How to Teach Your Baby to Walk

At some point between the ages of 10 and 18 months, most babies will begin to walk. ^{[1] X Research Source} In the usual order, babies will crawl first, then reach the stage of grabbing something to get up and follow. However, every baby is different, so it’s possible your child will limp to learn to walk, or suddenly get up and walk away to your surprise. The bottom line is that you have to encourage and train your baby to be comfortable with walking.

Table of Contents

Help your baby learn to stand

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Have your baby stand on your lap and jump on your lap. This exercise will help strengthen the muscles in your baby’s legs, especially if your baby is still crawling or just starting to grab something to get up. ^{[2] X Research Source}

You need to show your child how to bend his knees and practice bending them to develop motor skills so that he can stand up and sit down.

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Buy your baby a rocking chair (vibrating chair). When your baby is 5 to 6 months old, put her in a nodding chair to start building muscles in her legs. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Do not let your baby use a walker. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) organization does not recommend the use of walkers for young children. Studies have shown that these types of frames or vehicles actually slow down motor development and cause spinal deformities in young children. They also pose safety risks, as walkers can tip over or roll down stairs. ^{[4] X Trusted Source HealthyChildren.org Go to Source}
The walker is banned in Canada, and the AAP is also recommending the US to apply a similar restriction for parents to stop using walkers for their children. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Use toys to encourage your baby to stand up. Place toys above, out of reach, or in a position where your baby has to stand up to reach them. ^{[6] X Research Source}

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Help the child sit down each time he or she stands up on his own. Most babies start to stand up on their own before they know how to sit down, so don’t panic if your baby cries and seek help while standing. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

When your baby starts to stir, instead of picking her up, help her sit down by gently bending her knees and supporting her until she’s safely seated on the floor.

Help your baby to follow objects

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Arrange the furniture in the house in a straight line so that the baby can follow it more easily. Your baby will use furniture and surfaces/objects as support to get around. Move furniture in a solid straight line, making sure that all furniture has been designed to be child-safe so that your baby can hobble around the house on his own. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

In fact, once a child starts to grab onto something and go, you need to rearrange the house so that everything is safe for young children, because when children start reaching new heights, it means with the baby will be exposed to more potential dangers. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Help your baby stop clinging to the table and chair by reaching out and letting her grasp your finger with both hands. At some point, your baby will grasp you with just one hand or even without holding it at all. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Give your baby a push toy. Push toys like a small supermarket cart, or a toy lawn mower will help your baby practice holding and walking. This toy also helps your baby practice control while learning to walk, improving balance and boosting confidence. ^{[11] X Research Source}

If your child is just starting to learn to hold onto and walk, give him toys that don’t have wheels. When you are confident that your baby is strong enough, introduce him to push toys with wheels. ^{[12] X Research Source}
Always check that the toy is sturdy, has a good grip or handle, and the wheels should be large as this will make it harder for the toy to tip over. ^{[13] X Research Source}

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Pull the baby up. Let your baby grab your finger and pull him to his feet, so he’s essentially controlling his own weight. Have your baby walk around while supporting her under her arm. ^{[14] X Research Source}

The more time a child spends practicing their legs, the sooner they will transition to walking.
Supporting your baby while he’s standing will help keep his legs straight and not bent later. Bowel leg defect usually resolves on its own by the time a child is 18 months old, but can persist until the child is 3 years old. ^{[15] X Research Source}

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Praise your child’s efforts. Most babies have an inherent desire to please their parents and hear praise, applause, and cheers. So let your baby know every time he stands or holds up and walks well with clear words of encouragement and praise. ^{[16] X Research Source}

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Don’t buy house shoes for your baby. It is not necessary to invest in a shoe collection for your baby, the best shoes for children are bare feet. ^{[17] X Research Source}

As long as the indoor surface is clean and safe for a toddler, then it’s a good idea to let your baby toddle and experiment with his feet (or have him wear non-slip socks if you like). As much as possible, this helps build muscles in the feet and ankles, makes the soles of the feet grow, and helps children learn coordination and balance.
If your child is going outdoors, make sure their shoes are light and flexible. Avoid giving your child boots or sneakers that are above the ankle, your child may be slowed down as these entangled shoes limit his movement.

