What age do children start to walk
When Your Baby Starts to Walk
Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors
In this Article
- How Babies Develop Walking Skills
- Ways to Help Your Baby Start Walking
- Baby Products for Walking
- What’s Next After Your Baby Starts Walking?
Your baby learning to walk can be some of the most exciting and memorable moments of parenthood. From a very young age, your baby strengthens their muscles, slowly preparing to take their first steps. Usually between 6 and 13 months, your baby will crawl. Between 9 and 12 months, they’ll pull themselves up. And between 8 and 18 months, they’ll walk for the first time.
How Babies Develop Walking Skills
Your baby will develop many skills, including balance, coordination, standing up and supporting their body weight from one leg to the other. Each new skill will build upon the previous skills, making them more prepared to start walking.
Watching your baby take their first steps on their own is an experience you'll never forget. When your baby does start walking, it happens in stages, which include these big milestones:
6 months. Babies start to sit up on their own.
6-9 months. Babies start crawling.
9 months. Babies begin to pull themselves up on furniture like the couch or coffee table, so they can stand.
9-12 months. Babies may start to stand up, hold onto furniture and explore the room.
11-13 months. During this exciting time, you can expect to see your baby start to walk on their own.
Keep in mind that each baby is different and may start walking earlier or later than when the experts deem is "normal". There can be a lot of variation among children's development, and that's totally normal.
If your baby is 18 months or older and hasn’t started walking yet, or if you’re concerned about your child’s development, contact your pediatrician. Watch out for these warning signs of late walkers:
- Your baby doesn't roll over in either direction or sit with help
- Your baby doesn't support some weight on legs
- Your baby doesn't try to attract your attention through their actions
- Your baby doesn’t try to talk or babble
- Your baby shows no interest in games of peekaboo
Ways to Help Your Baby Start Walking
To help your baby start walking, you can try the following tips:
Play together.
When you’re around your baby, you can help them feel safer during playtime. That way, they're more comfortable exploring and have higher confidence.
Encourage moving. Moving around helps your baby build their muscles, which will help them when they start walking and eventually running. You can do this by kneeling in front of your baby, holding out your hands and encouraging them to come to you.
While toddlers are beginning to walk, it's normal for them to take a few spills, that's just a part of learning. While you can't save your baby from every fall, you can reduce the chance of injury.
You can help them by "baby-proofing" your home by making their space as safe as possible:
- Put locks on doors and cabinets to help keep your baby away from unsafe items like chemicals
- Pad sharp corners of furniture
- Install a child-proof gate to prevent your baby from going down the stairs
- Keep items like pots and pans on the back of your stovetop
Baby Products for Walking
Baby walkers.
Medical professionals do not recommend using baby walkers. Because a walker makes it easy for your baby to get around, your baby’s leg muscles may not develop properly. Also, when a baby is propped up on a baby walker, it can be easier for them to get into things they normally wouldn’t be able to reach, like hot items or poisons that could be dangerous. This makes baby walkers even less safe.
Baby shoes. Hold off on buying baby shoes right away. Walking barefoot helps your child to develop improved balance and coordination. Wait until they start walking outside regularly until you introduce them to baby shoes.
What’s Next After Your Baby Starts Walking?
Your baby's first steps are only the beginning of an exciting new phase in their life. Here's what else you can expect as they become a toddler:
- 14 months: At this age, your toddler will likely be able to stand on their own, squat, stand back up, and maybe even walk backwards.
- 15 months: Your child will be pretty good at walking and will likely enjoy push-and-pull toys and exploring new things.
- 16 months: Your baby will start to show an interest in going up and down the stairs, although they will likely still look to you for help with this one.
- 18 months: By 18 months, your child will probably have the walking thing down and enjoy moving around on their own. They’ll probably enjoy climbing on furniture and dancing to music, too.
As your child gains more confidence and independence, it opens up all kinds of new opportunities. It’s an exciting time, so don't forget to enjoy it.
When Do Babies Start Walking? – Cleveland Clinic
Don’t let the one-tooth grin, chubby arms and baby talk fool you. Inside the cutest package ever burns a fierce determination to do the impossible: walk.
