At some point your crawler is going to want to go where you go, and that includes the back deck, the patio, the lawn and the beach. Outdoor crawling is good, messy fun. It also means new surfaces, new textures and a lot more laundry.
Here is a practical, surface-by-surface guide to what a baby should wear to crawl outside, and how to set up each spot so floor time goes smoothly.
The basics for any outdoor surface
Whatever the ground is made of, a few things hold true.
- Cover the knees. Outdoor surfaces are rougher than the kitchen floor. A layer of fabric over the knees makes a big difference to how they look at the end of the afternoon.
- Dress for the weather, not the activity. A baby crawling in the sun warms up quickly. Thin cotton in warm weather, a light extra layer when it is cool.
- Bring a blanket. A big washable blanket or outdoor mat turns any surface into a home base.
- Pack a spare outfit. Grass stains, mud, sand and juice will happen, sometimes all at once.
- Check the ground. A quick scan and a hand on the surface takes ten seconds and saves a lot of fishing things out of mouths.
Decks
Wood and composite decks are often the easiest outdoor spot to start with. They are flat, mostly clean, and right outside the door.
Watch for: heat and splinters. Decks in full sun can get very hot, and dark composite boards especially. Press the back of your hand on the boards and hold it there. If you want to pull away, it is too hot for knees and hands. Older wood decks can have rough patches and raised splinters, so run a hand over the area where the baby will play. Gaps between boards are also great at swallowing small toys.
What to wear: long, light pants or a long-leg romper so knees are not on bare boards. Long sleeves are handy too, since crawlers lean on their elbows and forearms more than you would think.
Patios, concrete and pavers
Concrete and stone are the roughest common surfaces. This is where bare knees in shorts tend to come back looking scuffed.
Watch for: heat in direct sun, grit, small gravel, and the edges between pavers. Sweep the area if you can. A dropped snack attracts ants fast.
What to wear: this is the surface where covered knees matter most. Sturdy cotton pants, a romper with thicker knees, or an outfit with padding built in. Even better, put a mat or blanket down and let them crawl on and off it.
Grass
Grass is the softest of the outdoor surfaces and the one most babies have the strongest opinion about. Some love it. Some freeze and hold their hands up like they have touched lava. Both are normal. Give them time, sit on the grass with them, and let them feel it at their own pace.
Watch for: sticks, acorns, pine cones, rocks, pet waste, mushrooms and anything else that might end up in a mouth. Walk the area before they go down. Wet grass soaks through clothes fast, so morning dew means a wet baby. Lawns that were recently treated with chemicals are worth skipping for a while, and if you are unsure, ask whoever treated it.
What to wear: light pants or leggings help with the itch some babies feel from grass on bare legs. Light colors show stains more, so if this is a regular activity, pick outfits you do not mind getting green. If your baby's skin often looks irritated after grass time, mention it to your pediatrician.
The beach
Sand is soft, warm and endlessly interesting, and it gets everywhere. Crawling on sand is harder work than crawling on a floor, so expect shorter bursts.
Watch for: hot dry sand in the middle of the day, shells and bits of debris, and the fact that every handful is a potential snack. Set up in the shade with an umbrella or tent, and lay down a blanket so there is a sand-free zone.
What to wear: lightweight, sun-covering clothes are the standard for little ones at the beach, plus a wide-brim hat. A thin long-sleeve top and light pants or a full-length swimsuit cover knees and arms on the sand. Sunscreen guidance depends on the baby's age, so check with your pediatrician before your trip.
Beach tip: sand brushes off dry skin much more easily than wet skin, so let them dry off before you try to clean up. Keep a jug of water in the car to rinse hands and feet before the car seat.
Parks and playgrounds
Parks mix everything together: grass, wood chips, rubber surfacing, concrete paths and sand. Rubber playground surfacing is springy but can get hot in the sun. Wood chips are uncomfortable on bare knees and tend to come home in diapers.
What to wear: a one-piece outfit is ideal here. It cannot ride up when they crawl, so their back and belly stay covered, and the knees stay covered on every surface.
What about knee pads outside?
Some parents reach for separate knee pads for outdoor crawling. They can work for short stretches. The common complaint is that they slide down. Parents often say separate knee pads end up around the ankles, especially on a busy crawler, and outdoor crawling is about as busy as it gets.
The alternative is an outfit with the padding built into it. Our padded onesie is a cotton onesie with quilted padding at the knees, elbows and seat. Because the padding is part of the garment, there is nothing to pull back up, whether they are on the deck, the patio or a blanket on the lawn. It is daywear for crawling and play, and it puts a layer of cushioning between knees and the ground. It will not stop every bump or scuff, but it helps make outdoor floor time a little kinder.
An outdoor crawling bag
- A large washable blanket or outdoor mat
- A spare outfit, plus a spare for the spare if there is sand involved
- A sun hat that ties or snaps on
- Wipes and a wet bag for dirty clothes
- A few toys that are easy to rinse
- Water for rinsing hands and feet
- Snacks for you, because you will be sitting on the ground for a while
The short version
Babies love crawling outside, and it is worth doing. Check the surface with your hand, scan for things they might eat, put down a blanket, and cover the knees. Decks and patios need the most coverage, grass needs the most scanning, and the beach needs the most shade.
From the kitchen tile to the back deck, a padded onesie is one easy way to keep knees covered wherever they roam.