Many parents will ask: “when do babies crawl?” It might come as a surprise to hear that some babies never crawl. The average age for a baby to start moving around is around 6 to 10 months. This isn’t necessarily crawling. It can be any form of getting around, scooting on his bum or wriggling forward on his tummy and of course, the traditional way of crawling on all fours. Every child is different, so don’t panic if you think your baby should be crawling and they’re not. Some babies go straight from shuffling around on the floor to pulling themselves up and walking holding on to furniture.

A baby will start to crawl once they are strong enough to sit up without any support. When he is able to do this, it means the leg, arm and back muscles are strong enough to keep him from falling when he is on all fours. You’ll notice him starting to rock backwards and forwards. He will realise that pushing off with the knees will allow him to move forward. After some time, he will be able to go from the crawling position back to the sitting position and back again. Starting off, he will probably move the left arm and left leg together, but once he advances, he will learn to use the left arm with the right leg and vice versa.

To encourage crawling, place desirable objects just beyond your baby’s reach. You can also create an obstacle course with pillows and other soft objects to improve his confidence, agility and speed. You should never leave your baby alone. He’ll get better as time goes by with more practice. At around 1 year of age, your baby should be crawling with no difficulty at all.