The Importance of Crawling and Army Crawling
Crawling and army crawling may seem like simple milestones, but they play a crucial role in a child’s brain and motor development. Many parents don’t realize just how important these movements are. When I ask parents, “Did your child ever army crawl?” I often hear the same answer—especially from those whose children struggle with behavioral issues, reading difficulties, or eye-tracking challenges. Most tell me their child skipped army crawling altogether or only crawled briefly before walking as early as nine months.
What many don’t realize is that early walking—while often seen as advanced—is actually a sign that some important reflexes may not have fully developed. Crawling is essential for building balance, coordination, and motor skills that support proper walking. When a child moves straight to walking, it’s often because their brain is compensating for underdeveloped reflexes rather than progressing naturally through each developmental stage.
Why Crawling and Army Crawling Matter
Crawling and army crawling help build critical brain connections that support:
✔ Behavioral Regulation – Every child I’ve worked with who struggles with behavioral challenges has skipped one or both of these stages. Crawling strengthens the brain pathways needed for impulse control and self-regulation.
✔ Reading & Eye Tracking – The rhythmic, cross-lateral movement of crawling strengthens visual tracking skills, which are essential for reading and focus.
✔ Motor Development & Balance – Crawling builds core strength, stability, and coordination, which lay the foundation for future physical skills.
Helping Kids Catch Up on Missed Development
If your child skipped crawling or army crawling, there’s still time to strengthen these essential brain and body connections. Through targeted exercises and reflex integration techniques, we can help reintroduce these early movement patterns, leading to improvements in behavior, reading, and overall development. Consider checking out my course, Unraveling the Brain for Parents, to learn more about how to integrate these primitive reflexes.