Coordination
Can Creep
With eyes fixed on a target, teach the pupil to crawl in homolateral fashion.
Then progress to cross-pattern crawling.
- Begin creeping by having pupil lie on the floor, place his hands under his chest. Then, by moving elbows and hips, have him creep forward with stomach touching the floor.
- Use music of “Creepy, Crawly Caterpillar” and have the child creep forward and backward.
- Show child how to move in a homolateral pattern, moving arm and leg on one side together. Set a goal for the child to crawl to (book or chair or mark) then crawl backward to starting point.
- Teach cross-diagonal crawling, moving opposite arm and leg together. Crawl to target, crawl backward, and crawl to music in rhythm
- Play games and have races having children go “fast like a horse”, or “slow as a turtle”. Use a small child for a rider.
- Play games crawling over things (i.e. a pillow)or under chairs, tables, through cardboard boxes or tunnels.
- Time children when crawling or hide things and have them crawl around to find them.
- Play “May I” with children crawling. Mark the floor and say, “Crawl 2 lines forward” or “crawl 3 lines backward”. If child fails to say “May I” he returns to the starting line.
- Extend activities to team games or relays: potato on the grass with his nose, or spoon race holding a spoon in mouth with a small jackball in the tablespoon. Have relays through obstacle course.
