Why crawling is an (important) milestone

Crawling is an important milestone because the body makes a cross-lateral movement that activates the corpus callosum: the area where the left and right halves of the brain are connected. So crawling isn't just physically important, but also for your little one's cognitive development and sensitivity to stress. Lindsay, childcare practitioner and 1000 Days baby coach at Kideo childcare, explains why you'd rather not let this milestone be skipped.

"When crawling, the body makes a cross-lateral movement. Making this movement activates the corpus callosum."

Lindsay

How does motor development progress in the first year?

At Kideo, our childcare, we see every day how children develop step by step. From first movements to important milestones: it's a beautiful process of growth and discovery. Lindsay explains:

In my work as a childcare practitioner in the baby group, I get to witness a baby's development up close time and time again. I get to watch them grow every day, and I still find that something special. Before their first birthday they've already been through a great many motor developments.

At first your little one could only lie on their back, but soon they started rolling, sitting and hopefully also doing a lot of crawling. Yet in the group I also often see children whose motor development, for whatever reason, takes a different course. Sometimes important milestones are even skipped altogether. Crawling is one such important milestone. I'd love to tell you more about this movement pattern and why it's so important that your little one doesn't skip it.

Is crawling a reflex?

When your baby is born, they come into the world with a whole package of reflexes. These allow your baby to make various movement patterns. Crawling is also a reflex movement. You usually see it appear soon after birth: the so-called 'breast crawl', where your little one crawls independently from your belly to the breast to feed.

So crawling is a reflex that is present in every body. That means every baby should be able to crawl. Yet your baby can also tell you something else with their posture: there are signs that tell you your baby may be skipping crawling.

Why is crawling important for the baby brain?

It's often thought that crawling is needed in order to walk later on. But children who don't crawl eventually walk too, so why is crawling so important?

When crawling, the body makes a cross-lateral movement, and that activates the corpus callosum. The corpus callosum is an important area in our brain where nerve pathways cross. That's how the left half of the brain is connected to the right half.

In our daily lives we constantly switch between the left half of the brain (the part for logical thinking) and the right half (the part that focuses on emotional experience). To understand the world properly and respond to it, it's important that your brain works well together.

So crawling plays an important role in your little one's cognitive development and sensitivity to stress. The more hours of crawling your little one clocks up, the better.

Which signs suggest your baby is skipping crawling?

There are often early signs that tell you your little one might skip crawling:

• Your little one doesn't like lying on their tummy.
• Your little one has trouble rolling over both sides.
• Your little one can't get into a sitting position independently.
• Your little one prefers standing to crawling.

Do you recognise these signs in your baby, or do you have doubts about your baby's movement development? I'd be happy to take a look with you.

With love,
Lindsay
1000 Days baby coach

Summary

• Crawling activates the corpus callosum through a cross-lateral movement, connecting the left and right halves of the brain.
• That makes crawling important for your little one's cognitive development and sensitivity to stress, not just as preparation for walking.
• Crawling is a reflex present in every body; you can see it just after birth as the 'breast crawl'.
• Early signs that your baby is skipping crawling: not liking tummy time, trouble rolling over both sides, not getting into a sitting position independently, preferring to stand.
• The more hours of crawling, the better. Unsure? Lindsay, 1000 Days baby coach at Kideo childcare, is happy to take a look with you.

Frequently asked questions

Does a baby have to crawl in order to walk?

No, children who don't crawl eventually walk too. Crawling is mainly important for the brain: it activates the corpus callosum and helps the two halves of the brain work together.

What is the 'breast crawl'?

A reflex crawling movement just after birth, where your little one crawls independently from your belly to the breast to feed. It shows that crawling is present as a reflex in every body.