Skip to content

Top Navigation

Parents Parents
  • GETTING PREGNANT
  • PREGNANCY
  • BABY NAMES
  • BABY
  • TODDLER
  • BIG KID
  • FUN
  • HEALTH
  • PARENTING
  • FOOD
  • HOLIDAY
  • News
  • Moms Run the World
  • THE STAY AT HOME GUIDE
  • SHOP
  • OUR MAGAZINES
  • MORE

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Cozi Family Organizer this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Cozi Family Organizer this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Parents

Parents Parents
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 22 Chore Ideas for Every Type of Kid

      22 Chore Ideas for Every Type of Kid

      Find a chore your kid loves to do, and start a habit of wanting to help out that'll last a lifetime. Read More Next
    • Top 5 Mom Friend Problems—And How to Fix Them

      Top 5 Mom Friend Problems—And How to Fix Them

      Parenting is so much easier with good pals. Learn to overcome friendship hurdles and bond with women who get you. Read More Next
    • How to Sleep Train Toddlers and Big Kids

      How to Sleep Train Toddlers and Big Kids

      I’m a pediatric sleep specialist who has seen it all, and I’m here to tell you that it’s not too late to get your child to (happily) stay in his own bed all night long. Read More Next
  • GETTING PREGNANT

    GETTING PREGNANT

    See All GETTING PREGNANT
    Your Chances of Getting Pregnant Every Day of the Month

    Your Chances of Getting Pregnant Every Day of the Month

    When sex coincides with your most fertile ovulation days, you'll increase your chances of getting pregnant. Get to know each phase of your cycle to make conception faster and easier.
    • Ovulation
    • Reproductive Age
    • Maximizing Your Fertility
    • Pre-Pregnancy Health
    • Trying to Conceive
    • Dealing With Infertility
    • Genetics
  • PREGNANCY

    PREGNANCY

    See All PREGNANCY
    Signs of Approaching Labor: How to Tell Your Baby is Coming Soon

    Signs of Approaching Labor: How to Tell Your Baby is Coming Soon

    Anxiously awaiting your baby’s arrival? Learn to recognize the first signs of labor approaching, which signal that your little one might make an appearance soon.
    • Signs of Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy Week-by-Week
    • Giving Birth
    • Labor & Delivery
    • Pregnancy Symptoms
    • Due Date Calculator
    • Pregnancy Complications
    • Fetal Development
    • Gender Prediction
    • Baby Showers
  • BABY NAMES

    BABY NAMES

    See All BABY NAMES
    These Are the Most Popular Baby Names of 2020

    These Are the Most Popular Baby Names of 2020

    Curious which baby names stole the show this year? From new classics like Noah to tried-and-true faves like Ava, here are the top boy and girl names of the year so far, plus more naming trends to consider.
    • Baby Girl Names
    • Most Popular Names
    • Names by Origin
    • Twin Names
    • Baby Boy Names
    • Names by Religion
    • Celebrity Baby Names
    • Baby Name Quizzes
  • BABY

    BABY

    See All BABY
    How to Decode Your Baby's Cough

    How to Decode Your Baby's Cough

    Caring for a baby with a wet or dry cough? Listen for wheezing, hacking, or barking first, then read on to find out what's normal and when it's time to worry.
    • Newborn Care
    • Crying Baby
    • Health
    • Baby Development
    • Safety
    • Gear
    • Breastfeeding
    • Diapers
    • Sleep Issues
    • Feeding
    • Nursery
  • TODDLER

    TODDLER

    See All TODDLER
    • Preschool Activities
    • Behavior & Discipline
    • Toddler Development
    • Milestones
    • Potty Training
    • Starting School
    • Health
    • Safety
    • Childcare
  • BIG KID

    BIG KID

    See All BIG KID
    How to Deal With Bullies: A Guide for Parents

    How to Deal With Bullies: A Guide for Parents

    Mean kids aren't just a middle-school problem. The trouble has trickled to the youngest grades. Learn how to spot it—and how to protect children of all ages from bullies at school.
    • Education
    • Health
    • Food & Nutrition
    • Bullying & School Problems
    • Child Development
    • Safety
    • Manners & Responsibility
  • FUN

    FUN

    See All FUN
    17 Budget-Friendly Kids’ Birthday Party Ideas

    17 Budget-Friendly Kids’ Birthday Party Ideas

    A fun celebration doesn’t need to cost a pretty penny. Throw a memorable bash with these clever cost-cutting kids’ birthday party ideas.
    • Birthdays
    • Indoor Activities
    • Outdoor Activities
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Printable Coloring Pages
    • Kids' Entertainment
    • Best Toys
    • Holidays
    • Family Vacation Ideas
  • HEALTH

    HEALTH

    See All HEALTH
    All About Coronavirus COVID-19: A Concerned Parent's Guide

    All About Coronavirus COVID-19: A Concerned Parent's Guide

    Here’s everything you need to know about the disease that originated in Wuhan, China.
    • ADD & ADHD
    • Allergies
    • Autism
    • Cold & Flu
    • Coronavirus and COVID-19
    • Cough
    • Down Syndrome
    • Emergency Aid
    • Fever
    • Medication & Vitamins
    • Obesity
    • Rashes
    • Stomach Aches
    • Vaccines
  • PARENTING

