Babies generally develop the ability to roll over when they are around six to seven months old. However, in some babies, this ability can be seen as early as four months. Most babies generally start rolling from the stomach to the back and then from the back to the stomach. Interestingly, most of this early shoot happens by accident.
Rolling from the back to the stomach is important because it allows the baby to adopt the always important position of “tummy time”. Babies tend to have the most difficulty when they try to roll on their backs on their stomachs. If you are concerned that your little one may not be able to roll over while playing on the floor, there are activities you can do with him to encourage this ability.
Early rocking begins with good head control and a strong set of neck muscles to support the head. Babies learn to control their heads before they can control much of the rest of their bodies. Therefore, they use their head as a lever when they first try to roll over.
If your baby is able to lift his head off the floor in “tummy time,” he is ready to try rolling over. Here are some activities to help you get started:
Upside down time
- Place your baby on his tummy, palms down, on a play mat or other soft surface.
- Place a small toy mirror on the floor in front of her so she can look at herself while lying on her stomach.
- In addition to a mirror, use small toys around her to encourage her to lift and turn her head from side to side while looking at the toys.
- If your baby cannot tolerate being on his tummy, try lying on the floor in front of her with your face close to hers and comfort him.
- Start with five to ten minutes of tummy time several times a day until you can spend about thirty minutes each day on your tummy.
Roll from side to stomach with assistance.
- Place the baby lying on their side on the floor in front of you.
- Get her attention with her favorite toy and place it out of reach above her head. Encourage her to roll from side to stomach as she reaches for the toy.
- If she can’t roll sideways on her own, give her a little hip support or bend your knee in front of her to help her complete the turn.
- Help the baby roll from both sides of his body onto his stomach at least five times from each side.
Roll from back to stomach with assistance.
- Lie your baby on his back with his feet toward his body.
- Hold a small, brightly colored toy or other interesting object about 12 “in front of your face to get their attention.
- Once she’s interested in the toy, move the toy toward the floor so that she has to turn her head to keep looking at the toy.
- Place the toy on the ground just above his shoulder and encourage him to reach across his body and over his head to pick up the toy.
- Baby must use neck and shoulder muscles to reach across his body to the opposite shoulder to grasp the toy. For example, if you are reaching out with your left hand, place the toy on your right shoulder.
- Allow the baby to complete the tummy turn on his own if he can. If she can’t roll on her own, help her a little by bending her knee and rolling it in front of her, or giving her some hip support.
Help your baby practice rolling from his back to his stomach, stretching his left hand and then his right hand every day for a week or two before moving to crawling.
