HomeKIDSThe bear, the crab or the roller? Find your baby’s crawling style...

The bear, the crab or the roller? Find your baby’s crawling style here

Wondering when your baby is going to start crawling? All babies are different, but it is generally safe to say that most start crawling when they are between 7 and 10 months old, while movement could start as early as 4 months. 

Crawling signs like pushing up during tummy time and rocking forward when on all fours are signs to watch for, but not all babies follow the same crawling pattern…in fact, there are quite a few different “styles” to look out for: 

  • The roller: Often a precursor to crawling, they use their entire body to roll from one place to the next. 
  • The bottom scoot: While not technically “crawling”, many babies will sit upright and use their arms to scoot around.
Image for illustration purposes only. Source: Unsplash
  • The classic crawl: Up on hands and knees, moving one arm and the opposite knee forward at the same time.
  • The bear: “Walks” on hands and feet, keeping their elbows and knees straight.
  • The belly (or commando): Their body is mainly flat as they slither around on their belly while moving forward.
  • The crab: Pushing up with their arms, they move either backward or sideways.

These are just some of the common crawling options which have been noted by Lisa Lohiser, Ed.D., manager of early childhood development research at the Fisher-Price Play Lab, and mom of 2. She does however stress that there is no wrong way to crawl, so don’t worry if your baby finds their own crawling style.

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