Learning to crawl: when, how and how to help a child. When a baby begins to crawl on his stomach, on his belly and on all fours A six-month-old baby crawls on his stomach in a circle

01.07.2024

Often parents want their baby to grow up as quickly as possible - to roll over, sit up, crawl, stand up and finally walk. However, is it worth considering the fact that the child began to walk independently at six months as a source of pride?

Necessity of the crawling stage

In modern pediatrics, it is believed that it is extremely undesirable for children to skip the crawling stage, because upright posture creates a strong load on the baby’s spine. When crawling, the back muscles are actively developed, which are responsible for maintaining the spine in an upright position.

In addition, when a child begins to crawl, at the same time he develops thinking, since complex brain work is required to coordinate the alternation of arms and legs.

The baby begins to crawl

The age at which babies begin to crawl

gymnastics for the arms

The purpose of gymnastics is to strengthen the muscles of the arms and back. The mother takes the child lying on his back by the hands, having first ensured that the baby has a good grip on the mother’s thumb. Then the mother smoothly raises the baby’s hands up and lowers them. You can also spread the child's arms to the sides, and then cross them on the baby's chest. After this, you can try to slowly lift the child by the arms (up to an angle of 45 degrees), and then lower him.

flip exercises

If the baby is not quite confident in mastering flips, then this exercise will help speed up the process a little. The mother places her thumb in the child’s palm and holds his hand tightly. Then the mother begins to direct the baby’s body to turn over. At the same time, the mother holds the baby’s left leg with her right hand, helping him to rotate the pelvis.

exercise "frog"

massage to get baby to crawl

The mother takes the legs of the child, who is lying on his back, by the shins and smoothly begins to bend them into a frog pose, and then just as smoothly straighten them. Having turned the baby onto his tummy, it is useful to give him the opportunity to push off with his bent legs several times from his mother’s folded palms and move forward.

When performing the exercises, you need to calmly and affectionately communicate with the baby, creating a favorable emotional background in him and forming a positive attitude towards the exercises.

How to teach a child to crawl. The most useful!

Watch the video: how to teach a child to crawl

Firming massage

Of course, a special therapeutic massage prescribed by a doctor can only be performed by a medical professional. At the same time, mom and dad can give a simple restorative massage to the child so that he begins to crawl more actively at home. The main thing is to remember that the skin of a small child is very delicate, and at home it is best to limit yourself to such a technique as stroking. You cannot perform a massage earlier than half an hour before or after feeding, limit yourself to once a day. There should be no rings or other jewelry on the mother’s hands during the procedure. The duration of the massage can be about 5-10 minutes, but if the baby does not like it and tears begin, then it is better to postpone this matter for now.

Stroking arms, legs, back

Note to moms!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...

It is most convenient to carry out this procedure on a special changing table. The mother strokes the child's hands both inside and outside from the hand to the forearm. Leg massage is carried out in sequence from the feet to the thigh, bypassing the knee joints. We turn the baby onto his tummy and begin stroking the back up and down. After light and pleasant stroking to strengthen the muscles of the arms, legs and back, you can stretch them a little in the sequence described above.

Getting your baby to crawl

It happens that the baby is already good at crawling around the crib on his belly or like a frog on all fours, but does not want to crawl on the floor. How then can you help your child start crawling?

We teach and help

After making sure that the child is developing correctly, from five months you can prepare the baby for crawling. The best place is a clean floor covered with a rug or blanket. Having laid the child on the floor and placed a cushion under his chest, you need to show him his favorite toy and place it at a short distance from him so that he wants to reach it. The baby's heels should rest against the wall or against the mother's arms, helping him push forward.

You can place favorite toys or new objects in front of the baby, close enough that the baby wants to take them, but far enough that he has to crawl to them rather than reach them. Be sure to praise your child if he manages to crawl a little. The baby may not understand your words very well yet, but he very accurately feels the intonation of approval.

A good example

Crawling adults or other crawling babies nearby will serve as an excellent role model for the child. This action will help identify all dangerous places and objects in space and prevent unexpected precedents. Parental encouragement and a friendly atmosphere will encourage the baby to make more active efforts to crawl. After some success, the tasks need to be made more difficult by creating obstacles in the child’s path.

Small children, who have learned to crawl at least a little, love to overcome various obstacles: low barriers, passages under chairs, etc. Use this to make crawling more active. You can buy a special path with small obstacles in the store, or you can make it yourself or use simple means that are always at hand, for example, towel rolls, as such “obstacles.”

Summarize

On the stomach on the belly:

A child begins to crawl on his stomach after six months, depending on the development and readiness of the body. If the baby does not show any attempts to crawl after 8 months, you should consult a specialist. The efforts of patient and smart parents will help prevent many diseases and poor development of the baby. To activate muscles, doctors recommend practicing professional massage and exercises to master the skill of crawling.

Some children, having learned to roll over onto their stomach, begin to try to move with their arms and legs, spin in a circle or back away. Statistics show that children usually begin to crawl on their bellies at 8 months. Raising the torso, the baby rests on his hands and moves, pulling up the body.

Children crawl on their bellies

On knees:

From 9 months, the baby can stand on all fours and rock, preparing himself for further crawling. Timely crawling on all fours will develop the baby's back muscles, preparing him for walking skills. A child can crawl fully from 10 months, when arms and legs move synchronously and confidently. Cross crawling is the pinnacle of toddler skill.

Girls are ahead of boys in development, which is why they start crawling earlier.

Olga Petrovna Tselekhovich, a pediatrician of the highest category, advises: at what months do children begin to crawl?

Union of Pediatricians of Russia: How to teach a child to crawl? Crawl. Motor skills and exercises. Tips for parents

The importance of crawling

The ability to crawl has a beneficial effect on a child’s development, strengthens motor skills, affects speech formation and brain function. Trains perseverance, determination and endurance. Therefore, parents should take part in the desire to teach their child to crawl, without skipping this stage of development.

