Few moments compare to watching your baby go from stationary to mobile for the first time. Whether it’s an army crawl across the living room or a full-on hands-and-knees sprint toward the family dog, crawling is a milestone that changes everything. It’s also the milestone that tends to generate the most questions for parents.
If you’re wondering, when do babies start crawling?, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common questions parents ask pediatricians, childcare providers, and each other. The answer isn’t as simple as a single age, but understanding the typical timeline, the signs of readiness, and the different ways babies move can help you feel confident about your child’s development.
At Strong Start Early Care & Education, our educators work with infants every day and see firsthand how each child approaches this milestone in their own way. Here’s what you need to know.
When Do Most Babies Start Crawling?
Most babies begin crawling between 6 and 10 months of age, with the average falling around 7 to 9 months. Some babies start scooting as early as 6 months, while others don’t become fully mobile until closer to their first birthday, and both timelines are completely normal.
Crawling isn’t actually listed as a required milestone by the American Academy of Pediatrics because the way babies get from point A to point B varies so widely. What matters more than the specific method is that your baby is showing interest in moving and exploring their surroundings.
A few things that influence when babies crawl:
- Muscle strength and tone — Babies need strong core, arm, and leg muscles before they can support themselves on all fours.
- Motivation — Some babies are content to sit and observe, while others are determined to get to everything they see.
- Opportunity — Babies who spend more time on the floor during supervised play tend to develop crawling skills earlier than those who spend most of their time in bouncers, swings, or carriers.
- Body type — Larger babies sometimes take a bit longer to coordinate the movements needed for crawling, and that’s perfectly fine.
Signs Your Baby Is Getting Ready to Crawl
Crawling doesn’t happen overnight. Before your baby takes off across the room, you’ll likely notice a series of smaller developmental steps building up to it.
Pushing Up During Tummy Time
When your baby can push up onto their hands during tummy time, lifting their chest off the floor, it’s a strong sign their upper body strength is developing. This is one of the earliest precursors to crawling.
Rocking Back and Forth on Hands and Knees
This one gets parents excited. Your baby gets into the crawling position and rocks forward and backward without actually going anywhere. It looks like they’re about to launch, and they are. They’re building the coordination to move their arms and legs in an alternating pattern.
Pivoting and Spinning in Circles
Before crawling forward, many babies learn to pivot on their belly, spinning in circles to reach objects around them. This shows they’re developing the core strength and spatial awareness needed for directional movement.
Scooting Backward
It seems counterintuitive, but many babies scoot backward before they figure out how to move forward. Their arm muscles are often stronger than their leg muscles at this stage, so pushing results in backward motion. Forward crawling usually follows within a few weeks.
Sitting Up Independently
A baby who can sit without support has developed the core stability that’s essential for crawling. The transition from sitting to a crawling position is a key motor planning skill.
The Different Types of Crawling
Not every baby crawls the way you might picture. In our infant classrooms, we see all kinds of crawling styles, and every one of them counts.
Classic Hands-and-Knees Crawl
The traditional crawl: hands flat on the floor, knees on the ground, moving opposite arm and leg at the same time. This is the most common style, and it’s excellent for bilateral coordination.
Army Crawl (Commando Crawl)
Your baby drags themselves forward using their forearms while their belly stays on the floor. This is often the first type of crawling babies attempt and usually transitions to a hands-and-knees crawl as they get stronger.
Bear Crawl
Hands and feet on the floor with straight legs, bottom up in the air. It looks a bit like a yoga pose, and some babies prefer it. Bear crawling builds incredible leg strength.
Bottom Scoot
Some babies skip the whole hands-and-knees routine and scoot around on their bottoms, using one hand to push themselves forward. This is more common than you might think, and these babies often transition directly to walking.
Crab Crawl
Your baby moves sideways or backward, pushing off with their hands in an asymmetrical pattern. While it looks unusual, it’s still a valid form of locomotion that develops motor skills.
Rolling
A few determined babies figure out that rolling is the fastest way to get where they want to go. While it’s not technically crawling, it shows motivation, body awareness, and coordination.
How Tummy Time Builds the Foundation for Crawling
If there’s one thing early childhood development experts agree on, it’s that tummy time matters. The connection between supervised belly-down play and crawling readiness is well established.
Tummy time strengthens the muscles your baby needs for crawling: the neck, shoulders, arms, back, and core. It also helps develop head control, which is essential for looking around while moving.
When to start: Tummy time can begin in the first week after birth, starting with just a few minutes at a time on a parent’s chest or a firm, flat surface.
How much: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends working up to 15 to 30 minutes of total tummy time per day by the time your baby is 2 months old, spread throughout the day in short sessions.
Tips for reluctant babies:
- Get down on the floor with them at eye level
- Place a favorite toy or mirror just out of reach
- Try tummy time on your chest while you recline
- Keep sessions short and positive; stop before your baby becomes frustrated
At Strong Start, tummy time is a structured part of our infant program. Our teachers create safe, engaging floor-play environments that encourage babies to build the strength and curiosity they need to become mobile.
When Should You Be Concerned?
Every baby develops at their own pace, and there’s a wide range of normal when it comes to crawling. Some babies crawl early, some crawl late, and some skip crawling entirely and go straight to pulling up and walking.
That said, there are a few situations where it’s worth checking in with your pediatrician:
- No interest in movement by 12 months — If your baby isn’t crawling, scooting, rolling, or showing any desire to move by their first birthday, a developmental screening can provide clarity.