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Don’t force your child to stand or walk with your support if he doesn’t want to. This can frighten the child and delay the child’s ability to stand or walk. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Many babies will walk when they’re ready, so don’t worry too much if your baby doesn’t start walking until he’s 18 months old, or maybe older than 18 months. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Help your baby learn to walk

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Turn balance into a game. In order to encourage your baby to get used to holding his head on two legs, parents should turn it into a fun game with lots of encouragement and praise. ^{[20] X Research Sources}

Sit on the floor with your child and help him stand up. Then count out loud how long he can stand before he falls to his knees. Clap and praise after each attempt by the child to balance.

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Encourage your baby to learn to walk instead of sitting. Lay your baby down on a flat surface in a standing position instead of a sitting position on his bum. ^{[21] X Research Source}

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Stand on the other side of the room and encourage your baby to walk towards you. This will give your child enough confidence and motivation to take that first step.

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Make your baby’s first step a big event. Those first steps are a big moment for your baby, so enjoy and cheer him up as much as you can as he begins to walk. ^{[22] X Research Source}

Cheering when your baby learns to walk lets her know she’s doing the right thing and gives her more confidence to keep walking.

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Expect some stops and starts. Don’t worry too much if your toddler comes back to crawling after a painful fall or illness. Your baby is still developing other aspects like calling names or picking up food with his hands, so it may take a few weeks or even months for him to put off learning to walk. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

Some babies may find it more comfortable to start with crawling so they may crawl/toddle before fully grasping the walking process. ^{[24] X Research Sources}

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Let your child fall within a safe range. When learning to walk, babies can sway, swing, and even dive to improve their walking skills. In addition, most young children do not have good depth perception, so they tend to bump or fall on objects instead of stepping over them. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

As long as your home is securely arranged for your toddler and you supervise him carefully at all times, don’t stress over the inevitable and his many falls. Your baby may cry when he falls, but the problem is more fear than pain.
Diapers and diapers are also a good cushioning material for any fall, and babies will forget entanglements or falls faster than adults. Therefore, avoid taking the matter seriously every time your baby encounters insignificant falls in the process of learning to walk.

Support when baby walks

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Your baby’s development should not be compared with other babies. Not all babies are created equal, so don’t panic if your baby doesn’t start walking by a certain age. The time it takes a child to reach a particularly important stage, such as learning to walk, can vary due to differences in body weight, even individual personalities. Remember that milestones are relative, not a fixed time or an absolute requirement for each child. ^{[26] X Research Source}

Some babies born prematurely may be slower to reach important milestones than others born full term. ^{[27] X Research Source}
Also, sometimes it’s just that your baby is afraid to let go of your finger and take his first steps. Therefore, it is important for parents to be supportive and supportive as their child learns to walk and not to put too much pressure or stress on the child.

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Don’t worry too much if your baby’s feet look like they have flatfoot. In fact, it’s just because the baby is so plump that the feet are full. Around the age of 2 to 3, the “excess” meat on your baby’s legs will gradually disappear and you will see the soles of your baby’s feet become normal. ^{[28] X Research Sources}

The baby’s legs may also curve inward, looking like a half-moon, which is a remnant of the infancy stage. Over time, your baby’s legs will straighten out on their own.

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Make sure your baby’s inverted foot will straighten out on its own. Inverted foot, also known as “club foot,” is caused by twisting of the tibia inside the body, in other words, the shin bone is twisted inward. ^{[29] X Research Sources}

This will correct itself within six months of the baby’s first steps.
If after six months your baby’s feet are still inverted, talk to your pediatrician about leg pulling exercises to correct the condition.

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Check your baby’s feet to make sure they’re straight. Some children have a natural desire to walk around on their toes, which really helps them develop a sense of balance. This is almost always a condition that will always go away on its own, but sometimes, though very rarely, it can be a sign that your child’s heel or foot muscles are too tight. ^{[30] X Research Source}

If your baby’s legs can’t straighten out naturally, or if your child keeps walking on tiptoes until more than 3 years old, let your pediatrician know as it could be a sign of a developmental problem. .

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Talk to your pediatrician if your child falls more often than usual, his legs seem to be flexing, or he keeps falling to one side. These could be signs of a nerve, joint, or spine problem. ^{[31] X Research Source}

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Let your child explore gradually when they begin to become more comfortable with walking. As your baby begins to gain confidence and becomes more comfortable with walking on smooth, flat surfaces, try walking on a steep or uneven surface. These new environments will help children develop a sense of balance. ^{[32] X Research Source}

Steps

Help your baby learn to stand

Help your baby to follow objects

Help your baby learn to walk

Support when baby walks

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