Annie Wade, OT



Why do occupational therapists think crawling is important? Crawling is an important developmental milestone that builds a variety of foundational skills that are important for the child’s development beyond his or her infant years.

What are the benefits of crawling?

Listed below are the benefits of crawling from an occupational therapist’s perspective:

• Strengthens and builds stability of arms and shoulders
• Pressure from putting weight on hands helps develop the two sides of the hand. This is important for half of the hand stabilizing while the other fingers hold and turn small items.

• Strengthens core and back to help when sitting to complete tasks
• Engages cells located in joints and muscles that help with child’s body awareness which allows the child to know where their body is in space and how to navigate obstacles in their environment
• Crawling on different surfaces (grass, carpet, hardwood, etc) allows for new textures to be experienced through the child’s palms
• Helps with both sides of the body working together and eyes working together to watch toys in the room as the child crawls past them--which is important in building skills needed for reading!

What if I have concerns about my baby?

Every child develops differently! However, if you have concerns about your child’s development and ability to crawl, our therapists are here to help! We would love to answer any questions, and we can even set up an evaluation with a therapist to address your concerns. You can call our office at 859-353-3666 if you would like to speak to someone about any questions you may have. You can also use our FREE Interactive Screening Tool to track and identify potential areas of improvement!