Engaging children with sitting and rolling - activities

Why do babies learn to roll?

Babies learn to roll to grasp for something they want that is outside of their reach and to explore their environment.

Why is rolling important in a baby’s development?

Rolling helps a child to develop the muscles in their neck, tummy and back, which helps them to gain the strength they need to be able to sit and move between positions. This movement skill allows them to explore and gain new experiences, which helps with other areas of development and makes play more exciting.

How can I encourage my baby to roll?

• It is important for your baby to spend lots of time every day on the floor, playing in different positions.
• Placing toys (just out of your child’s reach) around them on the floor will encourage them to try to roll.
• Ensure your child isn’t always placed under a baby gym when they are on the floor where toys are in easy reach above them.
• Avoid placing your baby in any type of seat, including bouncy chairs, push chairs, car seats, door
  bouncers and baby walkers for long periods. These may prevent a baby from learning how to roll if used for long periods.
• You should encourage your baby to roll throughout the day.
• If you are moving them from their front to their back or their back to their front, help them to roll rather than picking them up and placing them.
• Babies generally first learn to roll from their tummy to their back by pushing up unevenly
  on their hands and rolling to one side. It is therefore really important to place your baby
  on their tummy frequently throughout the day

Rolling from tummy to back

Babies generally first learn to roll from their tummy to their back by pushing up unevenly on their hands and rolling to one side. It is therefore really important to place your baby on their tummy frequently throughout the day.

Rolling from back to tummy

• With your baby lying on their back, gain their attention and interest in a toy and then place it to the side of their head.
• Hold the leg on the opposite side of the toy at the knee and slowly bring it across their body so that they roll onto their side and then onto their tummy towards the toy.
• Do this slowly, to encourage them to join in with the movement and do some of it for themselves.
• They might need some assistance to bring their arms out in front of them if they get trapped under them as they roll.

How can I help my baby learn to sit?

• Sit with your baby on the floor, supporting them around their body.
• Put toys in front of them for them to play with. Babies need to prop themselves on their
  hands as they learn to sit. You can help them learn this by placing sturdy toys in front of
  them for them to lean on.
• Give them as little support as they need so that they are using their tummy and back
  muscles.
• As they improve, you can move your hands from their body to their shoulders or their
  hips. You might like to sit your baby in a play ring to give them some support. Place toys
  in or on the ring so that they can play.

How can I help my baby learn to get from lying to sitting?

• Start with your child lying on their back. Grasp one hand and bring their arm up towards
  you across their body.
• They should start to push off the floor with their other hand and help get themselves
  into sitting.
• You can do this throughout the day whenever you want to help your baby move from
  lying to sitting so they get regular practice and they start to understand how to move
  position by themselves.
• Avoid holding both their hands to pull them up as this means that they can’t push up for
  themselves.