DS walking but not crawling/climbing

[Hoppyhops]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has any tips to get DS clambering around a bit.
He’s 13.5 months and has been walking confidently for about a month. He never crawled, just bum shuffled and then walked.
The issue is that he doesn’t climb so when he’s faced with small steps up/down, he doesn’t know what to do and just tries to get up and down by stepping, which he’s too unsteady to do successfully. Or it’s too dangerous if the step is slightly too high.

If we go to soft play, his crawling friends can get themselves everywhere, but DS can literally just toddle around and shouts when the rest of them start clambering up the steps to the slide, wanting me to pick him up or hold his hand so he can step up.

Any tips to encourage him to get climbing? I try to get him on his hands and knees but he loves walking and refuses to move around any other way 🙈

My eldest went straight to walking and had similar difficulties.

Things we did (don't know which/if any helped!):

• get play tunnels, like the ones on pop up tents for your garden. Put a toy just inside so she has to bed down to get it. Next time put it a bit further in the tunnel. Etc.
• get/borrow those wooden indoor slide thingies. Adjust the angle so it is easy. Hold hands and help them go up and down the steps lots and lots of times. Gradually change the angle and encourage them to use hands.
• keep doing tummy time. It's hard as they are older, but it will increase arm strength.

I did this too. I mean I didn't crawl.

I didn't get advice at the time but a neurologist told me recently that the key is to get lots of "paired limb exercise" to help set up the wiring properly. I was having balance problems at the time and I took her advice and went on several 6 mile walks in one week. My balance was sorted by the end of the week.

I am being very careful to make sure to do lots of this kind of paired limb exercise now and it really does help. Rollerblading is the best thing for me.

I also found a think called the "retained moro reflex" online and a special exercise to do to fix it. The exercise works really well for me.

I think the reason for the bum shuffling is that the child has very mild balance problems and gets a sensation of very mild dizziness when they bend forward to get into a crawling position. That's what happens to me anyway.

You can read this page for the exercise:

https://www.solvelearningdisabilities.com/retained-moro-reflex-or-startle-reflex/

I am not child development expert at all. This is just what I have cobbled together from being a non-crawler myself.

It would be very helpful to do the exercises with your child because otherwise he is likely to struggle with motion sickness as an adult and the more you can get his balance system set up right the better really.

@TinyTeachr Great, practical suggestions. Thanks so much. I think he’d respond really well to the tunnel idea as he likes sitting down to look under things- will definitely try this.

@IAmFlyingThisPlane Super interesting to hear this. I had heard a bit on crawling and wiring so it’s useful to get an adult perspective and hear how it’s impacted you.