Learning to Crawl

Exploring the World on All Fours

By Shannon McKelden

Along with all the other milestones of infant growth, there is one that puts babies on the move for the first time – crawling. Where once Baby was immobile, content sitting and exploring what was within his reach, suddenly a whole new world opens up: the world of mobility.

Crawling is a precursor to walking, of course, but also primarily a way for infants to begin to explore their environment.

"Crawling helps walking because it allows babies to utilize the muscle groups in their arms, trunk, pelvic girdle and lower legs," says Dr. Ari Brown, pediatrician, mother of two and coauthor of Baby 411 (Windsor Peak, 2006). "Practice builds tone, strength and coordination."

Most babies begin crawling somewhere between 6 and 9 months old. By this time, she will be sitting without support, and her major muscle groups will be strong enough to support her body.

"From sitting, a baby will begin to pivot, rock and go over onto her hands and knees," says Laurie LeComer, author of A Parent's Guide to Developmental Delays: Recognizing and Coping with Missed Milestones in Speech, Movement, Learning and Other Areas (Perigee, 2006) "The strength necessary to crawl can be traced all the way back to the newborn days when she was placed on her tummy and slowly began to strengthen her neck, and then her arms and shoulders, as she pushed up for a better view."

The transition from sitting to crawling may occur gradually over several months. Some of the steps in between include learning to balance on all fours, rocking back and forth on hands and knees and eventually figuring out that pushing off with the knees will give them the forward motion they need to begin to crawl.

Want to see more?

• Walking the Walk: When Babies Start Discovering the World on Two Legs
• The Path to First Milestones: Recognizing Early Motor Delays
• Top 10 Toddler Milestones: Steps in Your Child's Development
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