When Do Babies Start Crawling?

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Go, baby, go! Crawling is an intermediate step between sitting and walking, and there are almost as many different ways for a baby to learn to crawl as there are babies.

Your little one may start with one style and then progress to another, or stick with a favorite until she gives up crawling for good. It's all normal, and pretty adorable too!

Babies typically start to crawl around the 9-month mark or later, but some start as early as 6 or 7 months, while others take their sweet time putting four on the floor.

Some babies actually bypass crawling altogether — going straight from sitting up to standing and walking.

There are lots of ways babies begin to crawl. Here are a few baby crawling styles, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Trusted SourceAmerican Academy of PediatricsCrawling StylesSee All Sources [1]

Crawling speeds tend to vary too. "Some kids are very fast crawlers, and some use crawling just to go a few inches," says Katie Lockwood, M.D., a spokeswoman for the AAP and a board-certified pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Whatever your child's style, there's really no right or wrong way to crawl. "What matters is that they’re moving their body," says Dr. Lockwood.

There are a few ways you can help your baby learn to crawl:

Put her on the floor. Make sure your baby gets plenty of supervised tummy time so she can practice raising herself on all fours, says Gina Posner, M.D., F.A.A.P., a board-certified pediatrician at MemorialCare Medical Group in Fountain Valley, California, and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board. Tummy time helps her build strength in her back, neck and arms — the better to crawl, scooch or creep with, my dear!

Prop her up to sit. Sitting assisted at first and unassisted when they're ready also helps babies develop strong abdominal and back muscles for crawling. In fact, babies often "discover" crawling from learning to sit: One day your baby might lean over from sitting and discover she can prop up her body on her hands and arms. From there, your little one might try rocking back and forth, or even holding herself in a plank pose, until she figures out her own way to move along, inch by inch.

Give your baby "belly bait." Another game that encourages babies to get crawling is to place tantalizing toys — some call it "belly bait" — nearby but out of reach during tummy time, or near where baby is sitting. Your little one will be extra motivated to try out new ways of moving her legs and arms when there's a clear reward in sight for those efforts.

Crawling may be a major accomplishment for your little one, but it's no longer considered an official milestone by the AAP and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Trusted SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMilestone MomentsSee All Sources [2]

The organizations published an updated checklist of milestones in early 2022, noting that there wasn't enough evidence to say when 75 percent of children should start crawling — the new benchmark for all developmental milestones.

Of course, there are some benefits to crawling — for example, it helps build coordination and muscle tone, and allows children to explore their environments, says Dr. Posner. But some tots will never crawl at all, preferring to graduate straight to walking.

If your baby is a late crawler (or never crawls at all), it's usually not cause for concern, especially if she's rolling over, sitting up well or pulling herself up to stand. "What matters is that they’re meeting all their other milestones," says Dr. Posner.

However, if your child is also behind in other developmental areas, such as language, social interactions or other motor skills, or if she's not able to use both sides of her body equally well, bring it up with the pediatrician.

It's not necessarily the case that a crawler will soon be ready to take those first steps, or even that an early crawler will also be an early walker. Once a baby learns to crawl, she may get so good at it that it becomes her preferred mode of transportation for quite some time.

In fact, many babies who aren't the world's greatest crawlers — or who skip crawling altogether — make an earlier leap to walking than babies who get around like Speed Racer on all fours.

Once your baby starts crawling, you might be surprised at how soon she'll be able to move fast. Follow these tips to keep her safe:

Crawling is such an exciting accomplishment that it's not uncommon for a new crawler to experience some sleep disruption around the time she picks up her new skill. Your baby's little mind is jam-packed with brand new sensations and experiences, and sleep trouble or regression might crop up while she's working on processing it all.

This is perfectly normal, if exhausting. Double-down on your little one's bedtime routine and allow for plenty of wind-down time at the end of a busy day exploring.

Wondering what's next? As soon as your baby reaches cruising speed on all fours, it's only a matter of time until your tot is standing up on her two feet using whatever's in reach — the couch, a chair, your leg. From there, those first steps aren't far behind, followed by running, jumping, dancing and more. In short, plenty of excitement awaits!

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

April 28, 2023

Editor: Catherine Donaldson-Evans

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