    PARENTING

    See All PARENTING
    The Stay at Home Guide for Parents

    The Stay at Home Guide for Parents

    Everything you need to thrive at home as a family.
    • Positive Parenting
    • Parenting Style
    • Celebrity Parents
    • Family Dynamics
    • Divorce
    • Home
    • Adoption
    • Just for Mom
    • Money
    • Toy Recalls
    • Stroller Recalls
  • FOOD

    FOOD

    See All FOOD
    • Family Recipes
    • Baby Food
    • Toddler Finger Food Recipes
    • Hints & Tips
    • Healthy Eating
    • Birthdays
    • Holiday Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Meals
    • Food For Pregnant Women
  • HOLIDAY

    HOLIDAY

    See All HOLIDAY
    19 Mother's Day Gifts Kids Can Make

    19 Mother's Day Gifts Kids Can Make

    Moms love nothing more than a handmade present on Mother's Day. Help the kids make mom feel special with a creative gift from the heart!
    • Christmas
    • New Year's
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • Mother's Day
    • Memorial Day
    • Father's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Hanukkah
  • News
  • Moms Run the World
  • THE STAY AT HOME GUIDE
  • SHOP
  • OUR MAGAZINES

    OUR MAGAZINES

    See All OUR MAGAZINES
    • Parents
    • Parents Latina
    • Ser Padres
  • MORE

    MORE

    • Newsletters
    • Contests
    • #ParentsIRL
    • Adulting
    • First Year Playbook
    • Celebrate Your Way

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Cozi Family Organizer this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Cozi Family Organizer this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

LIVE
  1. Home
  2. Babies
  3. Baby Development
  4. Crawling
  5. How to Teach Your Baby to Crawl

How to Teach Your Baby to Crawl

By Rebecca Felsenthal and Tamekia Reece
Updated October 09, 2020
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
shutterstock_1070778710.jpg

It's downright amazing when your baby starts scooting across the floor. Here's what you need to know about when your baby starts to crawl and how to encourage this fun physical feat.

Start Slideshow

1 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

The Stages of Crawling

baby girl crawling
Credit: George Rudy/Shutterstock

Amelia Hunt started crawling at 7 months, but not in the traditional way. She had her own style: "Sitting up, she would slide across the floor on her bottom," says her mother, Gayle, of Hoboken, New Jersey. Amelia soon abandoned this for a new—albeit less efficient—method. She'd lie flat on her belly and move backward by pushing off with her hands.

Like Amelia, most babies will try a variety of crawling styles, from the butt scoot and backward inchworm to the bear walk (with arms and legs straight and bottom in the air, she'll "walk" on hands and feet) to the leapfrog (on all fours, she pushes off with her legs and practically jumps forward). Eventually, though, most kids settle on the standard crawl. "By 9 months, Amelia was getting around on her hands and knees like a pro," says Hunt.

  • RELATED: When Do Babies Crawl?

1 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Learning Coordination

baby learning to crawl
Credit: Oksana Kuzmina/Shutterstock

"Before crawling, a baby must first lose his infant reflexes—such as flailing his limbs when he's startled—and learn how to coordinate his arms and legs, which is no small feat," says Parents adviser Steven Shelov, M.D., chairman and vice president of Maimonides Infants and Children's Hospital of Brooklyn.

In addition, your little one can't bust a move until he wins an important battle with gravity. "You've got to remember that when a baby is born, he suddenly experiences a pull of gravity ten times stronger than that in the womb," explains Jody Jensen, Ph.D., associate professor in kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas at Austin. "Being able to crawl means your child has learned to resist this pull of gravity while developing the strength to lift up from the ground."

2 of 9

3 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Crawling Backward Is Still a Step Forward

crawling baby boy
Credit: szefei/Shutterstock

Your little one may move backward at first. But with time, he will discover that by shifting his weight from one side to the other, he can coordinate his arms and legs and propel himself forward. (You'll probably notice that your baby spends the weeks—or months—before he actually crawls rocking back and forth on his hands and knees.) Although most babies start creeping between 7 and 10 months, it's not unusual for a child to make his first move much later than this. Experts believe chubbier babies crawl later since it's harder to push up onto all fours and drag their extra body weight. And younger siblings may lack the motivation to move if an older sister or brother is constantly carrying them around or bringing toys within their reach.

3 of 9

Advertisement

4 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Build Those Muscles

baby girl learning to crawl
Credit: Africa Studio/Shutterstock

In order to crawl, your baby must be able to hold themselves up and maintain their balance using the muscles in their stomach, neck, arms, back, and shoulders. Starting supervised tummy time during their first weeks of life makes a difference. Put them on a blanket or a playmat on the floor for three to five minutes two or three times a day. Place a toy just out of their grasp, or try to get them to reach for you. Whenever they lift their head, look to the side, or kick, they’re developing strength in their upper body, core, and legs. As their muscles grow, steadily increase tummy time to a total of 40 to 60 minutes each day.