But when should your baby start walking, and what are the signs it’s going to happen soon? Pediatrician Michele Marshall, MD, has your baby-walking bible.
When babies start walking
While the average age for babies to start walking is about 12 months, some take their first steps even earlier or much later. “Babies can start walking as early as 9 months,” Dr. Marshall says. “It’s also normal for babies to take more time and start walking at 17 or 18 months.”
Once they get going, they may not master this new skill right away. “Expect that wide-based gait for a while,” Dr. Marshall says. “It takes a bit of time to get their balance. Your child might not be up and running until around 15 to 18 months old.”
Signs your baby will walk soon
How do you know your baby is getting close to life on the go? At around 9 to 12 months, watch for these signs your baby will walk soon:
- Pulling to a stand.
- “Cruising,” or holding onto something while walking.
- Standing without support.
While some babies crawl, too, it’s not necessarily a prerequisite to walking. “Some babies only commando crawl (pulling themselves along on their stomach).
Others crawl on their hands and knees or skip crawling altogether,” Dr. Marshall notes. “What’s most important is the ability to independently pull themselves up to a complete stand. That’s the big milestone that occurs just before babies start independently walking.”
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How to encourage walking in babies (safely)
If your little one just can’t seem to get over the hump, Dr. Marshall recommends a few ways to encourage your baby to walk:
- Lend a hand: Once your baby can pull to a stand, hold their hands to help them take steps.
- Use props: “Push toys can be helpful. They’ve got four points on the floor, so they’re very steady, and your child can use them for support as they pull up and move along,” Dr. Marshall says. Common household items can do the trick, too. Flip over a laundry basket, which is typically babies’ height and will steadily scooch along with them as they stand or push it.
- Avoid baby walkers: Baby walkers are devices with wheels that you sit your child in to propel themselves around.
“They can be dangerous around open doors and stairs and can also get stuck in places,” Dr. Marshall warns.
She also cautions against leaving your child unattended as they practice their new skill. “If you need to step away for a minute, put your baby in a play area that they can’t escape from or in their crib or portable playard. Babies always find something to get into, so the best thing to do is get down on all fours and look around to see any dangers you need to block off.”
When should your baby start wearing shoes?
While tiny shoes can melt even the hardest of hearts, they’re not necessary for a child to learn to walk properly.
“We need shoes when we’re protecting our feet or going outside,” Dr. Marshall says, “but within the home, bare feet or socks with rubber grips on the bottom are just fine.”
In fact, being barefoot may help your child feel the floor better, which could actually help them move along.
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When to talk to your doctor about your baby’s walking
Keep in mind that what’s healthy and normal for one child may not be for another.
Every child grows and develops at their own pace.
Talk to your pediatrician, though, if your child achieves all the milestones leading up to walking but isn’t walking independently by 18 months old. Those milestones include:
- Rolling over in both directions (between 4 to 6 months).
- Sitting without support (typically 6 to 7 months).
- Pulling to a stand.
- Cruising.
“If they’re achieving all of those, be patient because they may just need more time,” Dr. Marshall says. “But if you have any concerns about when your baby should be walking or meeting other physical milestones, we’re here to help.”
When a child starts walking and how to help him
October 12, 2019 Likbez Tips
One and a half - it's not too late. Have patience.
When the child should go
Pediatricians agree on some points. The average child takes their first step at 12 months. The key word here is average. And your unique one has every right (approved by pediatricians and physiologists) to go to a different age.
The scope of the norm in this case varies very widely - from 8 months to one and a half years.
Many parents are proud that their children start walking earlier than most. It seems to them that this speaks of the development of the child. But this is just a far-fetched excuse to amuse their parental vanity.
The age at which the child will go is related to his development, physical or intellectual abilities in exactly the same way as the shape of the nose or the color of the hair. In plain text, no way. Someone is red, someone has gray eyes, and someone went on their own at 8 months.
However, there are still certain situations when a delay in starting to walk should alert.
When to start worrying
First, a healthy baby must somehow take the first independent step before 20 months. By this age, the children have grown strong enough that it was given to them without much effort. If the child refuses to walk or does it only with support, it is necessary to contact the pediatrician.
You may need additional examinations from other specialized specialists - an orthopedist or a neuropathologist.
