When Do Babies Start Crawling? Developmental Milestones
You see your baby grow a little more, learn a little more, be a little more independent every day. So it’s only natural to wonder when your little one is going to crawl. Watching and assisting your baby work on mastering this new skill is one of the joys of parenthood you’ll get to experience this year, and the moment your little one “gets it” is one you’ll remember for years to come.
Keep reading to find the answers to your questions, like, “When do babies learn to crawl?” and “How old are babies when they crawl?” and discover how you can tell your baby is about to crawl, how you can help, the various crawling types and what to do if your baby doesn’t crawl as expected.
At What Age Do Babies Crawl?
Most babies crawl somewhere between 7 and 10 months. But just like no two babies are the same, your little mover might hit the milestone earlier or later than others. Others (more normal) babies don’t crawl at all.
So if you’re curious when do babies crawl or what’s normal crawling age for babies, remember that every baby grows and develops in his or her own time. Avoid comparing your child with other children. If you’re unsure whether your baby is on track, check with your health care provider.
Signs Your Baby Is Getting Ready to Crawl
Before baby can crawl, of course, he’ll need to learn a series of more complex skills, all of which will help strengthen your baby’s muscles preparing him for crawling.
Here are some things you may notice your baby is doing in preparation for crawling:
- Laying down without being able to stop moving
- Peeking around when they’re on their tummy (when you do supervised tummy time with them)
- One of the most common mistakes that you’ve probably all seen is grabbing their feet when they’re on their back
- Rotating or rolling over when on their back
- When they are on all fours, rocking to and fro on their hands and knees
- Uncovering the most used: Pushing themselves backwards instead of forwards when they’re on all fours
- Drilling in with their knees and springing forward while they’re on all fours.
Crawling is probably not too far away at this stage in your baby’s development, so do keep an eye on them. Avoid leaving them unattended, except where you’re confining them in a safe place like their crib.
If you haven’t already, now is a good time to babyproof your home, too. As you proceed through this process, ensure hazardous goods are securely stowed away and that any unstable furniture is anchored, so your child can’t get into harm’s way when they can move around on their own.
How to Help Encourage Your Baby to Crawl
Babies are pretty much chomping at the bit to motor around and scout the terrain, and they all but teach themselves how to get to where they want to go. But how do you encourage your baby to learn how to crawl? Here are some ideas to help encourage your baby to start crawling:
- When they’re on the floor, hold one of your baby’s favorite objects or toys within their sight and just out of reach, to encourage them to crawl toward it.
- Let them work their way over and under pillows, boxes and other safe objects that you set up for them as an obstacle course and start exerting and perfecting their skills.
- Help your baby to crawl toward one of their favorite objects by demonstrating that you’ve hidden it behind a pillow a few feet away from them on the floor.
These exercises are intended to encourage your baby that crawling is something to be excited about a new adventure to embark on. If you sense they are losing interest, or are getting frustrated, it’s time to end and do something else.
It is helpful to always supervise your baby when they’re playing on the floor and when on their tummy.
Toys to Help Your Baby Crawl
You don’t have to have an exact toy type to try to help with crawling. As we mentioned above, all you need to use is your baby’s favorite toy, and put it a little in front of them to encourage them to move forward. You can even experiment with different sounding toys like rattles to capture your little one’s curiosity.
What Are the Different Crawling Types?
You may even be surprised to know that how we crawl isn’t just one single way—but So Many Ways! Here are some of the more common types of crawls you might observe your baby trying as she practices movement:
- Classic crawl. Your baby crawls on hands and knees, bringing one arm and the opposite knee forward together.
- Bear crawl. Your infant walks (on hands and feet), while the elbows and knees of the infant are straight.
- Belly crawl. Your baby crawls by wiggling and sliding on their stomach. This is commonly referred to as the army crawl.
- Bottom scoot. Your baby pushes themselves forward on their bottom using their arms for propulsion.
- Crab crawl. Your baby shuffles either backward or sideways using their hands.
- Rolling crawl. Your baby travels by rolling from place to place.
What If Your Baby Doesn’t Crawl as Expected?
Like every other baby, your little one is growing on their own schedule and in their own time. Avoid viewing this period in terms of “my baby should have started crawling by now. Also keep in mind that your baby may not crawl in the way that you expect them to. Instead, they might opt to use a different form of transport, such as bottom scooting or belly crawling. Or they might avoid crawling altogether.
Typically, there’s no reason to worry, as long as your baby is figuring out how to coordinate their arms and legs. Their end goal is to figure out how to walk, so don’t dwell on how they’re crawling in the meantime.”