On the topic of development:

(up to a year)

Video: Teaching a baby to crawl

Baby doesn't want to crawl? Get him interested!

The baby crawls a little, but this is really important for the full development of the child. Watch him and you will see that there are things to which he is not indifferent. Stimulate your baby with objects that interest him, but don’t give them to him. Place them not far from the child, and as soon as he crawls up and is delighted with his prey, take the things away and place them even further away. We do this using the TV remote control; my daughter never gets tired of crawling behind it and, accordingly, this is an additional development for the baby. The child is more tired and sleeps better. We wish you success in this difficult task - the care and development of your child!

P.S. When the child begins to crawl on his own, indoor floor plants should be put up, the trash can and household chemicals should be hidden, and low-lying sockets should be covered with special lids.

Without a doubt, every mother dreams of her baby starting crawl and then walk. However, there is no need to rush.

However, crawling and walking are the most important components development child from a physiological point of view. In addition, active movement has a positive effect on the development of a child’s mental abilities, as well as the expression of emotions. If a child wants to get to his favorite toy, he needs to decide which direction to move. During this period, it is very important to give the baby freedom of action; you should not limit his movements. Parents should not constantly shout “don’t crawl there”, “stop”, “don’t move”, since such prohibitions can discourage the child’s interest in the world around him, which he is trying to explore.

Children begin to crawl after they learn to sit independently. This period is very difficult for the baby. First of all, the child begins to crawl backward, but over time he tries to move only forward. To help your child crawl in the right direction, you can place his favorite toy at a certain distance. The child will definitely want to reach it. In the first days the child may move only the arms and legs remain motionless, so the baby crawls in a circle. However, over time, he will be able to crawl, moving not only his arms, but also his legs.

When the baby reaches one month, he tries to raise his head, and at two months he easily copes with this and strives to hold it as long as possible. If you want your baby to be able to learn to crawl and walk a little earlier, you need to train his muscles. As training You can use various toys that hang from the baby’s crib. The child is very interested in watching their movements, and he will try to raise his head and even reach them.

After sleep, be sure to lay the baby on his stomach so that he can look at everything. Place various objects in front of him - he will try to take them in his hands. Such exercises will help train the muscles of the arms, neck, and shoulders. At the age of three months, babies can already easily raise their heads and shoulders while lying on their stomachs. At four months, the baby can already roll over on its own from back to side, and at six months it can roll over both onto its back and stomach. By reaching the age of seven months, babies have already mastered the process of crawling on their stomach.

Once your baby has mastered this process, he will delight you by getting on all fours. Already at 8-9 months, many children move around the house only on all fours.

Every day yours Baby will improve his movement, adding speed and developing the ability to reach any object that he sees in front of him. You can help him with this. Get on all fours, like your baby, and play catch-up. Believe me, your baby will be very happy with such a fun game.

Over time, the child gets tired of crawling and tries to get up. To do this, he leans on the furniture and holds his parents’ hands. If the baby feels that he is not yet able to hold equilibrium, he immediately returns to his comfortable position. However, every day the baby will gain strength and strive to not crawl, but walk, like all adults. Crawling will fade into the background and soon the child will forget about how he moved before. According to statistics, most babies walk without any support by the age of one year.

Help your baby train and do simple exercises, and very soon your baby will be actively moving around the house. We wish you success!

Perhaps all mothers and fathers are looking forward to the moment when their baby starts crawling. After all, with the acquisition of this skill, the child turns from an attentive observer into an active explorer of the world around him.

In this article you will learn about exactly when to expect the beginning of this important stage in development.

Should you help your baby crawl? How does this skill manifest itself at first?

At what months does a baby begin to crawl?

According to many studies, the crawling reflex appears in children already in the first minutes after birth. When the baby is turned over on his tummy and the palms are placed under his heels as support, the child tries to push off and thus move forward. True, such movements cannot yet be called conscious. They are produced reflexively, without the involvement of brain activity.

Such manifestations of the innate reflex disappear by 3-4 months of the baby’s life. At this age, the back muscles begin to actively develop, which is the next stage of preparation for crawling.

The baby acquires a new ability - now he can easily roll over from his back to his tummy, and some children even begin to hold their head up on their own.

The development of crawling skills directly depends on the age at which the child begins to roll over. Without this ability, the baby will only be able to crawl on his butt. But the first attempts at full crawling appear in children mainly at 5-6 months. It is worth understanding that this figure is nothing more than a very generalized statistic.

The development of each child is so individual that it is simply impossible to predict its possible outcome.

There are simply no exact age criteria required for every child. Various factors can influence the formation of active motor activity of a baby, namely:

the child’s health status, the presence of congenital or past diseases;
the baby’s personal qualities, his temperament (active or calm);
psychological environment surrounding the child.

Due to the huge number of individual characteristics, the crawling stage can occur either earlier than the stated period or much later. By the way, some children themselves skip this stage of development, immediately getting on their feet.

There is also an opinion that girls begin to crawl somewhat earlier than boys, since they are initially ahead of them in development. Modern pediatricians have come to the conclusion that this concept is nothing more than a myth. The onset of crawling can be influenced by many things, but not by gender.

How can you tell if your baby is starting to crawl?

Parents may notice the first “bells” indicating that the child will soon attempt to crawl. Active crawling is preceded by the development of synchronized movements, the manifestation of interest in the surrounding world, and the general development of motor skills. It becomes clear that the baby’s movements acquire a conscious character, randomness and randomness disappear.

The child’s need for knowledge is growing, which means that the space limited by the crib becomes small for him. This makes the baby finally crawl.

Sometimes the baby begins to show motor activity at night. Why does a child crawl in his sleep?

