Stage 4 - Locomotion
8-10 Months
LOCOMOTION IS WHERE ORGANIZATION BECOME EXECUTION
This is the stage where movement begins to travel through space.
Your baby is no longer organizing movement simply to achieve positions.
They are learning how to move forward, interact with the environment, and explore beyond their immediate space.
The body is no longer organizing within positions. It is organizing movement between places.
THE 3 KEY LOCOMOTION MILESTONES
WHAT IS HAPPENING
- Reciprocal coordination, directional control, and mobility
- Visual targeting, environmental awareness, and tracking while moving
- Obstacle navigation, route selection, and movement planning
- Interaction with the environment, curiosity, and independent discovery
- Movement becomes a tool for learning about the world
SIGNS THE SYSTEM MAY NEED SUPPORT
- Bear crawling
- Three-legged crawling
- Frog hop crawling
- Skipped crawling
- Army/belly crawling
- Any other crawl other than a classic four-point crawl
- Poor weight shift
- Difficulty transitioning towards standing
- Difficulty reaching while moving
These observations do not define a diagnosis. They may indicate areas where development can benefit from additional support.
WHY THIS STAGE MATTERS
The child begins moving towards goals, changing visual targets, interacting with objects while moving, and maintaining organization during exploration.
Again, this is the first stage where movement truly begins traveling through space.
