🐾 Crawl to Connect: The Brain-Boosting Power of Crawling
Think crawling is just for babies? Think again.
Crawling is one of the most powerful whole-body movements kids (of all ages) can practice. It activates the brain, strengthens the body, and helps children move with more control and confidence—on and off the field.
Whether it's classic hands-and-knees crawling or bear crawls on hands and toes, this movement pattern improves how the body communicates across both sides of the brain and strengthens everything from the shoulders to the core to the feet.
🧠 Why It Matters
Crawling builds:
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Bilateral coordination – the ability to use both sides of the body together
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Trunk and shoulder strength – essential for posture and upper body control
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Motor planning and endurance – the brain’s ability to map and execute movement
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Cross-body brain development – supports reading, writing, and attention
It also reinforces movement timing, rhythm, and integration between upper and lower body—which helps kids learn more complex skills like skipping, climbing, and throwing.
🧒 Movement by Age Group
▶️ Ages 2–4:
Activity: “Tunnel Explorer”
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Create a tunnel with cushions or chairs and have your child crawl through it on hands and knees.
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Add stuffed animals or small toys to “rescue” along the way.
Activity: “Follow the Leader Crawl”
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Lead them around the room or backyard while crawling together—change speeds and directions for extra fun.
Goal: Build trunk control, motor rhythm, and full-body coordination.
▶️ Ages 5–7:
Activity: “Bear Crawl Challenge”
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Crawl on hands and toes, keeping knees off the ground.
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Set up cones or objects to crawl around like a mini obstacle course.
Activity: “Backpack Crawl”
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Balance a stuffed animal or bean bag on their back while crawling. Can they keep it from falling?
Goal: Improve stability, posture, and cross-lateral awareness.
▶️ Ages 8–10:
Activity: “Timed Crawl Relay”
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Create a crawling path and time each round. Have your child try to beat their own score or compete with a parent or sibling.
Activity: “Crawl + Pause”
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Crawl forward 3 steps, hold a plank for 3 seconds, then continue crawling. This builds strength and control.
Goal: Build endurance, advanced motor planning, and trunk coordination.
🔬 Science Spotlight
Crawling strengthens the core, shoulders, and hips while engaging the corpus callosum—the part of the brain that allows both sides to work together. It also supports vestibular and proprioceptive systems, helping kids feel more in control of their bodies and movements.
This type of cross-patterning builds the foundation for later skills like skipping, handwriting, and reading comprehension.
💡 Parent Tip:
Crawl with them! Make it silly. Race. Pretend to be animals. Crawl to clean up toys. Just a few minutes a day can build a stronger, more connected body—and a whole lot of laughs.
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