Is army crawling considered real crawling?

Yes. Army crawling is a legitimate and normal form of crawling. The AAP recognizes multiple crawling styles as typical, including belly crawling, hands-and-knees crawling, scooting, and crab-style crawling.

How long do babies army crawl before hands-and-knees crawling?

Most babies army crawl for a few weeks to two months before transitioning. Some babies skip hands-and-knees crawling entirely and go straight from army crawling to pulling up and cruising.

Should I be worried if my baby only army crawls?

Not usually. Some babies prefer army crawling and never adopt the hands-and-knees style. As long as your baby is mobile, exploring their environment, and meeting other developmental milestones, army crawling alone is not a concern.

What surface is best for a baby learning to crawl?

A firm but cushioned, non-slip surface is ideal. Memory foam play mats provide the right balance of traction for pushing off and padding to protect knees and elbows during practice.

Army Crawling vs Crawling: What's the Difference and When Should You Worry?

18 de marzo de 2026|Poco Koko Team

You set your baby down for floor time and watch them scoot across the room — belly flat on the ground, elbows pulling, legs dragging behind like a tiny commando. Is that crawling? Sort of. What your baby is doing is called army crawling (also known as commando crawling or belly crawling), and it's actually a completely normal and important stage of motor development. Many parents wonder about the difference between army crawling vs crawling, and whether their baby needs to "graduate" to hands-and-knees crawling. The short answer: army crawling is a legitimate crawling style, and most babies move through it at their own pace.

Quick Answer

Army crawling means moving with the belly on the floor, pulling forward with the arms. Traditional crawling (also called hands-and-knees crawling) involves lifting the belly off the ground and moving with alternating arm-and-leg coordination. Most babies army crawl first, then transition to hands-and-knees crawling within a few weeks to a couple of months.

Army Crawling vs Hands-and-Knees Crawling: Side-by-Side Comparison

Understanding the key differences helps you recognize where your baby is in their development journey.

Feature	Army Crawling	Hands-and-Knees Crawling
Body position	Belly on the floor	Belly lifted off the floor
Primary movers	Arms and elbows	Alternating arms and legs
Core strength needed	Moderate	High
Typical age	6–8 months	8–10 months
Speed	Slower	Faster once mastered
Coordination	Asymmetric pulling	Reciprocal (cross-body) pattern

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), there are multiple normal crawling styles, including classic hands-and-knees, army crawling, bottom scooting, and even rolling to get from point A to point B. No single style is considered "better" than another for healthy development.

Signs Your Baby Is Transitioning Between Stages

The shift from army crawling to hands-and-knees crawling usually happens gradually. Watch for these signs that your baby is getting ready to lift up:

Rocking on hands and knees — Your baby gets into a quadruped position and rocks forward and back without moving yet. This builds the balance and core strength needed for the next phase.
Pushing up higher during army crawling — Instead of staying flat, they start extending their arms more, lifting the chest higher off the ground.
Using knees to push — You may notice them tucking one or both knees under the body during belly crawling, experimenting with the mechanics.
Improved arm-leg coordination — Their movements become more rhythmic and less random.

The World Health Organization's Motor Development Study found that the average age for hands-and-knees crawling is around 8.5 months, but the normal range extends from 5.2 to 13.5 months. That is a wide window, and your baby's timeline is their own.

Baby army crawling vs hands-and-knees crawling comparison on a memory foam play mat

How to Support Your Baby Through Both Stages

Whether your baby is army crawling or working toward hands-and-knees crawling, there are practical ways to encourage their progress.

Create motivation to move. Place a favorite toy just out of reach. This gives your baby a reason to figure out how to get there. Avoid placing it so far away that they get frustrated — a few inches beyond their grasp is the sweet spot.

Offer plenty of floor time. The more time babies spend on the floor, the more opportunities they have to practice. As a parent of two, I found that our second baby moved through the army crawling phase faster simply because she spent more time on the floor watching her older sibling play. Aim for at least 30 minutes of supervised floor time spread across the day.

Use the right surface. Babies need a surface that provides enough traction to push off from, but enough cushion to protect knees and elbows. Hardwood floors can be slippery, and thick carpet can create too much resistance. A cushioned, non-slip play mat gives babies the grip and comfort they need to practice confidently. PocoKoko's memory foam play mats provide exactly this balance — a textured surface for traction with shock-absorbing foam underneath.

Try gentle positioning. If your baby is army crawling and you want to encourage hands-and-knees crawling, try placing a rolled towel under their belly during floor play. This lifts their torso slightly and helps them feel what it's like to bear weight on hands and knees.

Skip the walkers and jumpers during practice time. Devices that bypass the crawling phase don't strengthen the same muscle groups. The AAP recommends against infant walkers for both safety and developmental reasons.

Baby learning to crawl on cushioned non-slip play mat with toys for motivation

When to Talk to Your Pediatrician

Most variations in crawling style and timing are completely normal. However, consider mentioning it at your next well-child visit if:

Your baby shows no interest in moving or reaching for objects by 10 months
They consistently use only one side of the body when crawling (always dragging the same leg, for example)
They were army crawling and then stopped moving altogether, or seem to be losing skills they previously had
Your baby hasn't developed any form of mobility (crawling, scooting, rolling) by 12 months

These observations don't necessarily indicate a problem, but your pediatrician can assess whether further evaluation would be helpful. Early intervention services, when needed, are most effective when started early.

Creating the Right Environment for Crawling Practice

The space where your baby practices crawling matters more than most parents realize. A well-set-up crawling zone can be the difference between a baby who eagerly explores and one who fusses after two minutes.

Clear the space. Remove small objects, cords, and anything that could snag little fingers. A clean, open area invites exploration.
Control the temperature. Babies crawl better in lightweight clothing. Bare knees on a cushioned surface provide the best grip.
Add visual interest. Place colorful objects, mirrors, or textured toys around the crawling area to encourage movement in different directions.
Choose a supportive surface. A high-density memory foam mat protects developing joints during the hundreds of small tumbles that come with learning to crawl.

Explore our crawling mats designed for babies who are building strength and coordination, or browse the full play mat collection to find the right fit for your space.

For a deeper dive into choosing the right mat for each developmental stage, visit our Ultimate Baby Play Mat Guide.