What Counts as Crawling? Every Baby Crawling Style, Explained

Crawling is any way your baby moves across the floor on their belly, hands and knees, or hands and feet, so army crawling and bear crawling both count. Bottom scooting and rolling are a gray area, with expert guides split on them. What matters most is that your baby is exploring and using both sides of their body.

If your baby's crawl looks nothing like the one in the baby book, you're in good company. The American Academy of Pediatrics' guide to baby crawling styles puts it plainly: "Not every infant crawls in the traditional manner."

The crawling stage is short, too. Pathways.org says crawling usually lasts only a few months, because babies start moving on to standing and walking around 1 year old. Our crawling development guide puts the stages and timeline in one place.

What is considered baby crawling?

Three ways of moving count as crawling in both the AAP's crawling-styles guide and Pathways.org's guide to what crawling looks like: belly crawling, classic hands-and-knees crawling, and bear crawling on hands and feet.

Bottom scooting and rolling are where the experts part ways. The AAP's crawling-styles guide lists both as crawling styles. Pathways.org, whose resources are approved by pediatric therapists, calls them "alternative forms of movement."

Even the AAP's own pages differ. Its 8-to-12-month movement guide says "a few children never crawl" and describes scooting on the bottom and slithering on the stomach as alternatives to crawling.

The labels matter less than they seem. The AAP says if your baby coordinates each side of the body and uses each arm and leg equally, there's no cause for concern. Pathways.org calls hands-and-knees crawling "the goal," but it also says any way your baby moves is an encouraging sign.

Baby crawling styles and variations

Belly crawl (army or commando crawl)

Your baby keeps their tummy on the floor and pulls forward with their arms, and with practice the legs join in to push. Pathways.org notes that belly crawling often comes before hands-and-knees crawling.

So yes, army crawling is considered crawling: the AAP's crawling-styles guide and Pathways.org both list it. Here's what to expect as your baby goes from army crawling to crawling on hands and knees.

Classic hands-and-knees crawl

This is the crawl most people picture. Your baby's weight is on hands and knees, and one arm moves forward together with the opposite knee. Pathways.org says it's sometimes called "creeping" or the "cross crawl."

Bear crawl (hands and feet)

Your baby walks on hands and feet with elbows and knees straight and bottom up in the air, like a little bear. Pathways.org says you may see babies take this position as they begin to move into standing, even if they don't crawl this way. Here's more on why babies bear crawl.

Tripod or hitch crawl (one leg)

Two hands and one knee do the work, while the other leg is lifted, stuck out to the side, or pushing off a planted foot. Neither name is on the AAP's or Pathways.org's lists. Watch whether the "resting" leg kicks, bends and pushes as much as the other one during play.

Our guide to baby crawling on one leg covers when to get it checked.

Crab crawl

The AAP describes babies moving backward or sideways like a crab, pushing themselves along with their hands. It's one of the six styles on the AAP's list.

Bottom scooting (bottom shuffling)

Some babies sit upright and scoot along on their bottom, using their arms, and sometimes a leg, to get around. Pathways.org says they'll move in various directions, but typically forward.

Rolling

Some babies roll from one place to another to get where they're going. The AAP calls this a rolling crawl, and Pathways.org calls rolling an alternative movement style.

Crawling backwards

Some babies go backward before they go forward. The AAP explains that their arm muscles are stronger than their legs, so they may push themselves backward at first. Our post on baby crawling backwards has more.

Baby crawling like a monkey, a worm or a frog

These are parent nicknames, not medical terms, and none of them appears on the AAP's or Pathways.org's lists. Here's the closest named style for each.

• Like a monkey: up on hands and feet with the bottom high is a bear crawl. One foot planted and one knee down is closer to a tripod or hitch crawl.
• Like a worm or inchworm: tummy on the floor, scrunching up and stretching forward, is a belly (army) crawl.
• Like a frog: knees out wide, or both legs pushing at once in a little hop. There's no named style for this one.

Whatever you call it, Pathways.org's tip for hands-and-knees and belly crawling is to look for an arm and the opposite leg moving together. Not sure about your baby's version? Ask at the next checkup.

Is crawling a required milestone?

Not on the CDC's checklist. When an expert group convened by the AAP revised the CDC's milestone checklists in 2022, it removed "Crawls" from the 9-month list. The reason given: little or no data on when 75% or more of children crawl.

That doesn't mean crawling doesn't matter. It means there wasn't enough data to set an age by which most babies should be doing it. Pathways.org still encourages crawling for its developmental benefits.

When to talk to your pediatrician

Your baby's crawling style on its own isn't a reason to worry. These are worth bringing up at a checkup, or sooner if they're on your mind:

• Your baby favors one side: one arm or leg does most of the work, or one side drags behind.
• Around 12 months, your baby isn't exploring by crawling and shows no signs of standing or walking. Pathways.org says to speak to a healthcare provider.
• Something about the way your baby moves seems off to you. The AAP says to discuss it with your pediatrician.

A short video of your baby moving at home helps, since babies don't always crawl on cue at the doctor's office.

Common questions

Why does my baby crawl like a monkey?

"Monkey crawl" isn't a medical term. If your baby is up on hands and feet with their bottom in the air, that's what the AAP calls a bear crawl. If one foot is planted and one knee is down, it's closer to a tripod or hitch crawl.

Why does my baby crawl like a frog?

"Frog crawl" is a parent nickname, not a medical term, and you won't find it on the AAP's or Pathways.org's lists of crawling styles. Whatever the legs are doing, the AAP's yardstick is whether your baby coordinates each side of the body and uses each arm and leg equally. If you're not sure, show your pediatrician a short video.

Why is my baby crawling like a crab?

The crab crawl, moving backward or sideways while pushing along with the hands, is one of the six crawling styles the AAP lists. The AAP also explains that a baby's arms are stronger than their legs at first, so some push themselves backward before going forward.

Why is my baby rolling instead of crawling?

Some babies find that rolling gets them where they want to go, and the AAP lists the rolling crawl as a crawling style. Pathways.org calls rolling an alternative way of moving but still encourages crawling, so try placing a favorite toy just out of reach. If your baby isn't exploring by crawling and shows no signs of standing or walking around 12 months, talk to your pediatrician.

Whatever style your little explorer settles on, some part of them meets the floor: knees and elbows for crawlers, a bottom for scooters. Our padded onesie has diamond-quilted padding sewn in at the knees, elbows and bottom, all 100% organic Peruvian Pima cotton, padding included. It won't change how your baby crawls, but it puts a soft layer between those busy spots and the floor (see all five colourways).