Gross motor milestones & catching up

Have you heard these?

• “Are they rolling yet?”

• “My baby walked at 10 months!”

• “You should try x to help them ‘catch up’.”

One of the most important things to know about infant development is just how broad the typical range truly is. We call this typical variance.

Decades of developmental research and global milestone data show that babies progress in their own unique sequences and speeds.

It’s catchy to sell lines about the “order” babies should learn skills, or to suggest that babies on the later end of a milestone range will have problems. But there is no evidence for this, and clinically, it is not a good predictor of developmental outcomes.

So what matters when you’re asking “is this normal” or "when will my baby roll/crawl/walk"?

That babies make progress through small steps and are constantly learning.

Your intuition about their progress is valuable. If you feel they’re stuck with a movement or finding something tricky, this is a better guide to seek support than their age.

Let’s look quickly at a few big gross motor milestones.

Tummy Time

Some babies enjoy it early; others take weeks or months to warm up. Reflux and medical conditions, especially in the newborn period, can have a big impact here. Timing tummy time is not something I ever recommend - quality of posture and play is far more important.

Rolling (around 4–7 months)

Rolling may start tummy-to-back or back-to-tummy. Some babies roll only occasionally; others roll across a room. By around six months, many babies focus more on pre-crawling tummy-time skills, so you may see less rolling. Rolling is a complex movement involving motor and sensory processing - if your baby finds it tricky, it’s okay to support them.

Sitting (around 6–9 months)

Sitting emerges gradually, often starting with propping through the arms, lots of wobbling, and balance practice. Some babies sit confidently early; others take longer. Protective reactions, like reaching out arms to catch themselves, are not fully developed until around 9–10 months, when little hands start moving backward to catch a fall.

Crawling (around 6–12 months)

This is one of the widest ranges. Hands-and-knees crawling, army crawling, and bottom shuffling are all seen in typical development. Some babies use alternative patterns for a reason and can crawl on hands and knees with support. What matters is what you notice about your baby - efficient independent movement is important, and getting stuck in crawling can be a real source of frustration.

Pulling to Stand & Cruising (around 8–12 months)

Some babies are drawn to standing early; others prefer extended floor play first. Both pathways are within typical development. Equipment like walkers and jumperoos can disrupt standing development and are best avoided.

Independent Walking (anywhere from 9–18 months)

There’s a huge and well-established range. Still, walking is often seen as a “12-month skill,” causing unnecessary parent anxiety. Like rolling and crawling, what you notice is a better guide than age. If you think they’re struggling, it’s okay to support them before the end of this range - efficient independent movement matters for long-term development.

• Earlier walking does not predict athletic ability or “advanced” development.

• Later walking does not suggest delay if other skills are progressing steadily.

what i wish all parents knew

1. The range for learning to move is far wider than most parents are led to believe.

2. Babies within typical variance don’t need to “catch up.”

3. A better guide than age is often your instincts and their mini milestones - constant little progress building between the big skills.

4. Play, opportunities, and nurturing your baby’s movement development is ideal, but if you’re coming from a place of worry about their progress - do check in with a paediatric physio.

As always, if you have a topic or question you would like me to cover - get in touch - chances are someone is wondering the same thing.