Self-Initiated Movements
Jane Swain
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) and Emmi Pikler (1902-1984) ran in different circles. However, they both advocated for self-initiated motor development during infancy. Steiner gave general indications for free motor exploration, while Pikler researched and described the self-initiated motor stages in detail, as explained below. Self-initiated movement was a ground-breaking idea for those times, as it largely still is.
It is typical for adults to place infants in sitting or standing positions before the baby can get into or out of these positions by themselves. Many times adults take their infant’s hands to support and guide them in the early stages of walking. Adults often give external cues to their babies, encouraging and cheering them on. These widespread practices imply that infants need help, and that it is the adult’s job to teach and motivate the infant. In contrast, Steiner and Pikler felt that the infants themselves knew best how to develop, and that it is the adult’s job to create a safe, rich environment in which the infant could proceed in freedom.
The sequence of self-initiated motor development is generally the same for most babies. However, each baby will progress in their own way and at their own pace. The phases of development overlap, i.e., a walking baby will also crawl, and a sitting baby will also play on their back. In each position, the baby learns to move into and out of the position, maintain it for longer and longer periods of time, and reach and play with toys there. The typical stages of self-initiated motor development are:
- Back-lying: The baby brings their head, eyes and hands to the middle, and reaches up to discover their feet. (link to: The Benefits of Back-lying)
- Side-lying: This includes side-lying on an elbow, and later, side-lying on an extended arm.
- Tummy-lying: The baby learns to roll over onto their tummy, often initially getting their arm stuck underneath them, which they soon learn to free. They come onto their elbows and then onto extended arms. They scoot forwards and backwards, spin around 360°, and “fly” with arms and legs off the surface.
- Rolling: The baby may use rolling as a means of locomotion for a few months, rolling long distances around the house, or they may roll a few feet for a few weeks.
- Belly crawling: There are many varieties of belly crawling. They may pull evenly with both arms, or more with just one arm. They may push evenly with both feet or more with just one foot. Eventually they usually discover a reciprocal pattern, often becoming quick and adept for long distances.
- Hands and knees crawling: From their tummies, babies push back with straight arms to sit on their heels. From this position they rock forwards and backwards, gradually coming into hands and knees, before venturing forth in crawling. Soon they are climbing.
- Sitting: The first sitting (with both sitz bones on the surface) is often heel sitting, and the timing of self-initiated sitting is often about when they first crawl. Gradually babies sit with their legs out in front.
- Pulling to Stand and Standing: Babies pull to stand on a small bench or other such object, initially standing with their feet farther behind them. They gradually adjust their foot placement and start to let go one hand and then both.
- Cruising and Walking: Babies typically walk sideways with hands supported on a surface like a coffee table or wall, before letting go to walk forwards. They typically squat after they have walked.