Do Babies Need to Crawl? What Parents Should Know
- Cyndi
- Mar 11
- 7 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Many parents wonder: Do babies need to crawl?
Some babies crawl on their hands and knees. Others belly crawl. Some babies roll everywhere they want to go, while others scoot around on their bottoms. Because babies can move in so many different ways before walking, it’s common for parents to ask whether crawling really matters.
As a pediatric physical therapist, my answer is that crawling is very helpful for development. However, some babies do skip crawling and still develop normally.
In this article, we’ll look at why crawling is beneficial, what happens if a baby skips crawling, and when parents may want to seek guidance.
Quick AnswerMost babies begin crawling between 7–10 months, and crawling on hands-and-knees provides unique developmental benefits. Some babies skip crawling and still develop normally. If a baby is not moving around the floor by 10–11 months, parents may want to speak with a pediatrician or pediatric physical therapist. |
Need a step-by step plan? If you'd rather skip ahead, my guide, "Do Babies Need to Crawl? What to Know & How to Help Your Baby" walks you through exactly what to do at home with educational information, photos, activities, and progression tips.
Typical Development / What’s Normal
Pediatric therapy encompasses a range of services designed to support the developmental needs of children. These therapies can address physical, emotional, and cognitive challenges, helping children to overcome obstacles and achieve their developmental milestones.
Most babies crawl between 7 and 10 months, although the normal range can be wider.
Before crawling, babies typically develop several important skills:
• Rolling
• Sitting independently
• Pushing up during tummy time
• Pivoting or turning in circles on the floor
• Rocking on hands and knees
Some babies also experiment with other ways of moving, including:
• Belly crawling
• Rolling to get around
• Bottom scooting
While these movement patterns can allow babies to explore their environment, hands-and-knees crawling provides unique developmental benefits.
Signs Parents May Notice
Parents often notice several movements before their baby begins crawling.
Common signs a baby may be getting ready to crawl include:
• Rocking back and forth on hands and knees
• Pushing up strongly on their arms during tummy time
• Reaching for toys just out of reach
• Moving backward before moving forward
• Pivoting or spinning in circles on the floor
These early movements help babies develop the strength and coordination needed for crawling.
Why Crawling is Important for Babies
Crawling on hands and knees supports several important areas of development.
1. Crawling Helps Hip Development
One of the biggest benefits of crawling is how it supports healthy hip development.
Babies are born with hip joints that are still developing. As babies grow and move, the shape and alignment of the hip joint gradually mature.
Crawling places the hips in an ideal position for healthy development. The repeated movement of alternating legs helps guide the hips toward proper alignment as a child grows.
When babies spend several months crawling, it may help support healthy leg alignment and reduce the chance of walking patterns such as:
• In-toeing (walking pigeon-toed)
• Out-toeing (walking with feet turned outward)
These walking patterns are common in young children and often improve naturally, but crawling can help support the normal development of the hips and legs.
2. Crawling Builds Strength for Walking
Crawling strengthens many of the muscles babies later use for walking, including:
• Shoulder muscles
• Arm muscles
• Core muscles
• Hip muscles
When babies crawl regularly, they build the stability and coordination needed for standing, cruising, and eventually walking.
Babies who skip crawling sometimes take longer to develop balance and stability when learning to walk.
3. Crawling Teaches Coordination
Crawling requires babies to move opposite arms and legs together. This alternating pattern helps develop coordination between the two sides of the body in multiple directions (twisting and tilting). This type of coordination supports many future skills, including:
• Walking and running
• Climbing
• Catching and throwing
• Riding a bike
Babies who primarily move by belly crawling or bottom scooting often use more one-sided or one-directional movement patterns, which can sometimes lead to balance or posture challenges later.
Does Crawling Affect Fine Motor Skills?
Yes. Crawling can also support the development of hand strength and fine motor skills.
When babies crawl on their hands and knees, they place weight through their hands. This pressure helps strengthen the small muscles of the hands and supports the development of the natural arches of the hand.
These hand muscles are important later for skills such as:
• Holding crayons and pencils
• Feeding with utensils
• Buttoning clothing
• Using scissors
Crawling also encourages babies to use both hands together during play, which is an important early developmental skill.
What Happens If a Baby Skips Crawling?
When a baby skips crawling, it does not automatically mean that something is wrong. Many babies who skip crawling go on to walk, run, and play without any major concerns. However, crawling provides important opportunities for development that can support a child’s strength, coordination, balance, and body awareness as they grow.