- Only using one side of the body — If your baby consistently favors one arm or leg while moving, it could indicate a muscle or neurological issue worth evaluating.
- Loss of skills — If your baby was making progress toward crawling and then stopped or regressed, mention this to your pediatrician.
- Significant stiffness or floppiness — Unusually tight or very loose muscle tone can affect motor development and may warrant a professional evaluation.
Most of the time, late crawlers are simply taking a different developmental path. Many babies who skip crawling entirely are perfectly on track. The key is to look at the overall picture of your child’s development, not just one milestone in isolation.
7 Ways to Encourage Your Baby to Crawl
1. Maximize Floor Time
The more time your baby spends on the floor during supervised play, the more opportunities they have to practice the movements that lead to crawling. Limit time in containers like bouncers, swings, and walkers.
2. Place Toys Just Out of Reach
Put an enticing toy slightly beyond your baby’s grasp to motivate them to move toward it. The key word is slightly. You want to encourage, not frustrate.
3. Create a Safe Crawling Space
Clear an area of the floor free from sharp edges, choking hazards, and anything that could topple over. Babies are more likely to experiment with movement when they feel safe.
4. Get on the Floor With Them
Babies learn by watching. When you get down on the floor and model crawling or simply play at their level, you’re showing them that the floor is an interesting place to be.
5. Use Tunnels and Obstacles
Simple play tunnels or cushion courses give babies a reason to crawl and help them practice navigating around and through objects. This kind of play is a regular part of the curriculum at Strong Start’s infant and toddler classrooms.
6. Dress for Movement
Bare knees on a soft surface provide better traction than slippery pants. When your baby is practicing crawling, skip the socks and opt for comfortable clothing that doesn’t restrict movement.
7. Celebrate Every Attempt
Whether it’s a backward scoot or a single lunge forward, every effort your baby makes is progress. Your encouragement and positive reactions reinforce their motivation to keep trying.
Crawling and Brain Development: Why It Matters
Crawling isn’t just a physical milestone. It’s a whole-brain activity that supports cognitive, visual, and emotional development.
Bilateral coordination: The cross-body movement of crawling (right hand with left knee, then left hand with right knee) helps build connections between the two hemispheres of the brain. This kind of cross-lateral movement lays the groundwork for later skills like reading, writing, and problem-solving.
Spatial awareness: As babies crawl, they learn to judge distances, navigate around obstacles, and understand their body in relation to the space around them.
Visual development: Crawling requires babies to shift their gaze between their hands (near focus) and their destination (far focus), which strengthens the eye muscles and hand-eye coordination.
Confidence and independence: The ability to move independently transforms a baby’s relationship with the world. They’re no longer waiting for things to come to them; they can go after what they want. This builds self-confidence and a sense of agency that carries into the toddler years and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions About Baby Crawling
What age do most babies start crawling?
Most babies begin crawling between 6 and 10 months of age, with the average around 7 to 9 months. However, some babies don’t crawl until closer to 12 months, and that’s within the normal range.
Is it normal if my baby doesn’t crawl?
Yes. Some babies skip crawling entirely and move directly to pulling up, cruising along furniture, and walking. As long as your child is finding ways to move and explore, skipping crawling is not typically a concern.
Does tummy time really help babies crawl sooner?
Tummy time builds the core, arm, and shoulder strength that babies need for crawling. While it doesn’t guarantee earlier crawling, babies who get regular tummy time tend to develop the physical readiness for crawling more quickly.
What’s the difference between army crawling and regular crawling?
Army crawling (also called commando crawling) is when a baby pulls themselves forward on their belly using their forearms. Traditional crawling involves being up on hands and knees with the belly off the floor. Army crawling usually comes first and transitions to hands-and-knees crawling as the baby gets stronger.
Should I be worried if my baby only scoots on their bottom?
Bottom scooting is a normal and common way for babies to get around. Many bottom scooters skip the traditional crawling phase entirely and go straight to walking. If your baby is mobile and meeting other developmental milestones, bottom scooting is nothing to worry about.
When should I talk to my pediatrician about crawling?
If your baby shows no interest in any form of movement by 12 months, consistently uses only one side of their body, or has lost previously gained motor skills, it’s a good idea to discuss it with your pediatrician.
Supporting Your Baby’s Journey at Strong Start
At Strong Start Early Care & Education, we understand that every milestone, from the first tummy-time push-up to those first independent steps, happens on its own timeline. Our infant classrooms are designed with open floor space, age-appropriate toys, and soft surfaces that encourage safe exploration and movement.
Our experienced early childhood educators observe each child’s progress and create individualized opportunities for practice, whether that means setting up a mini obstacle course for an eager crawler or providing extra tummy-time support for a baby still building strength.
We believe in following your child’s lead while providing the right environment and encouragement to help them grow. If you’d like to see how our infant program supports developmental milestones like crawling, walking, and beyond, we’d love to show you around.
About the Author: Marc Hoffman is the Founder and Executive Director of Strong Start Early Care & Education, with locations in Trumbull, Shelton, and Wilton, Connecticut. A dedicated education entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Marc is committed to expanding access to high-quality early education and helping every child build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
Written By
Marc Hoffman
Founder, Strong Start Early Care & Education
Marc founded Strong Start in 2014, inspired by his studies at Williams College, Yeshiva University, and research at Yale University. His child-centered, inquiry-based approach to early education has helped hundreds of families in the Trumbull and Bridgeport communities. As a parent himself, Marc understands the importance of finding a nurturing environment where every child can learn, grow, and flourish.
