Is Your Baby Skipping Crawling? Why It Matters and How to Help (A Pediatric PT Guide)

Mercedes Aguirre Valenzuela
3 days ago
3 min read

If your baby is approaching 8 or 9 months and showing no interest in crawling—or is scooting on their bottom instead—you might be wondering if it’s something to worry about.

A common myth in parent groups is that "crawling isn't a necessary milestone." While some medical guidelines focused solely on broad developmental windows have de-emphasized it, as a pediatric physical therapist, I consider hands-and-knees crawling one of the most critical foundational movements in early childhood.

Crawling isn't just about moving from Point A to Point B. It builds high-level neurological connections, core stability, and shoulder strength that directly impact handwriting, balance, and coordination later in life.

Here is what you need to know about why crawling matters, what "asymmetrical" crawling looks like, and simple PT-approved ways to get your baby moving on all fours.

Grab The Milestone Troubleshooting Guide, a free quick-reference toolkit I designed as a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Inside, you’ll get targeted checklists to spot hidden tightness, strength gaps, or asymmetry, plus simple exercises you can start doing in your living room today to unlock their next movement!

Get the Guide

Why Hands-and-Knees Crawling is so Important

True belly-off-the-floor crawling on hands and knees (reciprocal crawling) does incredible work for your baby's developing body and brain:
- Cross-Lateral Integration: Moving the opposite arm and leg simultaneously requires the left and right hemispheres of the brain to communicate via the corpus callosum. This cross-body coordination is the base for future complex movements like running, swimming, and even reading.
- Shoulder & Hand Arch Development: Bearing weight on open palms strengthens the small muscles in the hands (essential for fine motor skills like holding a pencil later on) and stabilizes the shoulder sockets.
- Visual Convergence: Looking down at their hands and then up across the room helps train their eyes to adjust focus quickly between near and far distances.

What About "Alternative" Crawling Styles?

Many babies find unique ways to get around before mastering a standard crawl:

The Belly/Army Crawl: Great as a stepping stone! Most babies army crawl for a few weeks before lifting their bellies off the floor.
The Bottom Scoot: Babies who scoot on their bottoms skip weight-bearing on their hands and shoulders altogether, which often delays core and upper-body strength development.
Asymmetrical Crawling (One leg tucked, one dragging): If your baby uses only one side of their body to push off or drags one leg like a kickstand, it can signal an underlying side-to-side muscle imbalance or joint tightness that is worth having a pediatric PT check out.

3 Pediatric PT Exercises to Encourage Crawling

If your baby is stuck on their belly or hesitating to get onto hands and knees, try these play-based setups at home:

Quadruped: Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Place your baby tummy-down over one of your thighs so their knees touch the floor on one side and their hands touch on the other. This gentle elevation takes weight off their core and introduces the hands-and-knees position without frustration.
Couch Cushion Obstacle Courses: Place couch cushions flat on the carpet and encourage your baby to climb over them. Stepping over elevated obstacles forces their lower abdominal muscles to engage and naturally pulls them up onto all fours.
Elevated Surface Play: Place their favorite high-contrast toy or sound-maker up on a low coffee table or couch cushion while they are on the floor. Reaching up for a toy from their knees builds the exact hip and core stability needed to start pushing forward.