One of the most exciting milestones in a baby's first years is taking those first independent steps. But before walking comes an often-overlooked stage that plays a critical role in development: crawling.
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The Importance of Crawling
Crawling is much more than a way for babies to get from one place to another. It helps build essential strength in the shoulders, arms, core, hips, and legs. Crawling emerges at around 7-10 months old. As babies crawl, they develop coordination between the left and right sides of their body, laying the foundation for balance, posture, and future motor skills.
Crawling also supports brain development. The repetitive cross-body movement strengthens communication between the two sides of the brain, helping support skills such as attention, learning, coordination, and problem-solving.
Why Skipping Crawling is Harmful
While some babies skip crawling and go straight to walking, missing this stage often leaves critical gaps in foundational development. Children who skip crawling often demonstrate one or more of the following as they get older:
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Reduced upper body strength
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Clumsiness and challenges with balance
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Difficulty with skills like handwriting, dressing, sports, riding a bike, and other daily activities
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Poor coordination between the two sides of the body
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Decreased body awareness
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The goal isn't to delay walking. It's to ensure babies have opportunities to develop the strength, coordination, and motor planning that crawling provides. Plenty of tummy time, floor play, and unrestricted movement are some of the best ways to support this important milestone.
Baby classes are another great way for your baby to play and grow with friends. Don't forget: milestones are contagious! Early socialization is so important for healthy development and oftentimes, your baby can achieve new milestones just by watching other babies do them!
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Every child develops at their own pace, but crawling is more than a milestone on the path to walking. It's an essential building block for lifelong movement, confidence, and development.
When to Seek Help
If you have concerns about your child's motor development, notice they use one side of the body more than the other, show signs of neck tightness, prefer to turn their head to one side, hitch crawls, or bypass crawling altogether, we recommend seeking a referral to pediatric physical therapy. A pediatric physical therapist can help assess their skills and provide guidance tailored to their needs.
Bottom line: Don’t wait and see...and don't settle for just "fine." Not every baby who skips crawling struggles later in life, but why take that risk? Give them the strongest foundation to succeed for years to come. The earlier a developmental delay is treated, the better for your child (and your wallet).
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