Chase the Rolling Jar
Crawl together after a rattling container and turn the chase into playful movement practice.
- 9 months
- Quick prep
- At home
- About 5 minutes
Developmental benefits
- Movement：A rolling, rattling jar gives your baby a clear reason to crawl toward a moving target.
- Cognitive：Shaking, listening to, looking at, and chasing the jar gives your baby repeated ways to explore the same object.
Preparation
What You’ll Need
- 1
Container with a tightly secured lid
- 2
rice sealed inside to make a rolling rattle
Step 1
Hear It and Crawl Toward It
Roll the rattling container in front of your baby. Its sound may draw their attention and curiosity, inviting them to crawl after it.
What to notice
- Crawls after the rolling container
Gross Motor - Looks curious about what is inside after hearing the container rattle
Initiative and Curiosity
Tips
- Choose a toy your baby finds interesting so crawling has a clear, inviting goal.
- Crawling lets your baby explore space with the whole body. If they are not yet crawling on hands and knees, they may begin by belly-crawling or rocking in position.
Step 2
Catch It and Keep Crawling
After your baby catches the jar, give them time to shake, listen to, and look at it. When their attention begins to shift, roll it again—perhaps a little farther—to begin another chase.
What to notice
- Holds the jar and shakes it up and down to hear the sound
Exploration and Discovery - Looks toward the container when you roll it away again Gross Motor
Tips
- Catching the container and getting to explore it lets your baby experience a direct result of their action: “I crawled over, and I reached what I wanted.”
- While your baby explores the container, avoid interrupting. A complete stretch of play supports sustained attention and #ATL-CSR.
Step 3
Race for the Rattling Container
Turn the chase into a crawling race. Crawl ahead, glance back, and warmly invite your baby to follow. Your movement and playful anticipation can make crawling feel like a shared game.
What to notice
- Chases the jars alongside you as a game
Relationships with Adults - Tracks the rolling container with their eyes
Emergent Mathematical Thinking
Tips
- A familiar caregiver can be the most motivating destination. Crawling together may encourage your baby to travel farther and repeat the effort.
- A motivating target may invite several crawling attempts. Repeated pushing with the legs gives your baby more practice moving forward.
Better Parenting Content Team · Updated September 11, 2026