Babies who skip crawling may sometimes show:
Less upper body strength
Difficulty with coordination tasks
Challenges with balance or stability
Poor tolerance for playground activities like climbing
Delays with skills that require using both sides of the body together
Fine motor challenges related to weaker shoulder stability
Preference for “W-sitting” or other compensatory positions
Movement patterns that appear stiff, awkward, or less coordinated
What If a Baby Bottom Scoots Instead of Crawling?
Some babies skip crawling and move by bottom scooting instead.
Bottom scooting can look very different from baby to baby. Some babies scoot while sitting upright, while others lean to one side and push forward using one hand and one leg. Some babies move surprisingly quickly this way and may seem perfectly content using scooting as their main form of mobility.
Babies often choose bottom scooting because it feels easier or more stable for them than crawling. This can happen for several reasons, including:
Lower muscle tone
Weak core or shoulder strength
Difficulty tolerating tummy time
Limited weight-bearing through the arms
Joint hypermobility or increased flexibility
Balance challenges
Preference for staying upright
Coordination difficulties
While bottom scooting allows babies to move around, it often does not provide the same strengthening and coordination benefits that crawling provides. For this reason, pediatric therapists usually encourage babies to learn crawling if possible.
However, the most important thing is not whether a baby crawls in one exact way, but whether they are developing strength, coordination, and active movement skills through a variety of experiences.
Expert Insight: A Personal Experience
I want to share a personal story.
My youngest son had very unusual motor development. He didn’t kick his legs much as a baby. He learned to sit later than expected, around 8 months old. He disliked tummy time and did not roll over until he was 11 months old.
At 12 months, he finally learned to sit up on his own and began trying to bottom scoot. At that point, he was still very weak and could barely support himself on his hands and knees.
I faced a difficult decision.
I knew that bottom scooting was not the ideal movement pattern. However, my son was already one year old and still had no way to move around independently.
Independent movement is important for many areas of development, including:
• Social development
• Language development
• Communication
• Cognitive learning
Babies learn about their world by exploring it.
So I made the decision to allow my son to bottom scoot so he could move, explore, and interact with his environment. Within one week he was scooting everywhere.
But here is the important part: I never stopped working on crawling.
We practiced crawling activities frequently. Eventually, around 14 months, he was able to crawl short distances with effort, although he never chose to crawl on his own. At two years old, we still worked on crawling activities and strengthening, and he has received occupational therapy to address some of the challenges related to skipping crawling.
However, his language, communication, social skills, and cognitive development are excellent, and I have no regrets about allowing him to move and explore.
When Parents Should Be Concerned
Every baby develops at their own pace, but parents may want to seek guidance if:
• A baby is not pushing up on their arms during tummy time by 6 months
• A baby is not moving around the floor in any way by 10–11 months
• One side of the body appears much stronger than the other
• A baby strongly resists tummy time
Early support can make a big difference because the brain is especially adaptable during the first three years of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do babies need to crawl before walking?
Not necessarily. Some babies skip crawling and go straight to walking. However, crawling provides important benefits for strength and coordination.
At what age do babies start crawling?
Babies typically start crawling between 7-10 months old.
Is bottom scooting normal?
Bottom scooting can be a variation of normal movement, but many children benefit from learning to crawl as well.
Is it normal for a baby to skip crawling?
Yes, some babies skip crawling and go straight to walking, and this can still be part of typical development. However, crawling on hands and knees helps build strength, coordination, and healthy hip development, so encouraging plenty of floor time and movement is still beneficial.
Ready for a Complete Plan?
If you're feeling overwhelmed or want a structured program, my guide, "Do Babies Need to Crawl? What to Know & How to Help Your Baby" includes:
Information about the benefits or crawling
Step-by-step activities to try at home with tips and photos
Common mistakes to avoid
When to seek professional help
The Bottom Line
Crawling provides many benefits for babies, including:
• Supporting healthy hip development
• Building strength for walking
• Improving coordination between the two sides of the body
• Strengthening the hands for future fine motor skills
Ideally, babies will crawl on their hands and knees for several months before walking. However, every child develops differently. If a baby skips crawling, it does not automatically mean something is wrong.
If you have concerns about your baby’s movement or development, speaking with a pediatric physical therapist can help guide the next steps.
Free Parent Resource
If you want to better understand infant motor milestones, you can download my Infant & Toddler Motor Milestone Guide.
Inside you'll learn:
✔ what motor skills typically develop each month
✔ signs your baby may need extra support
✔ simple activities you can try at home
Download the guide here.
About the Author
Cyndi Stedman, PT, DPT is a pediatric physical therapist with over 17 years of experience supporting infants and toddlers. Through Early Intervention and home-based therapy, she has helped more than 1,000 families support their child’s development. Her goal is to give parents clear, practical guidance so they feel confident helping their child learn to move and grow.
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