Gross Motor Skills To Expect

Pulling up & getting back down.

Expected Age Range: 8-10 months, or so.

This is what you can expect to see around the time that your baby is learning to pull up to stand.

• Your baby will begin pulling up into a tall kneel (standing on knees) at supportive surfaces.  

• Your baby’s first attempts to pull up to stand will likely be with both legs at the same time, or possibly pulling up predominantly with their arms, with little reliance on their legs.

• They should quickly learn to pull up to stand through ½ kneel (stepping one foot forward), comfortably with both the left or right leg in front. Pulling up to stand through ½ kneel relies heavily on work done by your baby’s legs.

• Your baby’s first attempts to lower from standing at a supportive surface will be uncontrolled plops down to the floor with their knees straightened and their bum sticking out behind them. 

• Then they will learn how to control lowering to the floor, through a squat.