What time do babies start crawling and how to help them

Each child is, first of all, an individual. That is why the question of what time do children crawl can give different answers. Many parents proudly note the fact that the child immediately walked, skipping the crawling period.

However, this stage of development is very important, because when a child begins to crawl, this indicates that he begins to think, because for the synchronous movement of arms and legs it is necessary to use many brain receptors.

When does a baby start crawling?

Newborn babies are born with a reflex, the essence of which is that the baby makes crawling movements, lying on his stomach, and pushes off with his heels from the palm of an adult. Of course, this cannot be called crawling. This is just a reflex that will fade away after 4 months.

The child begins to prepare for crawling from the moment when he can roll over onto his stomach without the help of his parents, which most often happens after reaching the age of 3 months.

Depending on physical development, a child can make successful attempts to crawl from the age of 5 months. Although, most often, this happens in the period from 6 to 9 months - when all the muscles become stronger and can withstand such physical activity.

Child development calendar

Regardless of what time children start crawling, they must do this without fail. Crawling helps a child to properly develop thinking, prepare his body for further achievements, and not overload the spine, which is not yet strong enough to walk on its feet.

When children begin to crawl, on all fours or otherwise, depends on their physical fitness. The whole process begins at about 5 months. The child is already turning over on his tummy, looking around with pleasure.

When he begins to rest with his palms and legs, if you hold him by the armpits, then you can already lay the baby on the floor so that he feels space (some pediatricians advise starting to do this at 4 months).

At 5-6 months, the baby should be placed on his stomach more often. From this position he will quickly learn all the necessary motor skills.

Period	Crawling development
6 months	Creeping occurs - the stage that prepares crawling. The baby is already standing up and has support on his arms. Raising his body, he tries to crawl to the toy of interest. It is important to help the baby by creating support for his legs: the mother should place her palms or a cushion.
6-7 months	Children are already beginning to crawl sideways, backwards or in circles. Learn active independent rollovers from stomach to back.
7 months	You should start teaching your child how to overcome small elevations. A flat pillow is suitable for these purposes. To make learning fun and interesting, parents should choose suitable games and exercises.
8 months	The baby actively crawls in any direction and easily crawls to a toy located at a distance. Can crawl onto a hill - a pillow or a small slide.

It is important to follow the rules:

Carry out daily exercises to promote crawling.
Give freedom to the baby. He should be on the floor for a long time, and not in the playpen or bed.
Visit an orthopedist and neurologist in a timely manner.

Required level of physical development

A 10 month old child sits steadily on the sofa

But still, when does a baby start to sit and crawl? What does mastering these skills depend on? The answer is very simple - it depends on the degree of physical development of the baby. How strong the muscles of the back, arms and legs are, how strong the spine is - all this indicates whether your baby is ready to sit up or crawl on his own.

In order for a child to independently take a sitting position, his back and abdominal muscles must be sufficiently strong. But even under this condition, a sitting position places a large load on the newborn’s spine. The baby is ready to sit down if:

he himself can easily roll over from his stomach to his back and back;
moves his arms a lot, catches your hands in order to lift himself up;
holds his head freely and confidently and makes attempts to lift his upper body on his arms.

Body weight plays a big role - the more the baby weighs, the harder it is for him to learn new motor skills and the more load the spine receives. Chubby children usually begin to sit later than their thinner peers.

In order to crawl independently, the child must confidently lift the upper part of the body on his arms (which means the muscles of the upper limbs must be developed and strong), and have sufficiently strong muscles in the back and legs.

What should the crawling surface be like, safety precautions

When children begin to crawl, it is important to prepare a firm work surface for them (a bed or sofa is not suitable for this purpose). A baby crawling on all fours can easily get injured, so you also need to think about safety.