Of course, if you think your baby isn’t moving the way they should be, can’t coordinate each side of their body, or doesn’t use each arm and leg evenly, speak to your health care provider. And don’t hesitate to contact your provider if you have questions or concerns about your baby’s development in general.
What If Your Baby Is Crawling Backwards?
When babies first start crawling, they often go backward, learning how to swing their arms and legs at the same time. This can be frustrating for your little one, but it’s perfectly normal and they will quickly learn.
What If Your Baby Is Crawling With One Leg?
If you notice that your baby does crawling but are mostly using only one side or neglecting one arm or leg while crawling then you should get in touch with your healthcare provider for more guidance. Furthermore, you should make certain your baby attends all of his or her well-child visits.
Stages of Crawling
Each baby crawls their own way and some go straight to cruising after sitting. No crawling is the same, and there are no predetermined steps to crawling, but here are some skills and steps that might develop before and after crawling:
- Rolling over. Around the 4 to 6 month mark, your baby will be getting more active physically. You might find them rolling over and beginning to sit up without too much support.
- Creeping (pushing along on their bellies before your baby crawls on their hands and knees) This is just a type of crawling.
- At 7 to 10 months you may notice your baby experimenting with various styles of crawling as they learn to move and explore their world.
- When their arms and legs grow stronger, your baby will pull themselves up to stand, and eventually start taking little steps while holding onto furniture. All of this is in preparation for taking those first incredible steps independently.
Keep in mind that all children hit milestones at their own pace, and these phases are just a rough guide. As your little one learns new skills, it’s key to be patient and gently encouraging.
If you’re worried about your baby’s development, talk to your healthcare provider for further recommendations, and make sure your baby attends all their well-child appointments.
How to Keep Your Baby Safe When Crawling
Crawling opens up a whole new world for your baby! ’ But that means it’s time to babyproof your home and keep a close eye on your little one. Here are 8 safety precautions to take so your baby does not get injured once they start crawling:
Babyproof the environment:
- Fit safety gates at the top and the bottom of staircases to avoid falls
- Anchor heavy furniture and appliances to the wall so they don’t tip over if your baby pulls up on them
- Corner and edge bumpers Keep furniture with sharp edges in mind
- Keep small items, including coins, buttons and small toys, out of reach to avoid choking
- Cover electrical outlets
- Keep electrical cords, blind cords, and curtain ties away from children to prevent strangulation hazards
- Keep dangerous substances out of reach
Supervise Your Baby:
- Never leave your baby unsupervised while exploring their surroundings. No matter how momentary the absence of supervision, are repeat accidents
- You should have a safe zone for your child to crawl. Keep access to unsafe areas of your home limited with playpens or gated areas
- With your baby exploring, encourage them to play safely and teach that certain areas like the kitchen or bathroom are off-limits.
What to Do If Your Baby Is Not Crawling
As we said earlier in this article, every child parks the crawling milestone pasture at very different times. While most babies begin to crawl somewhere between 7 and 10 months of age, there’s no need to panic if your baby is 8, 9 or 10 months old and still hasn’t crawled — this may happen to them a little later. And if you are asking yourself “Can some babies skip crawling? the answer is yes — some kids by pass this step before standing and walking. This is completely normal.
If you are concerned about your child’s development or movement, talk to your child’s healthcare provider, and take your baby to their healthcare provider for all of their well-child visits.
At the end
Crawling will allow your baby to see and explore his world in a whole new way, and will enjoy this added freedom and mobility. In time, they will be ready for more and will want to join in with everyone else around them who is walking. Enjoy this special time. Crawling is a new adventure for your baby, and in its own way, your baby moving independently is a new adventure for you as a parent, as well.
FAQS
> How to encourage your baby’s eyesight development from 5 to 8 months old?
By 5 to 8 months, your infant’s vision becomes crisper and clearer, and they start seeing more color and depth. This is their first opportunity to work on developing their eyesight and encourage them with colourful, different toys or games that involve their eyes, reaching and grabbing. Play peek-a-boo to teach them about object permanence and provide safe mirror play to encourage self-recognition.
> How to support your baby’s eyesight development from 9 to 12 months?
At around 9 to 12 months of age, babies improve their hand-eye coordination and visual depth perception. Do this by playing games that require rolling a ball back and forth and offering stacking or sorting toys. Books with big, colorful pictures help their eyes focus and follow images, which supports visual tracking, too.
> How to support your baby’s eyesight development from 1 to 2 years?
Big changes happen between 1 and 2 years, as toddlers grow more mobile and move through their environment more vigorously. Foster visual development through activities such as block-building, large-crayon drawing, and outdoor play, where they practice with different textures and the color spectrum. Great detail in the images in a book builds focus and encourages them to recognize the items in the pictures.