The answer is simple: in children at this age, the nervous system develops very quickly. In fact, the nervous system is in constant tension, and the baby feels the need to train new skills almost around the clock.

Interesting! Newborn hiccups after feeding: what to do?

Some children wake up at night and crawl around literally half asleep. Don’t worry, these are not signs of sleepwalking, but an age-related feature. As soon as movement becomes a habit for the child, his restful sleep will be restored.

What are the stages of crawling?

Of course, it is unlikely that a baby will be able to immediately move on four points of support. Full crawling is usually preceded by several stages:

1 Crawling on your stomach (on your belly). The baby moves on his stomach, using his elbows to pull him forward. In this case, the maximum load falls on the muscles of the shoulder girdle, arms and elbow joints. These movements are somewhat similar to how a caterpillar moves. At first, it will be difficult for the child to direct his strength to move forward. If the baby crawls this way to the sides or even backwards, there is nothing to worry about.

2 Crawling on the belly, pushing off with the legs. If previously only the upper limbs and shoulder girdle took part in attempts at active movement, now the baby is also trying to use his legs in crawling.

The child may pull his legs forward one at a time, which will be similar to trying to get on all fours.

The baby can also perform similar manipulations while lying on his back, as if honing his manner of movements. Instead of support, some children begin to use their palms rather than their elbows. During this period, you can notice that the baby moves backwards - this also does not at all contradict the correct course of development of coordination of movements.

3 Crawling on all fours. After all the training, the child has enough practical knowledge and skills to truly crawl forward on all fours. Now the baby can place his arms and legs in the correct sequence (crosswise, the way most mammals walk).

Realizing that now the movements are smooth, dexterous and clear, the baby simply cannot help but be inspired to crawl long distances. You will be incredibly surprised at how quickly a child manages to cover the distance to an object of interest!

Usually every child goes through all these stages. But different babies interpret them differently: some begin to crawl on their bellies, as if spinning around their axis, others move sideways. For some reason, some children leave their legs straight without bending their knees. Or only one leg is involved in the movements, while the child tucks the other under his tummy.

Stranger things also happen - sometimes babies crawl while lying on their backs.

Undoubtedly, this method of teaching crawling is somewhat extraordinary, but it does not go beyond the norm. For a child there is no concept of “normal” or “abnormal” - he simply chooses the most convenient method of movement for himself. Over time, the baby will learn to use these skills while lying on his stomach.

Crawling exercises

The desire for movement is inherent in people by nature, but this does not mean that in matters of a child’s development one should rely only on the natural course of events. It is necessary to help the baby overcome difficulties, forget about the first failures and finally learn to crawl correctly. For this, there is a set of special exercises aimed at strengthening the musculoskeletal system and improving coordination of movements.

1 Exercises to strengthen arm muscles

Interesting! Choosing the right baby monitor

Walking on your hands. A very useful exercise for the muscles of the arms and shoulders. To do this, carefully place the child tummy down on the inside of your forearm, holding him behind his back with the other hand. We hold the baby over the table with a slight forward tilt. The child will look for support with his hands, thereby moving forward on his palms.

Hand pull-ups. The baby is lying on his stomach. A rattle is hung at a short distance from him, so that it is slightly above his horizon line. The child will try to strain his shoulder girdle to pull himself closer to her.

2 Exercises on fitball

We place the child on the fitball with his tummy down. At the same time, we carefully hold him by the armpits. We can easily swing the ball back and forth. The baby will strain a little, arching his back.

This exercise helps strengthen the back muscles, which are also very important for crawling.

The position remains the same. With one hand we continue to hold the child by the armpits, with the other we hold the heels so that the legs are in a horizontal position. A bright toy is placed on the floor, not far from the fitball. The child will try to reach it by moving his palms.

3 Exercise with walkers

This exercise is best performed when the baby has already acquired basic crawling skills. It will help your child learn to move more confidently using his knees.

A pillow or soft cushion is laid out on the laid floor. Carefully place the baby on the pillow with his chest, bend his legs at the knees; We place our knees on the floor. We stand face to face with the child, on the back side of the pillow, and begin to pull it towards us. The child will gradually move his knees to move in time with you.

What should you not do when your baby starts crawling?

Some parents underestimate the importance of this stage, citing the fact that crawling can delay the start of independent walking.

In this article you will learn about exactly when to expect the beginning of this important stage in development.

Should you help your baby crawl? How does this skill manifest itself at first?

At what months does a baby begin to crawl?

Such manifestations of the innate reflex disappear by 3-4 months of the baby’s life. At this age, the back muscles begin to actively develop, which is the next stage of preparation for crawling.

The baby acquires a new ability - now he can easily roll over from his back to his tummy, and some children even begin to hold their head up on their own.

The development of each child is so individual that it is simply impossible to predict its possible outcome.

There are simply no exact age criteria required for every child. Various factors can influence the formation of active motor activity of a baby, namely:

the child’s health status, the presence of congenital or past diseases;
the baby’s personal qualities, his temperament (active or calm);
psychological environment surrounding the child.

How can you tell if your baby is starting to crawl?

Parents may notice the first “bells” indicating that the child will soon attempt to crawl. Active crawling is preceded by the development of synchronized movements, the manifestation of interest in the surrounding world, and the general development of motor skills.It becomes clear that the baby’s movements acquire a conscious character, randomness and randomness disappear.

The child’s need for knowledge is growing, which means that the space limited by the crib becomes small for him. This makes the baby finally crawl.

Sometimes the baby begins to show motor activity at night. Why does a child crawl in his sleep?

Interesting! How to quickly potty train a child: 10 simple rules

What are the stages of crawling?

Of course, it is unlikely that a baby will be able to immediately move on four points of support. Full crawling is usually preceded by several stages:

The child may pull his legs forward one at a time, which will be similar to trying to get on all fours.

