Your baby’s first steps are a beautiful moment that you eagerly wait for in the first year. As exciting as it is, those first steps also herald a significant milestone in cognitive and physical development. If your little one is showing signs of walking – for example, pulling themselves up to stand – but hasn’t taken those all-important first steps alone yet, you may want to know how to encourage your baby to develop skills to walk.

Baby’s cognitive ability and function

The various forms of movement your little one achieves from birth are all important signs that cognitive and physical development is taking place.¹ For example, your infant’s neck muscles need to be strong enough for him/her to raise his/her head and eventually move it from side to side during tummy time. Similarly, your baby’s core has to be strong for rolling over to occur.

When do babies start walking?

Some babies take those first steps before they turn one, but others may start walking after their first birthday, around 14 or 15 months.² Often, little ones will take a few wobbly steps on their own after they start cruising (holding objects and “walking”) at around nine or 10 months old. Their personality may also influence when they take those first steps: a confident little daredevil may boldly take a few steps, while a baby who is shy by nature might take longer to gain the confidence to walk.²

Activities to encourage walking

Keeping in mind that you should never force your baby to walk before they are ready for it, one of the best ways to encourage those first steps is to simply allow your child plenty of opportunities to practice those gross motor skills. This could be at home in a baby-proofed space, or outside under your careful supervision.

Here are some other ways to help your little one to take those cute baby steps:

Even as you encourage your baby’s first steps, remember to babyproof your home so that your little one has a safe space to practice their skills. If your child is not able to walk by 18 months, you should consult a paediatrician for advice.

References:

¹ Rizzo, J. et al. The complexity of eye-hand coordination: a perspective on cortico-cerebellar cooperation. Cerebellum Ataxias. Published on 20^th November 2020. Accessed on 23^rd March 2022 from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33292609/
² Nemours KidsHealth. Movement, Coordination, and Your 1- to 2-Year-Old. Reviewed in June 2019. Accessed on 23^rd March 2022 from  https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/move12yr.html
³ Dryden, J. Brain networks that help babies learn to walk ID’d. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Published on 7^th December 2017. Accessed on 23^rd March 2022 from https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/brain-networks-help-babies-learn-walk-idd/
⁴ McCarthy, C. Parents: Don’t use a baby walker. Harvard Health Publishing. Published on 18^th September 2018. Accessed on 23^rd March 2022 from  https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/parents-dont-use-a-baby-walker-2018092714895

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