When your baby grows up...
It was only yesterday when he or she was a newborn, but now your baby is growing up so fast. It's time for you to start thinking about all the milestones - crawling included - so that you'll be fully prepared when it comes time to teach him or her how to crawl.
How do babies learn to walk?
A baby can't actually walk before he or she learns how to crawl first. This makes perfect sense once you think about it: walking is simply a faster way of crawling. Learning how to walk involves much more than learning how to move from place to place though, as babies must develop muscle coordination and balance as well as muscle strength in order to achieve independent movement from one place to another on two legs rather than all fours using their hands and feet.
When will my baby start to crawl?
According to statistics, children usually begin crawling between the age of 6 months and 10 months. Some babies don't crawl though; they reach this milestone as early as 4 or 5 months, while some take as long as 14 months. It's important that you remember that each baby develops at his or her own rate, so there is no reason for you to be concerned if your child is not crawling by the average age range mentioned above.
However, it's also important to note that most babies start walking sometime around their first birthday, and like crawling, some children achieve this milestone earlier than others. By understanding how and why kids learn these skills at different ages, you'll be able to better understand why your child takes so long to walk or crawl, and you'll also know what to expect next.
5 important reasons for crawling
- Crawling is one of the first steps for babies to become mobile. This means that they can explore their surroundings with ease once they learn how to safely navigate moving from place to place on their hands and knees.
Babies who don't crawl may seem stuck in place - unable to go forward unless carried, rolled over on a blanket, or slid across the floor by an adult - which can make parents feel terribly frustrated, especially if there is no obvious problem hindering the learning process. Just remember that your baby has not learned how to walk yet because she hasn't yet learned how to crawl, and she's probably taking advantage of your carrying her around all day. - Crawling helps babies develop better muscle coordination. They use muscles in their arms, legs, hands, feet, neck, and face as they push off the ground with their knees or underarms and pull themselves forward with their hands.
As a result of these actions repeated over time, kids learn how to coordinate muscle movement between their upper and lower halves so that they can eventually master walking on two legs as opposed to four. - Crawling helps babies improve hand-eye coordination. Because they need to look where they're going while crawling from place to place, kids learn how to focus on details such as color or patterns that may be off to the side.
As they turn their heads, bodies, and attention from place to place while crawling or walking, kids use these skills subconsciously for years to come which helps them excel at sports, driving a car, cooking meals, playing musical instruments, reading books, writing essays, working on the computer, etc. - Crawling is necessary for learning how to walk. Learning how to move around on two legs is easier once babies have mastered crawling because it's simply an extension of this primary skill. Kids are able to control their movements better when standing upright since they're already practiced at balancing their weight as well as shifting it back and forth between their arms and legs in order to move forward little by little.
- Crawling helps babies become more intelligent. Although this is not a direct result of crawling, it's a side effect that occurs as a child matures. There are several different ways that crawling affects your baby's development, but the main one is that crawling helps infants recognize their world in order to create familiarity and comfort with their surroundings.
This improves cognitive ability skills over time which helps kids learn how to speak properly, which in turn strengthens their understanding of words. It also makes them better learners because they're able to focus on learning new information without getting distracted by what's going on around them - something very important for older children who might get "antsy" while sitting in one place for too long.
How does my baby learn to crawl?
Babies are born with reflexes that help them move around long before they're able to control their muscles. Most babies start off by laying on their stomachs, pushing off the ground in order to raise their heads in the air. Although this might not sound like much movement, these lifts increase gradually over time until babies are able to support themselves on their hands and knees.
Your baby is likely ready to do this once she can pivot her head from side to side without having it loll forward or backward. When you notice your child being able to lift herself up while propping her weight onto each arm alternately, she's well on her way toward crawling successfully.
How soon will my baby learn how to crawl?
Some children master the art of crawling before they're nine months old, while others discover it after age twelve. As of today, no one can predict for certain whether or not your baby will learn how to crawl on her own without any help from you or someone else.
Typically, babies that don't start crawling until they're over a year old still learn how to walk on their own two legs by the time they reach fifteen months old. This is because your child's brain continues to develop at a rapid pace regardless of whether she crawls or walks first. However, babies who do know how to get around without a stroller or a wheelchair tend to be better at doing other things like talking in complete sentences.
