Under Over Crawl

What you need

• dining chairs
• blanket
• cushion

How to do it

1. Drape a blanket over two chairs to make a tunnel.
2. Put a cushion just after it to climb over.
3. Show them how to crawl under, then climb over.
4. Race through together a few times, swapping who goes first.

Why it matters

Crawling under and climbing over in one go asks your toddler's body to solve two different problems back to back, which builds planning as much as strength.

What they're learning

motor planning

Working out how to crawl under then climb over builds the sequencing skill behind following multi-step instructions.

confidence in tight spaces

Moving through an enclosed tunnel calmly builds comfort with small spaces like car seats and playground tubes.

upper body strength

Crawling on hands and knees strengthens shoulders and arms, which supports writing grip much later.

What to look for

Watch for them pausing to peek through the tunnel before committing to crawl, that's forward planning.

A tip

Weigh the blanket down with a book on each side so it doesn't collapse mid-crawl.

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