Stranger things also happen - sometimes babies crawl while lying on their backs.

Crawling exercises

1 Exercises to strengthen arm muscles

Interesting! Child development at 6 months

2 Exercises on fitball

This exercise helps strengthen the back muscles, which are also very important for crawling.

3 Exercise with walkers

This exercise is best performed when the baby has already acquired basic crawling skills. It will help your child learn to move more confidently using his knees.

What should you not do when your baby starts crawling?

Some parents underestimate the importance of this stage, citing the fact that crawling can delay the start of independent walking.

Under no circumstances should a child be placed in a walker, or generally be limited in his efforts to crawl. Using a walker too early will create unnecessary stress on the spine and hip joint.

And a baby who has just started crawling will obviously not be ready for such tests. Helping a child begin to walk quickly without adult support is possible and necessary, but not at the expense of crawling.

If your baby has learned to sit, then very soon he will quite want to move around. The time when a child begins to crawl on all fours is characterized by a powerful leap in development. Moreover, we are talking not only about physical skills, but also about the formation of the baby’s intelligence. While crawling, muscle tone improves, the spine strengthens, coordination of movements changes, and gross and fine motor skills are formed. And when a toddler actively tries to explore the world around him, he learns to think.

Crawling is the most important stage

According to pediatricians, the ability to crawl has an extremely positive effect on a child’s development:

it contributes to the emergence of speech;
perseverance, determination, endurance are developed;
he learns to navigate in space.

When asked how many months your baby should crawl on all fours, pediatricians give an evasive answer.

Here's how children's doctor Evgeniy Komarovsky talks about it: “Sitting, crawling, standing, walking... The child will want to do all of the above on his own, and will do it himself, without much help from you. The role of parents is only one thing - to educate in such a way that sitting, crawling, standing and walking do not turn into hard work: to harden, develop muscles, and take measures to prevent rickets.”

Practice shows that one baby will crawl at 5 months, another at 9 months, and there are also those who bypass this stage of development altogether and immediately proceed to walking. And in all cases, this is a manifestation of the norm, because all children are different.
And yet there are several factors influencing the formation of motor skills:

health of the body as a whole;
physical and personality traits of the child (thin, plump, active, slow);
microclimate in the family.

However, if the child does not express the slightest interest in movement even after 10 months, this is a reason to visit a neurologist.

It is believed that girls develop faster than boys. But there are no confirmed scientific facts on this matter, which means that the issue is not at all about gender characteristics. Much more important are the genetic characteristics of an individual’s development, health status, the course of pregnancy and childbirth, and the atmosphere in the house.

Useful video

When does a baby start crawling on all fours?

A child does not suddenly begin to crawl on all fours; this is preceded by certain developmental stages, without which the baby will not master the skill.

First, the baby will master the skill of lying on his stomach. This happens at age 4 months . Usually the baby, lying on his stomach, tries to get the toy he likes. To do this, he will instinctively push off with his legs from the surface. When the baby determines the relationship between these shocks and further movement of the body, his movements will become more active.

At 5 months The baby, lying on his stomach, is trying to get the toy he likes. To do this, he will instinctively push off with his legs from the surface. When the baby determines the relationship between these shocks and further movement of the body, his movements will become more active.

At 6 months The child learns to get on all fours. As soon as he masters this skill, a new skill will immediately follow - he will begin to “swing”. Kids standing on all fours and not daring to take a step understand that they can move this way, but they don’t know how. Therefore, most children swing back and forth on all fours, without lifting their knees from the floor. Very little time will pass between this stage and the next, when the baby begins to rearrange his arms and legs in turn and crawls on all fours.

Baby at 7 months due to incomplete coordination, it may not crawl where it wanted to go. Therefore, many children first learn to crawl backwards, and only then forward.

At 8 months Most children fully master the skill of crawling on all fours. They take turns moving their arms and knees and can reach surprisingly high speeds. Don't worry about your baby hitting his knees on the floor. The baby will not hurt himself, and his joints are much more mobile and elastic than those of adults. But if it’s summer and the baby is crawling almost without clothes, then you can’t do without the help of protective knee pads. Otherwise, pain from calluses and abrasions will slow down the development of the skill.

How to teach a baby to crawl

Sometimes parents themselves can stimulate the little man’s crawling skill if they think it’s time and all his peers already know how to move. Here are some of the most common methods:

1. You can help your baby with massage and gymnastics. It is advisable to do this on a special changing table. Lightly massage the child's arms from the hand to the forearm, then the legs from the feet to the hips. Then the baby turns over onto his tummy and begins stroking the back from top to bottom.

2. Trust a specialist. Many parents may not notice, but an experienced massage therapist or chiropractor will immediately notice the child’s muscle tone. A professional children's massage therapist will knead and “warm up” the muscles, which will facilitate the baby’s physical activity.

3. Do not restrict movement. There is no point in keeping a growing baby in a crib. When the child turns 4 months old, he should only sleep in the crib; while awake, let him spend time on the floor.

There are other ways to encourage your baby to crawl:

Lure the child towards you, showing a bright toy;
Show him that he can stand on all fours by placing a pillow or bolster under his tummy and leaving him in this position for a while;
The child lies on his stomach, you place your palms under his feet, which will stimulate him to push off;
Often place the baby on the floor, covered with a large thick blanket - a wide free space promotes the desire to move;
Let the baby rest on a large rubber ball and stand on his knees with his legs. At this time, mom gradually moves the ball towards herself. The child will begin to move his legs at the reflex level. For the sake of safety, the baby should be supported by another adult;
Praise your baby, rejoice in any of his efforts, this will give him confidence and dispel his fears.

Safety first

A crawling baby is a bundle of energy. By actively moving around the house, the baby is exposed to potential danger. He is curious about the tablecloth hanging from the table, where there is a vase of flowers, and the contents of the closet. The baby needs constant supervision. An area of special attention is doors and stairs. Don't forget about sockets and cords, too. Create all the conditions for your playful little one to explore the space.