Precautionary measures:

Parents need to monitor the room temperature. It should not exceed 23 degrees. Cold air should not blow across the floor, but you should remember about systematic ventilation and humidification (the norm is at least 30%).
Clothes should be comfortable. Comfort and freedom of movement are important. You should not overheat the child, put on him several sweaters and rompers.
For safety reasons, it is necessary to remove all wires from the floor and cover sockets. Dangerous objects should be removed from the lower shelves, and unstable objects should be removed from the upper shelves, those that can easily fall, for example, when hit or shaken.
It is required to exercise constant control to ensure that the baby does not reach various chemical liquids, animal bowls, hot mugs, and cosmetics.
You cannot leave a small child alone in the room. If an adult needs to leave (even for a minute), the baby should be placed in a crib or playpen.
Parents should not be afraid of dirt and germs from the floor. It is important for the baby to get used to them and develop immunity. However, it is certainly necessary to observe the rules of basic cleanliness. The carpet should be free of crumbs, stains and animal hair.

Some children simply do not have the opportunity to master the skill of crawling because they are always in a crib, playpen or in their arms. Such children most often get back on their feet immediately. Orthopedic experts believe that this has an adverse effect on the musculoskeletal system.

Methods and stages of crawling in boys and girls

Mastering the skill of crawling depends on several criteria - the child’s physical fitness, term (premature babies usually begin to crawl at about 10 months), as well as the degree of development of the nervous system.

It is believed that girls begin to crawl a little earlier than boys.

It is worth noting that the presence or absence of some stages will depend on how many months the child tries to crawl. Many children skip the second period and immediately begin to actively move on all fours.

Crawling on the stomach, when the child moves on his belly in any direction.
Stand on all fours, when the child can sway back and forth and try to stay in this position.
Cross crawling, when the child begins to move his left leg at the same time as his right hand, and vice versa.

In fact, everyone develops the skill of crawling gradually and step by step:

At 3 months

It becomes more interesting for the child to lie on his stomach. He confidently holds his head and looks at the space around him.

At 4 months

The baby can already lift himself up with the help of his hands, lying on his stomach, and turn in all directions. If an adult puts it on its legs, the baby, albeit hesitantly, will rest against the surface.

At 5 months

The baby begins to master the method of crawling on his belly, and also tries to sit down.

At 6-7 months

The baby is becoming more and more active, has mastered turning over from tummy to back, gets on all fours, and continues to master the skill of crawling. There are several types of crawling, and each child chooses the one that is most convenient and interesting for him.

At 8-9 months

From about 9 months, the child moves to the last stage, which by 10 months ends with confident crawling on all fours. The last stage of crawling can last quite a long time, or end as soon as the child begins to move independently on his feet.

Stomach crawling

The easiest way for a child to start learning to crawl is with this method. Already at the age of 3 months, many people become interested in lying on their tummy and looking at the world around them.

The baby makes involuntary crawling movements and tries to move towards objects of interest. However, at this age he is not yet able to rise up, and he automatically presses his stomach to the floor. In this manner of crawling, it is not possible to move at a fast pace, and most often babies crawl backwards rather than forwards.

The method is very useful for strengthening the muscles of the neck and back, for improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, given that three-month-old babies sometimes suffer from colic. Crawling on your stomach is an effective method of getting rid of such unpleasant sensations.

In Plastun style

Plunge crawling is distinguished by the movement of the legs. The child lies on his stomach with his legs spread wide apart. Then he bends his knees, pushes off the floor and, straightening his legs, moves forward. He also uses his arms, lifting himself up on them and pulling up his torso.

This method of movement is important for development, as it improves the baby’s coordination of movements and is a prevention of diseases associated with the hip joints.

On knees

When a child becomes able to move on all fours, then he already knows how to sit, because it is from this position that it is most convenient to start crawling. Experts point out that this method is the most difficult, since the baby is required to hold his body in an elevated position. He must be able to maintain balance and coordinate his movements.

In the first stages of mastering movement on all fours, the baby will simply stand still, rocking back and forth. Once he gets used to it, he will be able to move very quickly around the room, quickly and consciously reach the desired object.

