ASWB LCSW Social Work Clinical Practice Exam 2025 - Free Clinical Practice Questions and Study Guide

The phase during which a child begins to crawl and walk freely, allowing them to explore their environment, is typically recognized as occurring between 9 to 15 months. This is a critical period in child development where gross motor skills are rapidly developing.

During this timeframe, children usually achieve major milestones such as crawling, standing, and taking their first independent steps. This newfound mobility plays a significant role in their ability to explore and interact with their surroundings, fostering cognitive and social development.

Earlier phases, such as those of 0-1 month and 1-5 months, primarily involve reflexive movements and initial attempts at control, but significant mobility is not established until around the 9-15 months mark. The later phase of 24-38 months involves increased mobility and more complex movements, but the actual act of crawling and the initial stages of walking predominantly occur earlier in the developmental timeline. Thus, 9-15 months correctly identifies the phase of significant mobility and exploration.