Very soon, yesterday’s baby will learn to stand near a support, and then he will take his first steps.

Only a specialist can dispel parents’ doubts when a child begins to crawl on all fours and whether their toddler meets the standards.

Remember that your child needs a healthy and calm mother, don’t worry in vain. Don't look for reasons to worry, but just enjoy every moment of happy motherhood!

Although it is possible that your baby may skip it and go straight away. Usually children who have learned to crawl well and quickly go a little later than their peers who did not crawl. This skill is very useful, since crawling is an excellent exercise for strengthening the back muscles, and the vertical position creates a lot of stress on them. Therefore, even if your child did not crawl, it is advisable to teach him to crawl after he goes and include this exercise in daily gymnastics or exercises with the baby.

Usually babies begin to crawl (except for the period of reflex crawling) in, but there are toddlers who are already beginning to move independently, and there are slightly lazier babies who crawl at 8-9 months. Each child chooses their own method of movement; some begin to crawl backwards, sideways or in a circle, then crawl on their bellies and finally reach perfection by crawling on all fours. Other kids immediately begin to get on all fours, first rock their butt back and forth, then try to move their arms (they can first crawl like a frog: two hands immediately forward, and then jerk their butt up), then their legs. The first attempts to crawl will be slow, the baby needs to be stimulated by placing toys or other objects of interest to him in front of him, but after a couple of weeks he will move around the apartment at such a speed that you can play catch with him.

In order for your baby to learn to crawl, you shouldn’t keep him in the crib all the time. It is advisable to start laying it out on the floor. First, he will master turning over from his back to his tummy in one direction or the other, and learn to lift himself up on his hands. Place new objects around the child, he will try to reach them. At one point, the baby will push off with his leg from the floor or wall, move forward or to the side, now he will continue to explore and improve a new skill - crawling, as a way to reach places and goals of interest. If the baby begins to crawl in the crib, then you should not allow him to do so; immediately move him to the floor or to a special playpen. The child must distinguish between a place to sleep and a place to play, otherwise problems may begin with going to bed. To eliminate the possibility of injury, remove from the floor all objects that can fall or fall (floor vases, flower pots, stands, etc.), protect all sharp corners with silicone pads, insulate the floor by placing a blanket or carpet on it. Regularly wet clean the room to prevent your baby from breathing in dust. Wash your hands more often, because the 6th year is also the period of teething, which means that the baby’s fingers will often be in the mouth. Be sure to regularly wash the toys your child plays with.

Praise your child for his achievements, show him new possibilities of the acquired skill.. For example, crawling on straight legs (monkey walking) is considered the height of perfection. You can arrange a mini-obstacle course for your baby: he can climb over low obstacles, under chairs, through tunnels, etc. You can buy such a crawling track in a store or make it yourself. And one fine day the baby will crawl to the sofa, chair or wall of the playpen and stand up, but that’s another story...

Issues of mental and physical health of the baby are of paramount importance for all parents, so fathers and mothers closely monitor the development of their baby and rejoice at every new skill that he has mastered. Rolling over, sitting up, crawling, walking - the baby goes through these stages of development one by one, and each of them becomes a small victory in the child's life. Therefore, it is no wonder that the question “when does a baby start to crawl” is very popular and causes a lot of concern. Let's try to figure out how the crawling skill is formed and when it manifests itself.

Stages of crawling

A newborn baby has a number of innate reflexes, including the crawling reflex (Bauer). It manifests itself in pushing away the baby lying on his stomach from the support placed at his heels. This reflex is the first stage; it precedes classical crawling and fades away by four months.

The next step in the development of the skill is moving the baby on its stomach. It can manifest itself in different ways: it can be moving around its axis, crawling on the belly, and moving backwards or sideways. All these movements are useful for the baby, as they contribute to the development of his muscles. Usually, children make their first attempts at such movements at the age of five to six months, but sometimes later.

Then the baby moves on to master the next stage, which precedes the period of active crawling and manifests itself in the fact that the child tries to crawl, raising his body above the surface of the floor or bed. At the same time, he can move like a frog, throwing his arms forward and jumping, pulling his legs towards them; can move backwards, or can stand on all fours and, swaying, fall forward. All these, albeit sometimes clumsy, attempts to move in space will lead to the final stage: independent crawling.

Some parents at a pediatrician's appointment ask in surprise why the child crawls backwards first? Probably, such movement is associated with insufficient development of motor coordination. The baby is simply not yet able to understand what needs to be done to move in the opposite direction.

And finally the time has come for the most difficult stage. It is called classic cross crawling and is the alternating coordinated actions of the arms and legs of a baby standing on all fours. It is considered the most difficult because it requires not just moving in space, but also skillful control of your body.

The importance of crawling

Although there are children who miss the crawling stage, this should not be considered a significant achievement. The existence of a period when a child begins to crawl on all fours is natural and determined by nature itself. With active crawling, vigorous physical activity develops muscles and bones, the heart and blood vessels, improves metabolic processes, and has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. In addition, crawling creates a moderate load on the spine and prepares the body for the transition to the next level: learning to walk.

In order for the baby to develop faster, it is recommended to place him on a clean, dry and warm floor, which can be covered with a thick blanket or carpet. It is very useful to leave him as naked as possible, because stimulation of receptors located on the surface of the skin accelerates brain development.

Many mothers do not focus on the moment when the child begins to crawl on his belly, but they are very concerned about the question of when the baby should master the ability to crawl independently. Since all children go through an individual developmental path, it is impossible to definitively answer the question of when a baby should start crawling, but orthopedists and pediatricians consider the period from six to nine months to be normal for mastering the skill of crawling.

