When you’re a parent, the instant your baby crawls for the first time is one of the proudest moments of your life. Watching your little one tackle a big milestone is indescribable. But what if your child is taking longer than expected to crawl? Should you encourage him to skip the crawling stage and jump right into walking?
This is a valid question for patients who get impatient or think it’s somehow beneficial for a child to walk as soon as possible, but experts beg to differ.
Here are seven reasons why crawling is important for your child, and why you shouldn’t encourage walking before your baby reaches this essential developmental milestone.
1. She’s Strengthening Her Muscles
Rocking back and forth on all fours, scooting and crawling all help to strengthen Baby’s hands, shoulders, legs and trunk muscles. She needs to build strength in these areas if she wants to continue developing properly and reaching more milestones. If your little girl skips this important phase of development and goes right to walking, she may not develop her strength and hand-eye coordination as well.
