head to prevent them from just having to turn their head to see it. Help lift one of their legs and bend their hip to 90 degrees or higher. Slowly cross their leg over the other hip. Wait for them to turn their upper body and kick in their trunk muscles. Your pressure across their hips should be firm, but gentle. Make sure you are doing both directions!
- If they are struggling to help get their arms across and head off the ground to roll, you can give gentle assistance at the shoulders. To help improve neck strength needed for rolling, add in sidelying play. You may need to put a small downward force on their hip to encourage a head lift from the surface.Â
Belly to back Â
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- You can encourage belly to back rolling by starting in a position that has your baby laying on one of their sides. Have them roll to their back by encouraging your baby to follow a toy or interesting object. Next, try the other side!Â
- Once they are comfortable doing that, start your baby on their belly. Gain their attention by using a toy or something of interest. Have your baby look to one side as far as they can. Continue this until they have rolled to the back. You may need to help with your baby’s arms if they get caught. Their arm should either be tucked underneath them or straight out in front of them.Â