There are times when the baby does not show interest in crawling - in this case, you should contact a specialist: a pediatrician, neurologist and orthopedist must confirm that everything is fine with the baby. If they do not find any developmental abnormalities, there is no need to be upset: perhaps the baby will either crawl later or skip this stage.

There is a category of children who develop more slowly than others. There may be several reasons for this: premature birth, hypoxia during intrauterine development, or illness. If your baby belongs to this group of children, then you should remember that his pace of mastering new skills is slightly different, and parents do not need to be upset, much less scold, their child if he does not meet their expectations. Their task is to help the baby on the way to mastering crawling and other skills.

If a child begins to crawl late, this means that his body has only now formed enough to take the next step in development.

Strengthening exercises

To teach a baby to crawl, it is necessary to stimulate his desire to reach an object of interest, as well as to develop those muscle groups that are involved in this skill. For this purpose, there are special gymnastics that will help the baby strengthen the muscles of the back, arms, and legs.

A fitball is ideal for strengthening your back. The child is placed on it with his tummy and, holding it under the armpits, performs rocking movements back and forth and left and right. In addition to developing the back muscles, this exercise trains coordination and also promotes the development of the lateral abdominal muscles.

Arm muscle training is carried out in a supine position. Mom places her thumbs in the baby's fists, and clasps his wrist with the rest of her fingers. Then he carefully lifts the baby, first to an angle of forty-five degrees, and later, when he learns to sit, to a sitting position, then slowly lowers him back. You can develop arms by crossing them on the child’s chest so that he seems to be hugging himself. Then the arms are spread apart and crossed again so that either the right or the left hand is on top.

Demonstration of strengthening exercises

When the baby is able to fully lift his body, resting his arms on the table or floor, you can perform the “walking on your hands” exercise, lifting the back of the body and holding the baby.

To develop the baby's legs, they are bent and unbent while lying on his back. Moreover, bending should be carried out in an extended state, like the legs of a frog. This exercise ends with turning the baby onto his stomach: let the baby push off with his legs from the mother’s palms.

The final stage of the exercises can be a massage for the child: gentle stroking and light rubbing of the skin. They will help relax the muscles after exercise and further prepare them for crawling.

Although crawling is genetically incorporated into the developmental program of a newborn, the question of how to teach a child to crawl correctly is not idle. Many parents ask how to help their baby learn to crawl.

The easiest option is to get interested. Place a toy at a sufficient distance in front of the baby, thus stimulating his interest and attempts to reach the object. Any attempts by the baby to crawl should be encouraged: praise, kiss; encouraging words will also help when a child is afraid to crawl.

To make it clear to the baby what is being asked of him, adults or older children can clearly show how to crawl. Kids love to imitate and will be happy to try to repeat these movements.

When your baby crawls more confidently, you can make his task more difficult by placing various obstacles on the floor (rolled towels, pillows, chairs, etc.). Good results are shown by the use of a special device - the Doman track.

Some mothers place the baby's arms on some kind of stand and begin to slowly move it forward - the baby is forced to move his legs. A similar exercise can be performed by holding the child by the chest and helping him move his legs with his knees bent.

How not to teach a child to crawl? All children move differently: some are on their backs, moving head first; someone jumps like a frog; and some even crawl backwards at first. All these manifestations are completely normal. There is no need to force the baby to move exactly the way you think is correct, or force him to crawl, even if the baby cannot master it for a long time. There is no need to try to quickly teach a child to crawl, because the development of any skill is a natural process; it will be mastered only at the moment when the baby is ready for it.

If the child does not want to crawl

Despite the fact that crawling is a useful skill that most babies master, not all children demonstrate this skill: some of them go straight to walking, bypassing the crawling stage. If a child at ten or eleven months or even a year does not want to crawl, but at the same time he is cheerful and active, and doctors have no complaints about him, then parents should not worry. Maybe your baby will crawl a little later, or maybe he will skip this stage of development altogether. The exercises and massage that we recommended above will help the child strengthen his muscles and develop coordination of movements, and this is quite enough.

Thus, the answer to the question “at what months will the baby begin to crawl on his own” depends on the nature of the baby and the characteristics of his individual development. Is it necessary to teach a child to crawl? Of course it is necessary. But there is no need to worry that by a certain age the baby has not crawled yet. Love your baby, help him develop, and he will not be slow to please you with his achievements.

Along with the development of crawling skills, the baby turns from a passive observer lying in his mother’s arms, in a crib or on a development mat, into an active explorer of the world around him. Of course, parents eagerly wait for the baby to start crawling. At what age should one expect such an important skill to appear, is it necessary to help the baby, and how do children begin to crawl in general? We will try to answer these questions for you in this article.

Crawling is an incredibly important stage in a child’s development, because with its help, children not only strengthen their muscles and spine, improve coordination of movements, develop macro- and micromotor skills, but also learn to make decisions and, one might even say, think. When a child begins to crawl, this becomes a certain milestone in his perception of the external environment - after all, now the baby can reach on his own what he could previously only examine from afar. He learns to control his own body, while his brain develops comprehensively.

On forums you can often find some abstract figure - 6 months, supposedly the starting point for the development of crawling and sitting skills. But, believe me, there are so many options for their development.

When should a baby start crawling? Komarovsky and simple common sense

“Sitting, crawling, standing, walking... The child will want to do all of the above on his own, and will do it himself, without much help from you. The role of parents is only one thing - to educate in such a way that sitting, crawling, standing and walking do not turn into hard work: to harden, develop muscles, and take measures to prevent rickets.”

As you already understand, there are no exact age criteria for when a child begins to crawl, sit, or walk. There are a number of factors that influence the formation of these motor skills of a particular child:

his state of health;
physical and personal characteristics of the baby (thin-chubby, active-calm);
psychological situation in the family.

As you can see, due to the differences in the individual characteristics of children, it is quite difficult to talk about at what age a child crawls.