Secondly, the big picture is important. It's one thing if the child does not walk, but his motor functions are obviously developing: he confidently rolls over, sits down, reaches for toys, crawls, tries to rise against the wall of the crib or climb onto the sofa, jumps enthusiastically when you hold him by the hands. And it’s quite another if his physical activity seems insufficient to you. This is also a serious reason to additionally consult a doctor.
If none of these situations apply to you and your children, relax. The child will definitely start walking as soon as he is ready for it.
What determines when a child goes
By and large, this is a lottery. No pediatrician will undertake to predict the exact dates, even observing a specific baby from birth and knowing everything about the family history. However, there are some regularities that allow us to make assumptions.
Here are the main factors that can affect (but not necessarily) the age at which a child takes his first independent steps.
Genetics
If a father or mother started walking at an early age, children will probably inherit this feature. The reverse is also true. If, for example, a father preferred to crawl for up to a year and a half, his son may choose the same tactic.
Weight and body type
Plumper and heavier children find it harder to get on their feet and balance than their leaner and more muscular buddies.
Some personality traits
Getting to your feet and taking the first step without support is quite a risky undertaking. Some children act on the principle of "head into the pool": they simply remove their hands from the wall or sofa and step into the unknown. Of course, they fall, sometimes it hurts, but they try again. Perhaps this propensity for risky behavior is a part of their character that will stay with them forever.
Other infants, on the other hand, behave in a more measured way - they walk only when they are sure that they can cope with this task. Caution and the ability to calculate their own strengths can also be innate features of their personality.
Duration of pregnancy
Children who were born prematurely, as a rule, begin to walk a little later than their peers.
How to help your child take the first step and begin to walk confidently
It is impossible to force children to go to a certain date. Walking, for all its seeming simplicity, is a very complex and energy-intensive process: what does it take to maintain balance on one leg at the moment when the other takes a step. The body of the child must mature for this stage. But you can help. True, you will have to start long before the first step.
What to do at 2 months
Around this age, babies first try to roll over. Encourage this movement. Lay out your child more often in a soft, safe space filled with bright toys - so that you want to look at them and, possibly, get them.
Encourage children to spend more time on their stomachs. Trying to raise your head and look at the world around you strengthens the muscles of your back and neck, which play an important role in maintaining balance while walking.
What to do at 4-6 months
The period when the child learns to sit up and possibly crawl. Provide a place to explore the world: let the children spend more time not in a crib or playpen, but on the floor - spread out some blankets and lay out toys. Trying to reach objects is a great workout for small muscles.
What to do at 6-8 months
The child is already sitting confidently, or even crawling. Give him tasks for dynamics: for example, roll a bright ball on the floor so that you want to catch it. Such a ball hunt trains the vestibular apparatus and coordination.
Another exercise that has the same purpose is as follows: bring the child up with their back to you and gently rock them.
What to do around 8 months old
As babies become stronger and more curious, they tend to break away from their usual gender.
For example, get a toy lurking on the couch. Or try to climb on mom (dad), holding on to trousers or a bathrobe with your hands.
Encourage these movements. Put your favorite bear cubs out in a conspicuous place. Or, when the child is sitting, invitingly stretch your hands towards him from the height of your own height, without bending down, to encourage him to reach out to you.
If you see that the child is ready to get up, help him to do it. And then show how to bend your knees to get back on the safe floor.
During this period, it would be good to buy a stationary game center, which you can play with just getting up. This encourages children to spend more time standing up.
What to do at 9-10 months
Teach your child to stand without support. At least a couple of seconds. To do this, at a time when he is holding on to something, offer to take his favorite or new toy. This will force him to take his hands off the support.
A slightly more advanced exercise: help the child stand up and then give a plastic stick as a support. Carefully move the object - the baby will start to follow him. A stroller can also play the role of a wand: put it next to it during a walk, let it grab the frame and slowly move forward.
Heavy stable toys on wheels (toy lawn mowers, carts) will also be a good simulator: by pushing them in front of them, children learn to do step by step.
What to do at 10 months and older
At this age, many children can already walk. But often they are afraid of a large open space around. Make sure that the child has the opportunity to move “along the wall” - that is, in a maximum of a step or two, move from one support to another. This will create a sense of security.
