What Toys Encourage Crawling? 5 Gifts to Help Kids Crawl

In this article, we will share some of the best toys that encourage crawling in babies. Additionally, we will look at how you can use these toys to encourage both motor and cognitive development. Lastly, we’ll answer some common questions like: What is the normal age for a child to start crawling? What is crawling? And more about helping babies learn to crawl. We even have another article about the best crawling toys for babies! Read on to find out more!

Crawling FAQ

Here’s some commonly asked questions about people who are interested in babies crawling.

What is crawling?

Crawling is the first intentional movement a baby makes after birth. It is an important milestone in a baby’s development and a sign that a baby is growing and developing on track. Babies start to crawl between the age of 6 to 10 months. Some babies start crawling earlier or later. Average age for a baby to start crawling is around 8 months.

What is the normal age for a child to start crawling?

Babies (on average) begin to crawl between six months and ten months of age. Some babies will start earlier than others which is why it’s difficult to nail down a specific age for when it will occur. However, most babies will begin crawling by 6 to 10 months old.

At what age is crawling considered delayed?

If a baby is not crawling or showing any signs of it by around 12 months old it is usually a cause for concern. If your baby is older than 12 months and not crawling then you should consult a doctor. While it may be nothing, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Your doctor will evaluate your baby’s muscle strength and will look for other signs of neurological problems, like head control and normal hand-eye coordination. There are many reasons why babies crawl later than other babies.

These include malnutrition, lack of exposure to floor, neurological difficulties, and certain conditions and diseases. If you have any concerns about your baby’s crawling ability, talk with your doctor and be sure to ask questions.

What is the best way to encourage crawling?

A baby’s first year is all about discovery, which can be overwhelming and overwhelming. Babies are bombarded with new sights and sounds, sensations, and experiences that can be overwhelming. When your baby is overwhelmed, he or she will often exhibit signs of anxiety or distress. You will know if your baby is distressed when you see signs of it like crying, clinging, or flailing.

To minimize this stage of limbo and begin to encourage crawling you need to help your child calm down. There are many ways you can do this, like baby massage and parent-child interaction. These things can be done by parents with or without professional training.

What are the best toys to encourage crawling?

The five best toys to encourage crawling are the VTech Explore and Crawl Elephant, Melissa & Doug K’s Kids Pull-Back Vehicles, Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car, Yookidoo Musical Crawl N’ Go Snail Toy, and the Roll & Glow Monkey Crawling Toy. We offer some more information on all of these crawling toys below. We hope they’re helpful!


#1 – VTech Explore and Crawl Elephant

There’s no doubt that kids love elephants. But parents, did you know that the smiling, friendly face at the end of the VTech elephant’s trunk is actually a learning tool? This friendly elephant encourages kids to crawl and walk after him, with ears that flap and a bright light-up star.

This soft, plush animal invites cuddles while providing tactile and visual stimulation. Kids build their gross motor skills while they practice crawling and walking after this elephant. Babies and toddlers can also learn about colors, numbers, and daily life as they play with the fun elephant.

The elephant talks, too. Just press a button to get the elephant moving, making playtime easy and rewarding. Introduce babies and toddlers to the many features this Crawl and Explore Elephant has to offer, including fun songs and melodies.

All-in-all, the Vtech Elephant is a playful and educational toy for babies and toddlers ages 6 months to 3 years old.


#2 – Melissa & Doug K’s Kids Pull-Back Vehicles

The Melissa & Doug Pull-Back Vehicles Set for babies and toddlers includes 4 safe, soft vehicles including a school bus, family car, fire truck, and police car. This baby toy set encourages your little ones to crawl with the pull back mechanisms that make the toy move for them to follow.

These cars are colorful and appealing to the eye. This baby and toddler toy set also includes a wipe-clean outer surface for easy clean up and mess prevention. This toy set for ages 9 months and up will teach your children about colors, shapes, and sizes, as well as enhance their gross motor and fine motor skills.

Overall, this baby and toddler crawling toy set from Melissa & Doug is a great way to explore and learn while your little one is playing. When it comes to toys that help kids learn to crawl, this is a time-tested favorite – and for a good reason! This is a high-tech electronic crawling toy that really gets your baby or toddler moving!


#3 – Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car

The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car is a stationary car that supports your baby in sitting up, crawling, pulling up, standing, and moving around. With 3 Smart Stages levels and over 70+ songs, sounds, tunes, and phrases, this toy will introduce your little one to letters, numbers, colors, first words, greetings, and more.

The interactive dashboard with lights, sounds, and busy activities, plus light-up “GPS”, will keep your little one engaged while they are sitting or crawling around. Your baby will also have fun with the built-in ramp for ball play (it comes with three balls) and the shapes & colors sorting door (comes with three shape blocks).

A great toy for babies and toddlers ages 6-36 months, this stationary car is a must-have for the baby that is beginning to take their first steps. Overall, we think it’s a great value that will last well into the toddler years. It is a great starter toy that gets your baby off on the right foot (so to speak) when they’re learning to crawl.


#4 – Yookidoo Musical Crawl N’ Go Snail Toy

Would you like your children to be excited about learning? A new Yookidoo Musical Crawl N’ Go Snail Toy will help your little one develop. With every activation, the toy snail will move a little over five feet. This will keep them entertained and develop their gross and fine motor skills, as well as their problem solving abilities.

The Yookidoo Musical Crawl N’ Go Snail Toy is hands-on and encourages your baby to practice crawling to keep up with the toy. The snail is colorful, cute, and will delight your child. When the snail is activated, he will spin and turn his head from side to side in a way that will encourage your child to be active.

It also comes with a 7-piece ring stacker toy that includes a push-squeaker face and a rattle ring. Your baby will further develop their gross and fine motor skills as they grasp, shake, and stack the rings. This toy is made from quality materials that will last for years, making it a perfect purchase.

Overall, this crawling toy is one that every parent should have in their home. It helps teach your baby while they have a lot of fun. We love the fact it has an on and off button for parents who want silence as well. With nearly 100% positive customer reviews, we can’t recommend this toy enough.


#5 – Roll & Glow Monkey Crawling Toy

The Bright Starts Roll & Glow Monkey toy will help you and your baby have a great time. All you need to do is tap a foot and watch as your little one chases after the monkey. The monkey will roll around and play music and flash lights, giving your baby a lot of fun.

Every time the monkey is tapped, your baby will laugh out loud and will love the chase. With a chase-and-retrieve toy, your baby will learn how to crawl around and will develop motor skills. Every time they chase after the monkey and catch up with it, they will set it off again, giving them a reason to practice crawling.

Overall, we like the glowing wheels and the music that the monkey plays. It’s a lot of fun for your baby and for you. We also love that the monkey can be played with by both of you. It’s a great starter toy for an older baby who is just learning to crawl and needs more practice. The price isn’t shabby either!


Photo of author

Kenny Kings

Kenny Kings is a chapter book author who is helping Paul Bellow fill the Hoosier Chapter Books blog with great content. You can find out more about Kenny Kings on the Kenny Kings bio page. Kenny Kings does not have children of his own, but he has more than enough nieces and nephews. With the help of the editorial team, he's been contributing to our blogging efforts to help families everywhere while promoting our chapter books. You can contact him at kennykings@hoosierchapterbooks.com.