  • RELATED: Your Guide to Tummy Time

4 of 9

5 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Be Sure to Babyproof

baby crawling outside
Credit: pkproject/Shutterstock

Your baby's newfound mobility isn't just exciting, it also changes his perspective on the world and his place in it. "Once your baby starts to move, he realizes that he can go after things that rolled under a couch or chase his mommy," says Jayne Singer, Ph.D., clinical director of Parent-Infant Mental Health at Children's Hospital Boston. "It's truly exciting and empowering for a baby."

It can also be bittersweet for you. While it's fun to watch your baby crawl, it's also the first sign that he doesn't need you quite as much. His newfound mobility also means he's more likely to get injured. "People underestimate a baby's speed and strength," says Steve Weinstein, president of the International Association for Child Safety. "Keep in mind that most accidents happen when parents are just six feet away from their child." If you haven't already babyproofed your house, do it now. Put baby gates at the top and bottom of staircases, and move houseplants—which can be a choking hazard—off the floor.

5 of 9

6 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Start to Teach Discipline

parents and crawling baby
Credit: Syda Productions/Shutterstock

This is also a good time to introduce the first stages of discipline. Now that your little one has started exploring, it's your responsibility to firmly but gently tell him no when he gets too close to an electrical outlet or won't stop harassing the dog. Of course, don't let anxiety about his safety get the best of you. "Smile and cheer him on as he moves across the floor," says Dr. Singer. "Your enthusiasm will encourage him to keep trying new things."

6 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Voice Any Concerns

baby girl crawling
Credit: Olesia Bilkei/Shutterstock

Talk to your child’s pediatrician if your baby has not shown signs of mobility (such as scooting) by their first birthday, or if they crawl with asymmetric movements (like dragging their right leg). Otherwise, their style of crawling, or lack thereof, is likely fine. They may not be interested in crawling because they’re focused on building other skills, such as babbling. Be patient; your baby will find a way to get around when they’re ready.

  • RELATED: Learn About Delayed Crawling in Babies

7 of 9

8 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

When Baby Skips Crawling

baby boy crawling with dad
Credit: Dmytro Zinkevych/Shutterstock

You've been waiting and waiting for your little one to start creeping across the floor, yet he seems perfectly happy to stay put. What's the deal? In about 5 to 7 percent of kids, crawling never happens. Instead, they go straight from sitting, to pulling up, to standing, and then walking. "Parents need to know that this is perfectly normal. It doesn't mean that your child isn't developmentally on target," says Jody Jensen, Ph.D., associate professor in kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas at Austin.

Most likely, your baby's temperament is playing a role, since placid babies are often content to stay in one place. Or your little one could be so focused on trying to communicate and say his first words that he's less inclined to test herself physically. However, talk to your doctor if your 1-year-old isn't mobile at all and was also delayed with other physical milestones such as lifting his head and sitting upright. He'll want to rule out problems like low muscle tone, and he may have he vision tested—since babies who can't see objects at a distance don't have the motivation to go after them.

8 of 9

9 of 9

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

See How They Scoot

crawling baby with hat
Credit: Andrey_Kuzmin/Shutterstock

Here's a quick snapshot of four of the most common crawling techniques:

Standard: The classic crawl: She alternates a hand on one side and a knee on the other to get around.

Crab: By bending one knee and extending the other leg, she slowly propels herself sideways.

Commando: Lying flat on his belly, he manages to drag himself forward using his forearms.

Roll: Before they are strong enough to get up on all fours, some babies roll to get where they want to go.

9 of 9

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Rebecca Felsenthal and Tamekia Reece

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 9 The Stages of Crawling
    2 of 9 Learning Coordination
    3 of 9 Crawling Backward Is Still a Step Forward
    4 of 9 Build Those Muscles
    5 of 9 Be Sure to Babyproof
    6 of 9 Start to Teach Discipline
    7 of 9 Voice Any Concerns
    8 of 9 When Baby Skips Crawling
    9 of 9 See How They Scoot

    Share options

    Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

    Login

    Shop | Parents

    • Diaper Bags
    • Maternity Clothing
    • Prenatal Vitamins
    • Car Seats
    • Breast Pumps
    • Maternity Dresses
    • Baby Shower Gifts
    • Baby Gates
    • Pregnancy Pillows
    • Kids Backpacks
    • Shop More Next

    Parents may receive compensation when you click through and purchase from links contained on this website.

    Parents

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • About Us
    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
    • Cozi Family Organizer this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • From Our Sponsors this link opens in a new tab
    • Affiliate Program this link opens in a new tab
    • Sitemap

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Other Meredith Sites

    Other Meredith Sites

    • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
    • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
    • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
    • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
    • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
    • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
    • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
    • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
    • Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
    • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
    • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
    • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
    • More this link opens in a new tab
    • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
    • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
    • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
    • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
    • People this link opens in a new tab
    • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
    • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
    • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
    • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
    • Shape this link opens in a new tab
    • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
    • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
    • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
    • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
    MeredithParents.com is part of the Parents Network. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.parents.com

    View image

    How to Teach Your Baby to Crawl
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.