This crawling is useful for the following reasons:

Forms the curves of the spine.
Teaches the baby the correct distribution of the load on the body during movement.
Teaches the child how to control his body.

Cross crawl

When children just begin to crawl on all fours, they move with the help of one arm and a leg parallel to it. Over time, they reach a new stage in crawling development called crossover.

This crawling option is the fastest and most technically difficult. The child already knows how to alternate arms and legs and crawls using the leg opposite to the arm. In this position, the baby can stand steadily on his knee and hand while lifting the opposite ones.

The technique allows you to move as quickly as possible in a straight line and teaches you to maintain balance.

Cross traffic

Crawling in children occurs in stages.

It depends on several factors:

Degree of development of the muscular corset. The faster the spine and arms become stronger, the more confident the baby will feel while crawling on all fours.
Formation of the psyche and nervous system. When a baby begins to crawl and sit, his brain is actively working. By this moment, the neural connections that are responsible for the coordination of movement should be fully formed.
Individual characteristics. Character and temperament influence the age at which a child begins to crawl. Active children, who cannot stay still for a minute, master movement skills much earlier than calm kids. No pediatrician can tell you exactly what time boys start crawling; this happens on an individual basis.

Babies who were born prematurely begin to get up on all fours several months later than full-term infants. At what time a baby begins to crawl also depends on his physique. Children with excess body weight cannot support their own weight on fragile arms, so they master the skill of movement only at 10 months of age.

“The period at which a child begins to crawl on all fours depends on the parents, since they must create favorable conditions for the development of this skill.”

For a baby to be able to acquire the skill of real crawling, during which synchronous movement of the limbs occurs, at least six months must pass from the moment of his birth. Experts call 8-9 months of age the optimal time for a child to move on all fours, but there are no strict standards.

Benefits for the baby

“Walking” on all fours is useful not only from the point of view of physical development, but also has a significant impact on the baby’s intelligence. That’s why it’s so important for a baby to learn to crawl before he starts sitting up.

The benefits of timely crawling:

spatial orientation and good coordination of movements;
normalization of sleep;
preparation for being in a vertical position;
strengthening the back muscles and the whole body as a whole;
stimulation of the limbs and rapid formation of the speech apparatus, because it has been scientifically proven that fingers are interconnected with verbal abilities (psychomotor skills);
joint flexibility and mobility.

The most common mistake parents make is that they try to quickly teach their baby to be in an upright position. There is no need to rush to sit the child down, because the formation of posture and muscle corset occurs in infancy, and the health of the back depends on how early the child began to sit and walk.

The optimal age for sitting is 8-9 months. When the baby makes his first attempts to sit up, he will be more confident. In this position, many new perspectives open up for him: he can easily reach the desired object, the viewing angle increases and he can easily see mom and dad, learn new games and sit on a special highchair.

Depending on gender

Girls develop much faster than boys, so they begin to master the skills of crawling, sitting and walking earlier. Already at 4 months, a little princess can surprise her parents with active movement on the carpet, and her son will show such results a few months later.

There is no need to panic if the baby does not start crawling within a certain time frame, because each child is an individual and there is no need to compare him with someone else. If he is healthy and active, everything is fine.

Exercises to help you master crawling

The famous doctor Komarovsky believes that the skill of crawling will come on its own and there is no need to teach the child to sit, crawl and walk. The main thing is to do gymnastics and hardening.

Not all experts agree with this, but you should always perform basic general strengthening exercises. They will minimally help develop the skill of crawling, so that it will be easier for the baby in the future.

Fitball exercises

Exercises on a fitball are very useful for the development of motor activity of a baby.

Let's look at some of them:

Wiggle. It is necessary to place the baby on the tummy and rock it slightly. Then repeat the same on the back. It is important that about an hour passes after eating before classes.

Handle support. The baby lies on his tummy, the adult holds his legs and pushes the ball forward. As soon as the child’s hands approach the floor, he will voluntarily unclench his fists and put them forward. This exercise is useful because it develops the baby's reaction and support on the palms, and this is very important in crawling.

