The pride parents feel as they watch their newborns lift up their heads for the first time on their own or roll from their back to tummy is indescribable. It is one of those milestones parents often eagerly anticipate, despite the baby-proofing a newly mobile little one may require at home.
If your baby is getting on their hands and knees and rocking, you may soon have a crawler! This newfound independence is quite an exciting milestone. Putting a new, age-appropriate toy on the floor just out of reach may help to encourage movement.
So, at what age should an infant begin crawling? From about the time you celebrate their half birthday to their first birthday, so between 6 months to 12 months, is typically when they will start crawling, according to BabyCenter.
TODAY reported Joni Redlich, DPT of Kid PT, stating, "Like with everything with babies, there is a huge range, so generally between eight and 10 months we want to see the kids mobile in some way, whether that's the classic hands-and-knees crawl or some of variation, like army crawling on their bellies.”
There are six main variations, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Classic: Opposite arm and knee both move forward together.
Bear: Rather than bending the elbows and knees, they are kept straight as if imitating the movement of a bear walking.
Belly: Belly dragging on the floor with the forward movement.
Bottom Scooter. Scooting around on their bottom while using hands to assist the movement.
Crab: Hands are the driving force for this type of movement as the infant moves around like a crab.
Rolling: Baby rolls to get where they want to go!
Tummy-time with quality, developmental toys is a great way to prepare your little one for this big milestone toward independence!
