Crawling Up Stairs

Crawling up stairs is a great for many things. Here are a few:

• Practicing crawling – especially for little ones who don’t want to crawl, it’s a great way to do the skill without them realizing they are doing it!
• Core strengthening
• Pre-climbing skill
• Motor planning/coordination
• Independent mobility

How can you help your little one do this?

1. Help them get kneeling at the first step – this is also important for other mobility skills
2. Have a toy/motivating object a step or two out of reach
3. This step can go one of two ways:
   1. Help them bring a knee up to the next step from the kneeling position – or –
   2. Help them push onto their feet at the first step and then bring a knee up to the next step
4. Help them to weight shift onto their knee that is on the next step
5. Bring the other knee up to the same step
6. Keep repeating this and alternating legs until you are at the top
7. Remember to keep the toy/motivating object just a step or two out of reach (if they need extra motivation you can let them play with it for a moment before you move it up again)

After you practice a few times with them you should let them try and then only give assistance to stabilize or to cue them to move if they get stuck.

If you don’t have steps at home, check out this video for how you can make your own!