An ordinary gymnastics hoop can be used to get children to go out into the open. Throw it on the child, giving him the opportunity to lean on his hands, and lead the hoop to the center of the room.
The kid will follow the support.
But the experts advise to refuse popular walkers.
Firstly, these items reduce the desire of the child to learn to walk: really, why, because he already knows how to move in space in this convenient contraption? Secondly, walkers are simply unsafe. Thanks to them, children in a matter of seconds can be where they should not be. For example, in front of the stairs leading down or at the table, on the edge of which there is a cup of hot coffee. Adults simply do not have time to keep track of this.
When you realize that your child is already trying to walk, be sure to get on all fours and look around from the height of his eyes. Sharp corners, sockets, edges of tablecloths that you want to grab and drag down, an iron on an ironing board, and the like - all these dangers must be neutralized.
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At what age does a child learn to walk
Reviewer Kovtun Tatiana Anatolievna
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September 15, 2021
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The clatter of little feet running around the house is probably the best sound for moms and dads.
Do you know when you took your first steps? Ask your parents - an excellent argument will appear in disputes with friends or a soulmate: “but I started walking before you!”
You'd be surprised how different we are. After all, someone firmly stood on his own two as early as eight months, and someone relaxed to the victorious, and then how he gave a tear at a year and a half.
While you are waiting for your little one's big steps, let's look at the main questions of this topic: what time do babies start walking, how to prepare them, and how to consolidate skills.
When will we finally go?
Nobody knows the exact answer to this question. The age range that pediatricians call is from 8 to 14 months, everything is very individual. It is absolutely impossible to predict this event, so do not worry if the process is delayed - the baby will go when he is ready for it. At the same time, of course, you need regular monitoring by your pediatrician, who will closely monitor the physical and motor development of the baby.
How does the baby prepare for the first steps and can he be helped?
The psychomotor development of the baby begins from birth. At first, the child's movements are disordered and chaotic. Gradually, the motor sphere is being improved.
By 3 months, the baby holds his head well. By 4-5 months - learns to turn from back to stomach and vice versa.
By 6 months, the baby begins to sit, at this moment the muscles are actively strengthened, which will help him keep his balance in space. You can help the child in his "training" - smoothly roll his favorite ball from side to side so that he reaches for it. This exercise trains the vestibular apparatus and improves coordination.
At 6-8 months, the child begins to crawl, more muscles of the arms and legs are connected to the muscles of the back and neck. Play with the baby: let him crawl across the room to you, where you will be waiting for him with a toy, and then praise him for his efforts.
After some time, periodic standing on legs with the help of a support is added to crawling - this usually happens at the age of 8-9 months. You can pull the baby by the handles so that he understands that there is a reverse process to when he sits down.
When these stages are behind you, at about 10 months old, help your baby stay on his feet. Let the baby grab the stroller on a walk or at home and slowly roll it in front of him. Of course, with your support.
Should I buy a walker?
The decision to buy a walker should be made by you or by consulting with the pediatrician who is watching your baby. Now many doctors recommend abandoning them altogether - there is a risk that the baby will not want to learn to walk on his own and this will delay the onset of his first steps. But despite this, walkers have their advantages. All the pros and cons we have collected in this article.
How should I react when my baby falls?
In the process of learning, the baby will often fall, stumble - this is completely normal.
It is only necessary to ensure the safety of the baby, so that there are no dangerous objects in his environment, about which he can be seriously injured. Therefore, it is necessary to react to falls calmly and gently say to the child: “Did you fall? Come on get up. Dust your hands like this." If the baby is thinking of whining, then just quickly distract him with another topic: “Where did our yellow giraffe hide? Let's find him and drive a car?
When the baby begins to walk, then do not hold it constantly. The baby must learn to rise on his own, hold on to the support, flop on the ass, and rise again. Just be there and be ready to insure him.
When should I buy shoes?
As soon as the baby began to get up and take his first steps, go to the children's shoe department for his first shoes. Of course, you can buy a pair in advance, but then you run the risk of not guessing with the size: what if the baby decides to go earlier and then these red sandals will still be too big for him.
