Babies army crawl primarily because it allows them to move effectively before they have developed the full arm strength needed for hands-and-knees crawling.
Understanding the Army Crawl
The "army" crawl, also known as the commando crawl, is a common developmental milestone that babies use to explore their environment. In this movement pattern, babies typically pull their body forward using their arms while keeping their torso and legs flat on the floor.
As highlighted by research and observation, this form of locomotion is crucial while your baby is still building the arm strength to put weight on their hands. The army crawl lets them keep most of their weight on their belly. This is the key reason why babies adopt this method: by supporting their weight on their trunk, they significantly reduce the demand on their developing arm muscles, wrists, and hands, which are not yet strong enough to bear their full weight in a hands-and-knees position.
A Stepping Stone in Development
This phase of movement is a natural and important part of a baby's gross motor skill development. It's a functional solution that allows them to gain mobility and independence before they acquire the strength and coordination required for traditional crawling or other forms of movement like cruising (walking while holding onto furniture). Army crawling helps build the necessary upper body strength, coordination, and spatial awareness that will contribute to future developmental milestones.
