On the Move! Your In-Depth Guide to When Babies Start Crawling

Seeing your baby explore their surroundings is a special part of being a parent. When they first push up, rock, and move forward, it’s a big step toward independence. It’s normal to ask, "When do babies start crawling?"

At Kiddicare, we know that each milestone brings both excitement and questions. This guide will give you expert advice about this stage, so you can feel ready and confident as your baby starts to explore.

At What Age Do Babies Crawl? The Typical Timeline

Most babies start crawling, scooting, or moving in their own way between 7 and 10 months old. But every child is different, and there’s a wide range of what’s considered normal.

A Note on Milestones and Individuality

While most babies crawl between 7 and 10 months, some start as early as six months, and others may wait until they are almost one year old.

Expert Insight: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently removed the hands-and-knees crawl from its list of official milestones. What matters most is that your baby can move to reach a destination by 12 months, no matter how they do it. Every baby finds their own way!

The Skills That Precede Crawling

Crawling doesn’t happen all at once. It takes a mix of motor skills that your baby has been building since birth. These key skills include:

• Tummy Time Strength: Lifting the head and chest against gravity to strengthen the neck, shoulders, and core.
• Head and Arm Control: Being able to hold the head steady and bear weight on the arms.
• Rolling Over: The ability to roll from back to front and front to back, which demonstrates coordination and core strength.
• Sitting Up: Sitting without support, which shows advanced balance and core stability.

Signs Your Baby Is Getting Ready to Crawl

Before your baby starts crawling, you’ll notice some early movements. Seeing these signs means crawling is coming soon.

Key Signs of Crawling Readiness

1. Mini Push-Ups and Planking: During tummy time, your baby will push up onto straight arms, lifting their chest high off the floor. They may even rise into a "plank" position on their hands and toes. This builds crucial upper-body strength.
2. Pivoting and Circling: Your baby learns they can use their arms to rotate on their belly, spinning in a circle to reach a toy. This is their first taste of directional movement.
3. Rocking on Hands and Knees: Your baby gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth. This helps them practice shifting their weight, balancing, and learning the movement needed for crawling.
4. Lunging or Reaching: When a favourite toy is just out of reach, your baby will stretch, reach, and lunge forward. This shows they want to move on their own.
5. Transitioning to Sitting: The ability to move smoothly from lying on their belly to sitting up shows excellent core control and body awareness, which is vital for starting and stopping a crawl.
6. Increased Tummy Time Tolerance: Your baby will spend more time on their tummy because they have the strength and control to look around and play. Choosing comfortable, well-fitting nappies that don’t bunch or restrict movement can make floor time and early crawling much easier for your baby.

Stages of Crawling: The Development Timeline

Learning to crawl is about building body control and coordination. The stages may overlap, but they usually happen in this order:

What Are the Different Crawling Types?

When people think of crawling, they often picture the classic hands-and-knees movement. But babies find many creative ways to move, and all of them are normal.

The Major Crawling Styles

1. The Classic (or Reciprocal) Crawl:

• Description: The baby is up on hands and knees, moving forward by alternating one hand and the opposite knee (e.g., left hand, right knee, then right hand, left knee).

• Why it's essential: This cross-lateral movement is excellent for brain development because it makes both sides of the brain work together.

2. The Commando (or Army) Crawl:

• Description: The baby drags their body along the floor on their belly, primarily using their arms to pull forward.

• Is it normal? Absolutely. This is often the first form of proper mobility.

3. The Bottom Shuffle (or Scoot):

• Description: The baby sits upright and propels themselves forward using their hands and legs to scoot on their bottom.

• A unique note: Babies who shuffle on their bottoms may skip hands-and-knees crawling and might walk a bit later than others, but this way of moving is just fine.

4. The Bear Crawl:

• Description: Similar to the classic crawl, but the baby keeps their elbows and knees straight, moving on hands and feet like a small bear.

5. The Crab Crawl:

• Description: The baby pushes themselves sideways or backwards using one leg and one arm. It’s effective, if a little unconventional!

The Takeaway: No matter how your baby moves, the important thing is that they are able to get from one place to another. Each style just shows your baby’s unique strengths and preferences.

How to Help Encourage Your Baby to Crawl

As a parent, you can help your baby build the strength and motivation they need to start crawling.

6 Encouraging Strategies

1. Maximise Tummy Time (The Foundation):

• Start early and make it a daily routine. Tummy time builds the necessary neck, shoulder, and core strength.

