How does crawling help a baby develop?
It's an important developmental milestone for babies but what happens if they bottom shuffle or bypass the stage?
Crawling is an important developmental milestone that helps babies to develop physically, cognitively and socially.
Some babies bottom shuffle, some commando crawl or use one leg, others go backwards and some (like Moana Hope’s little boy, Ahi), hardly crawl at all before they are up and running.
We look at different styles of crawling, how it helps development and what it means if a baby bypasses crawling altogether.
Why crawling is important for development
1.Strengthens muscles: Crawling requires the use of many different muscle groups, including the arms, legs, back and core. As babies move their bodies forward, backward and sideways, they build strength and coordination in these muscles, which can help them to sit up, stand and eventually walk.
2. Develops coordination and balance: This milestone also helps babies to develop coordination and balance, as they learn to coordinate their movements and maintain their balance while moving on their hands and knees.
3. Enhances sensory processing: Crawling can also enhance sensory processing and integration, as babies receive sensory input from their environment through their hands and knees. This can help them to develop spatial awareness, depth perception and other perceptual skills.
Babies have different styles of crawling ahead of learning to walk
4. Supports cognitive development: As babies crawl and explore their environment they also problem-solve as they navigate obstacles and changes in terrain.
5. Encourages social interaction: Crawling can also encourage social interaction, as babies become more mobile and able to interact with others in their environment. They may begin to initiate play with other children, engage in turn-taking and sharing, and develop important social skills.
Overall, crawling is an important stage that can lay the foundation for many other physical, cognitive and social milestones. Parents and caregivers can support the development by providing a safe and supportive environment for exploration and movement, as well as plenty of opportunities for play and interaction.
Some babies crawl for a short time or bypass it altogether before they start to walk
It is not uncommon for babies to skip crawling altogether and still develop typically. Some babies may prefer to scoot on their bottoms, roll or go straight to standing and walking without ever crawling on their hands and knees.
While it’s an important milestone, it’s not an essential one and there are other ways that babies can develop the skills that it provides.
That being said, if a baby skips crawling and seems to be having difficulty with other physical skills, such as standing or walking, or if they are not reaching other milestones within a reasonable time frame, it may be worth discussing with a paediatrician.