How can you encourage your baby to crawl?
Although your child's determination to crawl is what gets her off the ground in the first place, you can still encourage her in order to speed up the learning process. Although crawling may seem like a natural and easy way for kids to get from one place to another, it takes quite a lot of effort on their part. Aside from learning how to balance themselves when squirming around, babies need to use their arms and legs in unison once they're propped onto their hands and knees.
Your baby might not be ready for such an exercise if she doesn't know how to shift back and forth yet, so try coaxing her by going over each step slowly. Place one hand on her lower back while using your other hand to hold one of hers.
Lead her across the floor one step at a time, adjusting your guidance as she realizes what she needs to do next. Some children need more encouragement than others, so try using animal sounds or silly words to catch her attention and make crawling fun for both of you.
Although crawling is only the first stage in learning how to walk, it's still an important milestone that can help your baby understand where he is in relation to everyone else. Instead of wishing away the days until your child finally stands up on his two feet all by himself, enjoy watching him crawl around on the carpet!
It may take some time for babies to learn how to get around with their arms and legs, but trust us - seeing them scoot across the room with a smile on their face is one of the most rewarding feelings in the world.
What dangers might arise with crawling?
The biggest danger is that they will crawl out of your site onto dangerous things like roads, stairs, etc. They may climb up something and then it will fall over on top of them causing injury. Once they learn to talk they may go into different rooms which you wouldn't let them if they were younger.
How can you make this process safer?
When your baby crawls in the room, there are a lot of things that could happen that can cause her harm. The baby gates will help children to restrict from crawling out of the rooms. The baby walker will keep your kid safe and make him learn how to walk without hurting himself.
The best way to keep your child safe is by placing a foam rug under the baby gate. Make sure the gate completely covers the width of the opening between two doorways or at least enough space for them to crawl through. You should also place it as low as possible, just above the ground so that there's no chance they'll be able to reach up and grab anything dangerous such as an electrical outlet or household chemicals. As long as you're using a sturdy safety gate, your baby shouldn't be able to climb over it.
Since crawling involves a lot of movement, make sure you never place any furniture in the way of your kid's path. The baby walker can help you to keep them safe from bumping into things or falling down the stairs. You should use these walkers even after they learn to talk and walk because they can ensure that they will learn how to move properly without hurting themselves. It is better if you follow their instructions when using these products to avoid any accidents.
As soon as you notice that your child is moving all over the house, we would recommend that you buy a high-quality baby gate. Make sure that this gate is secure enough so that when your kids try to climb upon it, it doesn't tip over. You can also use a high chair or a playpen to keep them safe in one area when you are busy cooking or doing the laundry.
When should your baby go from crawling to walking?
Your child will start walking when she is confident with her ability to go around on all fours. When she reaches 11-15 months, you should place your baby in a standing position and let her hold onto something so that she feels secure. After this, if she seems interested in doing the same thing again and again without tiring, you can leave it as it is. It's extremely important for babies to be able to walk before their first birthday because they learn everything just after one time through the process.
We recommend that you buy a sturdy gate that covers at least half of the doorway or hallway and has no more than four inches between the bars. Crawl spaces under doors and low windows need special protection as well and should be securely covered to protect kids from falling down the stairs or into fireplaces.
We recommend that you buy a high chair that is very stable and has a belt around it to make sure your child won't tip out of it. You can strap them in for short periods if needed while you are busy cooking dinner, but they should be able to stand next to you as soon as possible.
You can buy a playpen that encloses the baby on all four sides with mesh instead of bars. This way kiddo will feel more protected as she learns how to stand up and walk holding onto something.
Conclusion
A baby starts crawling when he or she is 6-10 months old. The age varies depending on how quickly your kid learns to walk after this crawl. As soon as you see that the baby is active, you should buy a cat or gate which covers enough space for them to move around safely and place it just above the ground so that they can't reach any dangerous objects near the doorway.
Sturdy safety gates are important if you let your kids roam around when there's no one at home with them. A high chair will keep your child safe when you are busy cooking or doing the laundry. If she shows interest, she can stand next to you until her first birthday.