Leg support. In this exercise, the baby lies on his tummy in the same way, and the adult, holding him with his hand, pushes him back. It is necessary that the baby touches the floor with his entire foot.

Experts advise placing the ball in the crib where the baby is lying. He will be able to push off with his feet. This method perfectly stimulates the flexion and extension of the legs.

Gymnastics for the arms

When a child begins to crawl on all fours, it is important that his entire body is well physically prepared. That is why it is necessary to strengthen the baby’s arms in advance, preparing them for crawling.

The baby lies on a hard surface on his back. Mom puts her thumb in the baby's hands. When he grabs it tightly, you need to smoothly raise and lower his arms.
Next, the mother spreads the baby’s arms to the sides and crosses them on her chest. You can perform this exercise either in combination with the previous one or separately.
An interesting exercise: Boxing. The mother needs to insert her thumb into the baby’s palms and alternately pull his arms forward (as if “boxing”). You should start with slow stretches and gradually move to fast ones.
The last general strengthening exercise is to completely lift the baby by the arms. This must be done smoothly and slowly. Then calmly lower it into place in the same way.

Flip exercises

This exercise is important for those kids who have not yet fully mastered rollovers. It is also useful for strengthening all the muscles of the body.

The mother holds the baby tightly by the hand, placing her finger in his palm. With her right hand, the mother holds the baby’s left leg and turns his hand, helping him to roll over. To make it more interesting, you can put your favorite toy nearby, which the baby will try to turn to, first with his mother’s help, and then on his own.

Exercise “get the rattle”

Parents place the baby on his tummy on a hard surface. There is a favorite rattle in front of him, but it should be placed so that he cannot immediately grab it. If the baby's several attempts are unsuccessful, parents should give him a rattle and switch to another activity. After some time, it is worth repeating the exercise again.

Pediatricians note that it is bright favorite toys that are an excellent incentive for the development of crawling skills in children. After all, you really want to get the treasured thing, but to do this you have to work hard and master the skill of crawling.

Exercise with a roller

To perform this exercise, you need to form a roller and place it under the chest for the child lying on his tummy. In this position, the head and arms will hang from the roller, and the stomach and legs will lie on a hard surface. The baby will be interested in playing with his toys from this position, turning his head in all directions and communicating with his parents.

The exercise not only helps to master the skill of crawling, but also perfectly strengthens the vestibular apparatus.

Exercise "frog"

The child must be placed on his back. The mother should bend the baby’s legs into the “frog” position, then straighten them.

It is important to monitor the general emotional state of the baby. You should not perform the exercise if he is crying.

The next step: the mother turns the baby onto his stomach and makes a support for the legs from her palms. He pushes off and crawls forward.

You should put various bright toys in front of him that will attract attention and give an incentive to crawl towards them.

The baby’s interest in exercises will only grow if you choose suitable poems and tell them emotionally. Singing songs can also captivate the child so that he himself begins to make funny sounds, trying to sing along with his parents.

Exercises for child development

All children need to be helped to develop correctly, no matter how active the baby is.

There are simple exercises for this that any little one will enjoy:

You should extend your hands to the child and allow him to grab them. He will try to sit up or sit up. It will remain in an elevated position for some time, after which you need to lower the child back so that the back and abdominal muscles relax. This exercise is repeated several times. It is necessary to hold the baby's hands with your fingers - not everyone can grasp tightly enough and keep their body in an elevated position (the hands may unclench and the child will fall).
For this exercise, you need to turn the baby onto his stomach and lift him, holding his body under the chest. He will begin to rest his hands on the surface of the table or floor, the muscles of his back and buttocks will tense, and his head will rise (the baby tries to look forward). This exercise should be repeated several times.

These exercises are carried out only on a hard surface. Each position fixation should last several seconds; the child should not be allowed to overexert himself. After such exercise, you can do a massage to relax the strained muscles. These exercises are designed to strengthen the back and abdominal muscles, which will allow the baby to gain strength in time and learn to sit.

