What Age Do Babies Crawl: Baby Growth and Development

Watching your baby crawl is one of the most adorable and delightful things to exist. That feeling of witnessing your baby crawl for the first time could be overwhelming, and it also marks a very important change in their growth and development process. Normally babies will start crawling between the ages of six months and ten months, however, this may differ by individual.

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Therefore understanding the stages of crawling, including tummy time, scooting, and eventually mastering the art of crawling, provides a significant insight into their growth & development process. This marks a crucial period in a baby’s life as it fosters independence and encourages sensory exploration. Therefore, come with us and acquire knowledge of everything related to crawling, including What Age Do Babies Crawl, stages, how to help baby crawl, and more.

At What Age Do Babies Crawl?

As parents see their child grow and develop, it is the most common question that grips their minds – When will my baby start crawling? Well, typically answering the question – What Age Do Babies Crawl, they generally start crawling between 6 to 10 months.

However, it is noteworthy that every child has its pace of growth & development. Some babies may start crawling even before 7 months, while some may exceed even 10 months. Moreover, some babies might also skip the crawling stage and start walking altogether.

Every baby is unique, so if you are wondering – when babies crawl, or what is the normal age for crawling, keep in mind the pace of growth & development that varies among babies. Therefore, try not to compare your little one to other babies.

Types of Babies Crawling

It may come as an eye-opener to learn that crawling doesn’t have one form but many. Here are some of the most common types of crawls you may find your baby attempting as they experiment with movement.

Classic crawl – The babies crawl on their hands and knees, i.e., one arm and the opposite knee in a coordinated fashion.
Bear crawl – This involves walking on hands and feet, with elbows and knees straight.
Belly crawl – Your baby moves forward while crawling around on their belly while. This is also known as the army crawl.
Bottom scoot – The baby crawls using his arms, and with the help of bottom-scooting.
Crab crawl – Your baby crawls either backward or sideways by using his hands.
Rolling crawl – The infant moves rolling over from one spot to another.

Stages of Crawling

If you are thinking that babies suddenly start crawling, then you are mistaken. There are stages following which babies attain the stage of crawling. Generally, 7 stages of crawling need to be completed successfully. Here are the stages of crawling.

Tummy Time – Tummy time not only prevents infants from developing a flat head but also gradually stimulates all the muscles needed before a toddler will eventually crawl.
Rolling Over – From the period of four to six months, babies learn to turn and roll over their tummies and backs.
Scooting – When babies are about five months old, they may start to move by pulling themselves along the floor on their bellies.
Rocking back and forth – By the age of six months, babies start getting on their hands and knees and sometimes begin to crawl while in this position.
Crawling – Finally mastering the art of crawling. Babies usually learn how to crawl between six to ten months.
Pulling up – As they gain more confidence, they will attempt to pull up with the assistance of household furniture.
Cruising – At this stage, the parents are seen observing the baby holding onto furniture before attempting to walk unaided.

Understanding these stages can help the caregivers support the child in his development. So if you wonder what age do babies crawl, remember that it’s a part of the gradual process for which several developmental milestones are responsible.

Signs Your Baby Is Getting Ready to Crawl

Before your baby starts crawling, they need to master a set of complex skills, which will help them strengthen their muscles to prepare for crawling. There are some signs baby is ready to crawl. Some of these things you will find that your baby is practicing in preparation to start crawling include:

Continuously moving while lying down.
Arching the neck to look around when they are on their stomach.
Grabbing their feet when they are lying on their back.
Turning or rolling while lying on their back.
Rocking on their heads and knees while on all fours.
Pushing backward instead of forward while on all fours.
Digging in with their knees and launching forward when they’re on all fours.

How to encourage your child to crawl?

Babies are movement-obsessed explorers who essentially learn for themselves how to get where they want to go. But here is how to help baby crawl: To encourage your baby to start crawling, try these ideas:

Tummy Timing – Tummy time is when you put babies on their stomachs as a part of their daily play routine. This strengthens your baby’s head, neck, back, and leg muscles for crawling. Therefore, you must practice tummy time in different locations at your home.

Play on the floor together – You must be an active participant with your baby because they love playing with their parents, and this also helps them learn. Try to place your baby’s favorite object out of reach, but in front of them, and encourage them to crawl towards it. You may also hide their favorite toys behind a pillow and tell them to find them by crawling. Additionally, during the play, move objects from side to side in front of their face, which can help build your baby’s physical skills.

Make your home safe – If you want to encourage crawling in your baby, then keep their surroundings safe, so that they don’t face any obstacles in crawling. Keep hazardous things, including chords, sharp objects, hot drinks, and other such objects, out of their reach. Make their space smooth and comfortable.

Dress for the occasion – Avoid dressing your baby in slippery clothing like pants, leggings, tights, and socks when they first start crawling on a hard surface. If their knees and toes are exposed, they should get the traction they need not to slide backward.

To Sum it Up

Lastly, the answer to What Age Do Babies Crawl – generally, they start crawling between 7-10 months. However, it varies among babies, because each of them grows and develops at their own pace. Moreover, factors such as tummy timing, active involvement, and other such things influence the speed at which a baby reaches this milestone. Additionally, the parents must ensure a safe and healthy environment for the babies to grow and develop.

Hope this guide was beneficial for you and gave all the essential information!