• Make tummy time fun by getting on the floor with your baby, using a mirror, or putting toys in a circle around them.

2. Use Toys as Motivation:

• Put a favourite toy just out of reach to encourage your baby to stretch, lunge, and move toward it. Wanting to reach something is a strong motivator.

3. Create a "Crawling Roadblock":

• Use a rolled-up blanket or a small nursing pillow placed under their chest (during tummy time) to help lift their body and encourage them to bear weight on their arms.

4. Be a Crawling Model:

• Try crawling on your hands and knees. Babies learn by watching you, so seeing you crawl may encourage them to try it too. You can even turn it into a fun game.

5. Limit "Container Time":

• Try not to keep your baby in car seats, swings, or bouncers for too long. These are helpful for safety, but too much time in them limits your baby’s chance to move and build muscles for crawling.

6. Vary the Surface:

• Let your baby practice crawling on different safe surfaces. Carpet gives them grip, while mats or wooden floors use different muscles. Make sure their clothes help them get good traction, or let them go barefoot if it’s safe.

How to Keep Your Baby Safe When Crawling (Baby-Proofing Essentials)

Once your baby starts moving, your home can become an obstacle course. Please don’t wait until they crawl to start baby-proofing, begin a few months ahead of time.

Your Baby-Proofing Checklist

1. Secure Furniture:

   • Anchor all heavy furniture, like dressers, bookshelves, and TV stands, to the wall with anti-tip straps. Crawling babies often try to pull themselves up.

2. Stairs and Entryways:

   • Install sturdy, hardware-mounted safety gates at the top and bottom of all stairs. Gates for doorways leading to off-limits areas (like a laundry room or home office) are also highly recommended.

3. Outlets and Cords:

   • Cover all unused electrical outlets with sliding covers or box-style covers.

   • Keep all electrical cords and window blind cords out of your baby’s reach. Long, dangling cords can be a serious hazard.

4. Cabinet and Drawer Locks:

   • Install child-proof locks or latches on all low-lying cabinets and drawers, especially in the kitchen, bathrooms, and utility areas where cleaning products, medicine, or sharp objects are stored.

5. Sharp Edges:

   • Place soft corner bumpers on sharp edges of furniture, such as coffee tables, hearths, and entertainment centres, which are often at head height for a newly upright baby.

6. Floors and Small Objects:

• • Get down on your hands and knees and check the floor for small items like coins, batteries, toy parts, or pet food. Crawling babies explore with their hands and mouths, so keeping the area clean and ensuring nappies are changed promptly to avoid leaks during floor play helps maintain a hygienic environment.

What If Your Baby Doesn’t Crawl as Expected?

It’s easy to compare your baby’s progress to others or to online charts. If your baby isn’t crawling between 7 and 10 months, try to stay calm and keep yourself informed.

Is Skipping Crawling Okay?

Yes! Some babies skip the hands-and-knees crawl and go straight to cruising or walking. If your baby finds another way to move, like scooting or commando crawling, they are still building essential motor skills.

When to Consult Your Paediatrician

While every baby is different, it is wise to consult your paediatrician or child health nurse if you notice the following signs:

• No Interest in Mobility by 12 Months: Your baby is not attempting to move around (by any means: crawling, scooting, rolling) to get to a toy or person.
• Asymmetrical Movement: Your baby consistently uses only one side of their body to move (e.g., only pushing with one arm and dragging the opposite leg). This could signal a muscle imbalance that a professional can address.
• Lack of Pre-Crawling Milestones: Your baby is not meeting earlier milestones like rolling over, sitting unassisted, or bearing weight on their arms by the expected age.
• Muscle Concerns: Your baby's movements seem rigid, or their muscles feel overly stiff or floppy.

Your paediatrician is the best person to give you advice and can refer you to a physical therapist if needed. They’ll help make sure your baby is building the strength for future skills.

Summary

Crawling is an exciting time of discovery and independence for your baby. Here are the main things to remember:

• The Average: Most babies start to crawl between 7 and 10 months.
• Individuality is Key: Every style of locomotion (classic crawl, scoot, commando) is a valid path to walking.
• Focus on Strength: Encourage movement with plenty of supervised tummy time and floor play.
• Safety First: Baby-proof your home well before your baby becomes mobile to create a safe space for exploration.