One thing is certain: the question “when, at how many months should a child crawl?” - completely incorrect. Yes, crawling is a necessary “step” of development, but some babies skip it, going straight to walking, and this is also considered a variant of the norm.

At what months do babies start crawling?

It is impossible to predict at what months the baby will begin to crawl. But if the baby already knows how to roll over onto his tummy (read more about rollovers in the article) and likes to lie in this position, most likely he will soon try to move in space on his own.

“Babies start crawling between 5 and 6 months and are crawling well by 7 months.”

It should be taken into account that children have different crawling methods. Some people begin to crawl on their bellies at 4-5 months and continue to move this way for a long time. Other children immediately go from lying on their tummy to crawling on all fours; usually this happens later, at 7-8 months, and this is also the absolute norm.

The approximate time range that neurologists focus on is 5-9 months.

If we talk about average numbers, then usually a child crawls independently, well and confidently, at the age of 7-8 months. If your baby does not crawl, we recommend that you read the articles and

How a baby learns to crawl: stages of crawling

Usually this question worries the parents of their first-born child, since it can be difficult for them to imagine how the baby will suddenly move from lying in one place to moving “from point A to point B.” This usually doesn't happen overnight.

Children learn to crawl in stages. There are the following approximate stages of crawling:

1) Crawling on your bellies , on the stomach. You won’t even understand that the child has crawled, because such a movement may not be directed forward, but to the side or even backward. This is the easiest way for a baby to move - he uses a minimum of energy, crawling like a little caterpillar.

2) At the next stage, the baby can try by getting on all fours and with your arms out in front, pull your legs up one at a time . Or, as an option, he gives the same thing, but lying on his stomach - outwardly this may resemble something like a jump. These funny attempts precede the real crawling.

3) After long training, the child improves the coordination of his movements so much that he begins to cross crawl . In this case, the movements of the arms and legs clearly alternate (right arm and left leg, then left arm and right leg). Children move very quickly in this way. They like their own dexterity and the speed with which they can get to the desired object. Cross crawling strengthens muscles and comprehensively develops the child.

Many parents, looking forward to their baby’s new skills, ask: « Does the baby sit or crawl first? » . So to speak. The norm is that the child will first crawl on his belly, and then learn to sit. In general, you shouldn’t rush too much with sitting, force it and teach your baby to sit (read more in our article). Sitting creates a vertical load on the spine, for which the child must mature. Concentrate your attention on crawling - it will contribute to physical development and the ability to sit in particular. It happens that babies first sit up on their own and learn to stand on all fours, almost without crawling on their bellies, and soon they begin to crawl straight away in a criss-cross manner. This is also normal.

Parents often wonder how should a baby crawl correctly . As the baby develops muscles and coordinates movements, this skill improves. The crawling method usually goes through the stages described above, with some babies crawling on their stomachs, as if backing up; others spin around their axis, some seem to move sideways. Cross crawling in children can also be different: on all fours and on straightened legs; there is also a “one-sided” movement - with the help of one knee or one outstretched leg. Some children crawl really strangely on your back or butt, bending one leg under you and pushing off with the other . This worries parents a lot. Why does a child crawl on his butt, is this normal? Let us reassure you: crawling on your butt, backwards, on your back - all these are peculiar, but quite normal options for crawling. The baby does not know how this is “normal” and chooses the easiest way for himself. Show him how to move differently and he may soon enjoy traditional crawling.

Sometimes, after the crawling skill begins to develop, mothers notice that the baby begins to spin around and try to crawl in the crib at night. Why does a child crawl in his sleep?? The reasons for this phenomenon are very simple - six-month-old babies often learn to sleep on their stomachs, and during sleep the nervous system develops new knowledge and skills. The result is obvious: some children stand on all fours in a sleepy state, others crawl, and still others constantly spin around their axis. What to do in this case? Just wait. The baby will definitely outgrow such “sleepwalking.”

The child is crawling, but... (parents' worries)

If the baby crawls, that’s great! But mothers will always find something to worry about. Let’s answer frequently asked questions online: “what to do if...”:

Baby crawls at 3 or 4 months

Despite the fact that all children develop differently, there are still general patterns. If your baby is crawling at 3 months, you are most likely exaggerating a little or mistaking the baby's floundering, weak attempts to move, and twisting for real crawling. In the fifth month, a child may begin to crawl, but this is rather rare.

Baby crawls at 5 months

Rejoice! The baby is developing remarkably well, don’t look for reasons to worry.

The child crawls but does not sit

If a child crawls but does not sit up on his own, most likely the fact is that his spine and muscles are not yet strong enough. Remember: there is no need to force the transition to a vertical position!

The child crawls but does not walk

It often happens that a child is almost a year old, he crawls perfectly, but does not want to walk. The principle here is the same as with sitting - everything has its time.

And finally, I would like to wish all caring parents - may your kids develop in a timely manner, delighting you with new achievements every day! Very soon they will crawl, learn to walk and talk, and you will remember with a smile your worries about when this will happen...

Hello dear readers! With the birth of a baby, every mother meticulously monitors its development day by day. What is it, by the hour! One of the long-awaited moments is when the child begins to crawl. Is this really necessary?

After all, there are children who immediately begin to sit, stand up and walk, bypassing the crawling period. Let's figure it out together.

My daughter crawled on her belly until she reached the sitting stage. And after she began to sit down confidently, she learned to crawl on all fours. Everything happened by itself. But I know a lot of children who passed this wonderful stage without having time to please their parents. Is this good?

Here's what the crawling stage does:

Development of movement coordination. It is not for nothing that it has always been believed that crawling toddlers have a better developed vestibular apparatus.
Strengthening muscles.
Development of thinking and intellectual abilities.
The freedom of action. Wow, there are so many interesting things all around! Let the child study this! Well, within reasonable limits, of course. So that you don’t turn anything over on yourself and pinch your fingers.

