Witnessing your baby's journey towards mobility is not just exciting; it's a joyous experience that deepens the bond between you and your little one.

From the early days of tummy time to the triumphant moment of mastering the classic crawl, each stage is a significant milestone in your baby's growth and development, and you're an integral part of it.

Want to know more about your baby's journey to walking on all fours? If so, you're in the right place. This guide to the seven stages of crawling breaks down each key phase, providing the information you need to support your little one on their crawling journey.

There's lots to discuss, so grab a cup of tea, and let's get into it!

1. Tummy Time: The Foundation of Crawling

Tummy time, the first crawling stage, marks the beginning of your baby’s journey to crawling.

This activity helps strengthen their back, neck, shoulder, arm, and core muscles, which are vital not only for a crawling baby but also for sitting upright and eventually walking.

It’s recommended to start tummy time soon after birth, with supervised sessions of three to five minutes daily, gradually lengthening the duration as your baby matures. Paediatricians recommend about 15 to 30 minutes of tummy time daily by the time your baby reaches two months old.

Remember that tummy time is more than a mere exercise; it presents an opportunity to bond with your baby. With that said, here are some tips to make tummy time more enjoyable for your little one:

• Make eye contact and engage with them
• Encourage your baby to lift their head and look around
• Dangle their favourite toy within their grasp

By following these tips, you'll make tummy time a fun and interactive experience for both you and your baby.

2. Pivoting: First Signs of Mobility

By around six to seven months, you might notice that your baby begins to pivot while on their belly. Pivoting is typically one of the first signs that your baby is becoming more mobile. This stage is important because it helps babies develop the coordination for intentional body movements.

To encourage pivoting, try placing toys in a circular arrangement around your baby during tummy time. This will prompt your baby to reach and move, simultaneously triggering their curiosity and exercising their muscles.

3. Rolling Over: Gaining Control

Rolling over is another exciting milestone in your baby’s journey towards crawling. It allows babies to explore their environment from a new perspective and is one of a few signs baby is ready to crawl. Namely because it indicates they’re developing the muscle control and coordination necessary for the subsequent stages of crawling.

During this stage, your baby gains control over their head, neck, and torso movements, fortifying the muscles required for crawling.

When your baby is on their back, you can encourage them to roll over by putting a toy on their right side near their right hand, prompting them to grasp it with their left hand so they roll a bit. Then, do the same with the other side.

At this point, it’s worth stressing that it’s important your baby switches sides when they begin to roll over so they can build strength evenly on both sides of their body. The same also goes for the above step (pivoting).

4. Planking: Building Core Strength

Planking is an essential step in your baby’s developmental journey. It lays the groundwork for them to transition into more advanced crawling positions, ensuring they have the core and upper body strength and stability to move confidently and independently.

As your baby grows stronger, they'll start experimenting with planking. During this stage, your baby will exert force upwards on their hands and toes, adopting a posture similar to a plank.

Maintaining the planking position requires much effort and strength from your baby. Therefore, providing encouragement and support during this stage is crucial. Celebrate their efforts and continue engaging them with interactive activities that stimulate their interest and encourage them to continue practising.

For example:

• Peek-a-boo
• Using a mirror for your baby to look at themselves
• Playing music and encouraging your baby to move to the beat

These activities make the exercise more fun and help your baby develop balance and coordination.

5. Rocking on Hands and Knees: Preparing to Move

Around seven to eight months, you’ll likely see your baby adopt a hands and knees position, from which they'll rock forward and back. This acts as a vital precursor to crawling as it helps babies build the muscle strength and balance required to propel forward.

6. Side Lean: A Key Transitional Movement

The "side lean" is a transitional movement that helps prepare an infant for crawling. During this stage, babies often shift their weight to one side while on their hands and knees.

In addition to building strength in the arms, shoulders, and core, all of which are crucial for the crawling motion, this helps your baby learn how to balance and coordinate their limbs.

You’ll notice that when your baby learns to roll from their back to their tummy and vice versa, they can pause in a side position to play. At this point, you can encourage your child to adopt the side lean by presenting toys at a higher level. This can motivate your baby to push up on their elbow while putting weight on their bottom to allow the free hand to reach for the toy.

Gradually, your baby will be able to reach higher and start supporting themselves on their palm by straightening the elbow. During this stage, babies also begin to develop the pincer grasp, enabling them to pick up and hold smaller objects.