There are also general recommendations that will help avoid possible difficulties in mastering a new skill for your child.

When a child tries to sit down or stand on all fours, it is necessary to support him, otherwise he may fall over on his side. This threatens to form a psychological barrier - the child will refuse to sit down for a long time.
You should praise him for any endeavors, smile and cheer him up. In this case, the baby will perceive the learning process as something positive and will become much more willing to train.
It is necessary to show the child the location of various things in the house, comment on your actions while carrying him in your arms. Any baby is inquisitive and at this age it is very important that he reaches out to things, finds out what they feel like, and also observes the actions of adults.
You should dress your child in comfortable clothes that will not slip off and will not restrict his movements.

A good example

Whatever exercises parents come up with, the best way to develop crawling is a clear example. Both mom and dad should clearly show the baby what it means to “crawl.” And the baby will have more fun at this difficult stage. He will actively play with his beloved parents, trying to imitate their movements.

Parental control will also help you avoid trouble if your baby suddenly trips or wants to grab a dangerous object.

For older children who can already crawl a little, parents can create various obstacles in the form of pillows, folded bolsters, or passages under chairs. As soon as dad crawls cheerfully through such obstacles, his son or daughter will immediately want to follow him.

Firming massage

In combination with various exercises, you should definitely do a restorative massage. To prevent this process from causing tears and hysterics in the baby, the mother needs to find different rhymes in advance and, while stretching a certain part of the body, pronounce suitable funny words.

The massage should begin and end with light and smooth strokes. However, before you begin such procedures, you should consult your doctor.

Before performing massage and exercises, at least half an hour should pass after feeding.

Pediatricians prescribe special therapeutic massage for many children. You will have to responsibly complete the entire course. But after it, even passive and physically underdeveloped children begin to actively crawl.

When is it time to get back on your feet?

All children are different, and the age when a child stands up independently can be completely different: from 8 months to a year. Experts say that you should not carry out various exercises too hard to help your baby start walking. As soon as the baby’s body is ready, he will be able to stand up on his own.

Many parents wonder when their children will start crawling on all fours, worrying and looking for different ways to quickly achieve the desired goal. It is important not to overdo it and correctly perform the simplest general strengthening exercises.

When children begin to crawl on all fours, you can begin to gradually teach them to stand on their feet.

Crawling is an important stage in a baby's development. This is physical strengthening, education of determination and perseverance.

After all, when any child begins to crawl, he develops his motor skills and coordination of movements, and also makes his contribution to the further development of speech, endurance and the achievement of his goals.

That is why parents need to pay special attention to this process, be sure to help, encourage and promote the development of this skill and not rush the baby to get on his feet.

Types and stages of crawling

Each baby has its own way of crawling. There is no need to tell your child how to crawl. It will still be to no avail.

Plastun style. Children master this type of crawling first of all. The child begins to crawl on his belly when he is laid out on his stomach. However, the muscles are not yet strong enough for him to get on all fours. Plunge crawling develops the muscles of the shoulder girdle well. If your baby crawls on his belly, do not try to put him on all fours: it means it’s too early.
Crawling by jumps. Some mothers watch their babies begin to crawl in leaps and bounds. Getting on all fours, they jump forward or backward. Such children need to be watched carefully, as this method of transportation is very unsafe.
Crawl backwards. The situation when a child crawls backwards should not be considered a deviation from the norm. It’s just that the baby’s muscles haven’t gotten stronger yet, and it’s easier for him to move around.
On the buttocks. This type of movement for a baby is somewhat unconventional, but children manage to develop unprecedented speed with its help. At the same time, they bend one leg and push off with the other.
Cross. This is a classic type of crawling, when the legs and arms are rearranged symmetrically. This method is called “on all fours.” Not all children begin to crawl this way: many require time to master the skill.

You can see the main types of crawling in the video on our website.