Born to Run
 Once children master walking -- usually by 15 months -- it seems that they immediately start to run. And why not? Running is a rush. Aside from requiring improved balance, running also teaches children a lot about terrain. After all, running on a bumpy road could lead to a nasty fall, says kinesiologist Rosa Angulo-Barroso, PhD, director of the Brain/Behavior Relationships in the Developing Child program at the University of Michigan. You'll see your child start to alter his gait depending on his environment -- maybe even get back down on all fours if the surface looks particularly intimidating. This assessing and adapting shows that your naturally egocentric child is starting to understand that the red carpet isn't rolled out everywhere he goes. There will be challenges, and he has to learn to adapt to them. And then he'll experiment. A 2-year-old loves to practice standing on one foot. Then it's just a matter of time before he's jumping, skipping, hopping, and galloping. "If the only thing you were to ever do was walk, and always at the same speed, you would develop only one set of muscles," Angulo-Barroso says. "But we need to learn how to use our muscles in different ways."

Your child's mastery of motion will result in many skinned knees to kiss and anxious tears to hug away. But before you know it, you'll have a toddler who can walk up and down the stairs (alternating feet, even) and run circles around the playground -- a child whose favorite line will be, "Mommy, look what I can do!"

Why Isn't He Crawling or Walking Yet?
 Don't panic if your child isn't crawling or walking on the same schedule as the kid next door. What accounts for the wide variety in milestone achievement? If he's not crawling, odds are, he's focused on learning to talk or on picking up that raisin and getting it in his mouth. But there does come a point when a lack of mobility becomes a concern. Here are signs to look for: difficulty lifting his head while lying on his stomach by 3 months, inability to hold his body weight while standing at 9 months, difficulty standing on his own by 12 months, and inability to walk independently or walking only on toes at 15 months. If you notice any of these red flags, ask your pediatrician if your child needs further testing.

Clothing Affects Crawling
 The way your baby crawls could also be influenced by the clothing he is wearing. At the turn of the century, babies crawled by using their arms to pull their bottoms across the floor because their long dresses got in the way. Clothing still makes a difference today, says Campos. "Babies who are born in the winter and hence begin to reach the stage of crawling in the summer will crawl earlier by 4 weeks than babies who are born in the summer and learn to crawl in the winter," he says. "That's because winter crawlers are more likely to be wearing heavy clothes." And that's going to get in the way of practicing certain skills. So take off those socks, strip your baby down to his bodysuit, and let him explore.

Motor Milestones
3 to 6 Months
When on stomach, pushes up on his arms
Lifts and holds his head up
Leans forward to balance his upper body, "tripodding" from a seated position
Rolls from his back to his stomach
Supports his body weight while standing with support

9-12 Months
Sits up without support
Moves from her stomach or back into a sitting position
Crawls
Pulls herself up to standing and cruises the furniture
Stands alone and takes several unaided steps

15-18 months
Walks independently
Squats to pick up a toy
Likes to push and pull toys
Can carry a toy while walking
Runs stiffly while looking at the ground

2-3 years
Tosses or rolls a large ball
Bends over to pick up something without falling
Walks up steps with help
Can walk backward
Can open doors
Tries to catch a large ball

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