Learning to Roll Milestone Checklist

Yes! I have a Free Rolling Milestone Checklist because I get SO many questions from families about rolling! Scroll no further, snag my free checklist HERE and then be sure to save it for later & refer back after you have read the rest of this post! 

Navigating the first year of your little one's life can be a rewarding but daunting experience. As they reach each new milestone, it’s amazing to see them grow and discover new things. One of the first milestones your baby will conquer is learning to roll. Today I’m going to give you a brief overview of the entire rolling process as well as a handy checklist so you can make sure your little one is on the right track.

Why is Rolling Important?

Rolling is the first of many important milestones for your little one. Rolling helps infants build strength in their neck, shoulders, arms, and core muscles, which are all crucial for later milestones such as crawling and walking.

It also helps enhance their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. These milestones are not only critical for physical development but also cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of a baby's life.

Rolling is a crucial step in unlocking an endless world of exploration for babies, making it an essential achievement to celebrate.

Stages of Rolling

Rolling typically happens between 3-7 months with 3 major stages included:

Rolling back to sides- in this stage, your baby will begin to rock back and forth from their back to their sides. They are not able to flip themselves over yet but still have a decent range of movement and motion

Rolling from tummy to back- babies typically frill from their back to their tummy first

Rolling from back to tummy- the final milestone in the rolling process.

As a parent, it is only natural to be curious about your baby's milestones and whether or not they are on the right track. When babies start to roll parents often have many questions related to this activity. It is often helpful to have a checklist to guide you and ease your worries.

Here are specific movements you can look for at each mini-milestone when it comes to crawling.

Mini Milestone Checklist: Rolling back to tummy

• Reaching for toys & grabbing them when on their back
• Reaching hands to knees
• Reaching hands to feet
• Rolling from their back to their side while lying down
• Playing on their side lying down while reaching for toys

Mini Milestone Checklist: Rolling tummy to back

• Tummy time lifting head to upright
• Tummy time with tracking toys with eyes & head turns from side to side
• Tummy time while pushing onto forearms
• Tummy time while pushing up onto hands
• Tummy time reaching for toys

For more tips and tricks related to tummy time, check out my Tummy Time Guide for 4 to 6-Month-Old Babies. 

Not as many checkmarks as you would like? Don’t worry – rolling is hard and babies can often struggle.

With my Learning to Roll Video Masterclass here and your baby will master this milestone in no time!