Like many of the steps above, it's also important here for babies to practice this side-leaning position on both sides to ensure optimum muscle development.

7. Classic Crawl: Achieving Full Mobility

Yay! This is when your baby starts crawling!

The classic crawling style (also sometimes referred to as "cross-crawling") involves the baby crawling forward on their hands and knees. In this pattern, the baby moves one arm and the opposite knee forward simultaneously (e.g., right hand with left knee), creating a coordinated, diagonal movement.

This baby crawl style helps develop balance, coordination, and motor skills by engaging both the body and brain.

The average age babies demonstrate the "classic crawl" is around eight to ten months.

There are several things you can do to facilitate this final stage in the crawling process, for example:

• Provide your baby to explore and practice.
• Create a safe space for your baby to learn to crawl, free of choking hazards and sharp corners. For example, use padding to cushion sharp edges on furniture such as a coffee table, TV stand, etc.
• Encourage your baby to crawl by getting down on the floor and crawling alongside your baby.
• Avoid baby walkers, as these don't actually help babies walk. Instead, they prompt your little one to push themselves on their tip toes, which isn't helpful for crawling or walking (not to mention, they sometimes flip over, which can be pretty dangerous for your baby!).
• Limit time in seats to support the development of your child's crawling skills.

Additionally, dressing your baby in anti-slip overalls and socks can make crawling more comfortable. For example, Geckoeco’s anti-slip clothing is designed to give your baby the necessary grip and stability to help your baby move confidently and safely.

 It’s worth noting that bare legs can encourage your baby to crawl, as they provide more direct sensory feedback from the surfaces they touch. This enhances their understanding of their movements and the environment, which can facilitate learning how to crawl.

However, if bare legs aren’t an option, Geckoeco’s anti-slip baby clothes are a great alternative. The non-slip patterns on these clothes create traction against the floor, making it easier for babies to push off and move their bodies, an essential part of crawling.

When to Worry About Crawling Delays

Babies crawl and grow at their own pace, and it's natural for parents to have concerns about potential developmental delays. However, if your baby hasn’t shown any signs of crawling by 12 months, it might be time to consult a healthcare provider.

Similarly, if your baby consistently favours one side of their body to propel themselves or push themselves up (or shows other motor development issues), it's worth talking to your GP. Don't be afraid to seek the support you need to ensure your baby develops both sides of their body equally.

Remember, variations in crawling styles are expected, and many babies skip crawling altogether but still achieve subsequent developmental milestones. You may find that your baby prefers a different style of crawling position - for example, the crab crawl, bear crawl, army crawl, etc. However, we advise encouraging your little one to adopt the classic crawl as that tends to be best for child development.

The key is to ensure your baby is able to explore their environment and strengthen their body in preparation for walking. Trust your instincts and reach out to a healthcare provider if you have any concerns.

Our Final Thoughts

When your baby learns to crawl, it's an exciting and crucial stage in their development. From tummy time to being able to rock back and forth on their hands and knees to mastering the sitting position and eventually the classic crawl, each of the seven stages of crawling builds the muscles, coordination, and confidence your baby needs to explore the world.

Remember to celebrate each milestone, provide a safe and engaging environment, and consider using products like Geckoeco’s anti-slip baby clothing to support your baby’s journey. With the right encouragement and support, your baby will start learning to crawl with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before we bring this blog post to a close, we thought it would be a good idea to answer some of the most frequently asked questions we hear about the seven stages of crawling; let's take a look:

When should I start tummy time with my baby?

You can begin tummy time with your baby a day or two after birth, with short 3 to 5-minute sessions, gradually increasing as your baby grows. This helps strengthen their muscles and develop the motor skills necessary for your baby to crawl.

What if my baby has yet to start crawling by 12 months?

Most babies learn to crawl forward by around 12 months. If your child doesn't seem ready to crawl at all, it's a good idea to speak with a healthcare provider to check for any developmental issues. Don't worry; there's likely nothing wrong—babies crawl in their own time. However, it's always better to be safe than sorry.

How can I encourage my baby to pivot?

You can encourage your baby to pivot by placing toys in during tummy time, motivating them to reach and move.

What is the planking stage in baby development?

The planking stage in baby development involves babies pushing up on their hands and toes to build the core and upper body strength necessary for crawling. It's an important milestone in their physical development.