Modern pediatrics believes that this is necessary to prepare the muscles before the child gets up and walks. This strengthens muscle groups better. Therefore, if your little one starts out and then goes, it’s better to consult a pediatrician. I'm not talking about developmental delays now. In no case. The doctor will simply be able to tell how well the baby’s muscle corset is developed. And is this correct in your case?

If the baby still does not crawl, and the muscles are not ready for walking, you will not force him in any way. But you also cannot stop his walking. And there's no point. In such cases, massage is often prescribed. Professional for muscle training. But if you still have time, the baby has not started walking yet, you can try to encourage the baby to crawl on his own.

How to teach to crawl?

So, are there really such methods? Eat. And not alone. I’ll just tell you a secret, if the child himself is not ready for this, it’s unlikely that anything will come of it. But you will pump up your muscles)).

So, there are a number of methods that are quite effective on how to help a little heir.

The first and important condition is to place the baby on its stomach from a very early stage. According to statistics, babies who are laid out more often begin to crawl earlier.
Place the cushion under the breast. This will give a certain impetus so that the baby begins to move in space.
With your baby lying on his back, bend his legs into a frog position. Then place the baby on his tummy and place your hands under the heels. While pushing the little one slightly, give him the opportunity to push off on his own.
Don't forget to place an interesting toy at a distance. It helped us. Perhaps this simple maneuver will come in handy for you too.
Fitball exercise. Place the baby on the ball with his stomach down and rock him from side to side. This will develop a sense of coordination and tell the child that he can move through space on his own.
Do exercises. It would seem, but ordinary raises of arms and legs to the sides help strengthen muscles.
Place your child on the floor covered with a blanket more often. It is unlikely that he will crawl in a crib or playpen. Let's have some space!
If possible, purchase a special inclined slide. Place the little one there, head down. Naturally, with insurance! Although the height is small, the baby may be scared for the first time. But if you teach it, you will receive a pleasant bonus: this way your child will develop coordination faster and better. By the way, you don’t have to spend money. An ordinary wide board at an angle, covered with a blanket, will be enough.

Such simple actions will help the child master a much-needed skill. But everyone does this procedure differently. What methods are there?

Methods

From the age of 3 months, babies begin to spin clockwise or counterclockwise. Delighted mothers rush to mistake this maneuver for attempts to crawl. But that's not true. This is simply a method of moving in space, rather unsubstantiated.

In general, these manipulations do not mean that the baby will crawl. Perhaps he is one of those kids who immediately got up and went. As for those who did crawl first, there are several methods that children love:

Plastun style. At the same time, the butt rises up, the knees tuck under themselves, the child pushes off and moves forward. I don’t know about you, but personally it reminds me of a caterpillar. This is where my daughter started.
Back. Yes, don’t be surprised if the child suddenly starts moving backwards and not forwards. This is fine. And what difference does it make how to develop muscles?
Sitting on my butt. Does your baby already know how to sit? Then don't be surprised if you see him tuck one leg in and push off with the other. It doesn’t matter to the child how to achieve the goal.
On knees. This skill does not always appear immediately. The push is the baby getting on all fours and swinging. The skill of crawling on knees is improved by 10 months. So stock up on those sliders in the meantime!

There are other types of transportation. For example, rolling from one side to the other, around its axis and other variations. This is the ingenuity of a child. But if the baby has started such actions, soon he will still get on all fours and crawl in the right direction.

Norm

We figured out that crawling is a very useful moment. But what is considered the norm? As a mother, I understand you. With what trepidation you wait for each stage. And if he is late, the parent thinks, is everything okay with the baby?

Babies begin to crawl from 7 to 9 months. For some it is earlier, for others it is later. And I hasten to reassure you that if your baby passes this stage, this does not mean that he is behind in development. The main thing is that the muscle corset is ready for more complex actions.

In this case, the child can use each of the above methods. In any case, these are actions aimed at development. If anything bothers you, consult your doctors. They will examine and make recommendations that you, as a responsible parent, will follow.

Safety

Is your baby crawling? Congratulations! I hope this is one less thing to worry about? Yes, but another problem has been added - security. There may be many dangerous objects on the way. How can I protect my child? There are several ways:

Clean floors. I’m not a fan of cleaning with chemicals, but I tried to brush off the dust every day with regular water and a mop. Today the child crawls strictly on the blanket. And tomorrow he will want to wander further away. You won't stop the little one! Vacuum and wipe, keep it clean!

No small objects in the way! You’ll put it in your mouth and before you know it!

Protection on cabinet doors is a must! I don’t know children who wouldn’t try to lift the veil of secrecy and check what’s in the boxes!

Sharp corners. Try to protect your baby from encountering these unpleasant surprises. How? I collected blankets and laid them near the legs of the table, bed and closet. What can you come up with?

Ladder. This is a very dangerous obstacle. If there are stairs in the house, be sure to install gates to avoid rapid falls.

Temperature in the house. Important addition. After all, the little one should be comfortable. Protect from drafts and cold floors. Be sure to lay down a blanket.

Wires, sockets. I don’t know why, but these items are among the favorites for little researchers. In fact, this is very serious. Be sure to insert protective caps into outlets. And hide the wires in boxes.

Animals. I have always believed that children should communicate with four-legged friends. And, as a rule, they get along with each other. But, let's better play it safe and control this communication. Even for hygiene purposes, especially at first. I think nothing good will happen if the baby swallows fur from Murzik or Sharik. So there must be moderation everywhere, dear readers!

It seems that’s all I wanted to tell you today. Perhaps you have questions? Feel free to ask them in the comments! And also share your experience. What time did your baby start crawling? How? How did you train and help him? Share. And don't forget to become blog subscribers! Until next time. Bye!