Infant Learning to Walk: Milestones and How to Encourage Development

Watching your baby take their first steps is an exciting and emotional milestone for any parent. Walking marks the beginning of your child’s journey toward independent movement and greater exploration of the world around them.

Typical Walking Age and Variations

Most children take their first independent steps between 12 and 15 months of age, although some may start as early as 9 months or as late as 18 months. Every baby is different, and variations in walking age are normal. Babies start walking independently around their first birthday, though every baby is different, and timing can vary. Some babies take their first steps as early as 8 months, while others start closer to 15 months. Keep in mind that babies have different timetables, and premature babies may reach this and other milestones later than their peers. If your baby was premature, date their milestones from your due date, which pediatricians refer to as your baby's adjusted age.

Developmental Milestones Leading to Walking

Before a child begins walking, they must first develop core strength, balance, and coordination, all of which are built during earlier milestones like sitting. Long before your baby takes those first exciting steps, their body is preparing for the ability to walk by gaining muscle strength, balance, and coordination," explains Liz Donner, M.D., a pediatric hospitalist and member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board. "These skills develop gradually over the first year of life and after." Babies typically start sitting with support around 4 to 6 months and can sit independently by 6 to 9 months.

What are the developmental milestones before walking?

Rolling over: Infants roll over from front to back and back to front between 4 and 6 months.
Sitting: By 6 and 8 months, most infants can sit without support. Sitting independently is a precursor to walking because it indicates developing trunk control and balance.
Crawling: Crawling usually starts between 7 and 10 months. Babies who crawl on their hands and knees often walk earlier, and some skip crawling entirely.
Pulling to stand and cruising: Between 9 and 12 months, babies begin pulling themselves up to a standing position and "cruising" along furniture, which strengthens their legs and improves their balance for walking.
Supported walking: Many babies practice supported walking by holding their caregiver's hands or using push toys.

Here's how the journey to walking usually goes: At first, your newborn's legs aren't nearly strong enough to support them, but if you hold your baby upright under their arms, they'll dangle their legs down and push against a hard surface with their feet, almost as if they're walking. This is the stepping reflex, and it usually lasts until a baby is about 2 months old. During those first months, your baby is gaining neck control and learning to hold their head up. They're also working to strengthen the muscles they'll eventually use to roll over, sit, crawl, and walk. By the time your child is 4 months old, they can hold their head steady and may push up onto their elbows or forearms when on their tummy. These little pushups help your baby build the upper-body strength they'll need for walking. Your baby is also building coordination by swiping at objects and grasping things you put in their hand. Your 5-month old will bounce up and down if you hold them under the arms and let them balance their feet on your thighs. Bouncing will be a favorite activity over the next couple of months as your baby's leg muscles continue to develop. At about 6 months, your baby will start grabbing for objects on their own and holding objects without help. These activities help them understand their bodies within space - an important skill for keeping upright while walking. They'll most likely also be able to roll over in both directions and push up with straight arms while on their tummy. By 7 months to 9 months, most babies can sit without support - using head control, balance, neck strength, and coordination. Your little one will likely learn to crawl before moving on to pulling up and standing. Many (but not all) babies learn to crawl between 7 and 10 months old. Your baby may do the classic crawl, commando crawl on their belly, or scoot on their butt - it's all normal. They may start pulling themselves up to a standing position around 8 months or 9 months old, and by their first birthday, they'll probably be able to pull up to a stand and walk while holding onto furniture (this is called cruising). From then on, it's a matter of gaining confidence and balance. One day your child's standing holding onto the couch - maybe cruising along it - and the next they're taking careful first steps into your waiting arms. Then your little one is off and running, leaving babyhood behind. Your child's first steps are a major move toward independence. By the time they're 15 months old, most babies have taken a few steps on their own. By 18 months, most babies can walk independently, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Read also: Choosing the right baby walker

Signs that Your Baby Is Ready to Walk

Pulling to stand
Cruising
Supported walking
Squatting
Standing unassistedPulling up on furniture to stand is one of the first signs of walking readiness. This boosts babies’ leg muscles and coordination - just think of how many squats they’re doing! Over time, the mini workouts condition your baby to stand independently, and then, move ahead with a few wobbly steps. If, out of the corner of your eye, you catch your sweet Houdini suddenly standing on top of the couch and smiling while ready to nosedive, it might be a sign that their inner confidence is shining. To walk independently, babies must have self-efficacy in their ability to do it. “Cruising” describes a baby walking while holding onto objects. They might use the coffee table to move around or lean from one object to another to work the room. This shows that your tiny sport is learning how to shift weight and balance while taking steps. It also prepares for the ability to propel forward, which is required for walking. The look on a baby’s face when they first stand alone is often one of accomplishment (and perhaps an ounce of fear, too). At this moment, babies have the balance and stability to stand on their own. They often test the waters for a few seconds, and then gradually stand for longer periods of time, boosting confidence to take it a step further. Make it a fun learning activity by slowly counting for as long as your child stands.

How to Encourage Walking

While your baby will naturally progress through these milestones, there are several ways you can encourage and support their development at home. By giving your baby plenty of opportunities to develop their muscles, balance, and coordination, you're helping them get ready to walk. Here are some ways to encourage walking:

Encourage floor play: Give your baby plenty of time to play on the floor to strengthen their core muscles.
Promote crawling: Place toys out of reach to encourage your baby to crawl.
Facilitate pulling to stand: Set up stable furniture or objects your baby can use to pull themselves into a standing position.
Support cruising: Arrange furniture for your baby to practice cruising.
Use push toys: Push toys can encourage supported walking, which is a step towards walking independently.
Create a safe environment: Baby-proof your home so your child can safely explore and develop their skills.

Here are some specific activities to boost their self-efficacy and strength:

Tummy time: Tummy time is one of the most important activities for your baby’s development, as it strengthens the neck, back, and core muscles needed for sitting, crawling, and walking. Try to make tummy time a positive experience by getting down on the floor with your baby and using toys or a mirror to keep them engaged. This will allow them to develop their core and build awareness of their body. Wearing your baby in a baby carrier is another great way to encourage core development.
Support sitting: Once your baby begins showing signs of readiness for sitting (usually around 4 to 6 months), you can help them practice sitting with support. Place your baby in a seated position with pillows or cushions around them for stability. As your baby gets stronger, gradually reduce the amount of support you provide.
Active play: Active play is key to helping your baby build the strength and coordination they need for both sitting and walking. Encourage your baby to explore different movements, such as reaching, twisting, and shifting their weight. As your baby gets closer to walking, you can introduce activities that support standing and cruising, such as holding onto furniture and taking steps while holding your hands.
Safe environment: Make sure your home provides a safe and spacious environment for your baby to practice sitting, standing, and walking. Use soft play mats or carpets to cushion falls and remove any sharp or dangerous objects from their play area. Giving your baby plenty of floor time in a safe environment will encourage natural exploration and movement. You can help them by "baby-proofing" your home to make their space as safe as possible: Put locks on doors and cabinets to help keep your baby away from unsafe items, like chemicals. Close bathroom doors. Pad sharp corners of furniture. Install a child-proof gate to prevent your baby from going down stairs. Keep items like pots and pans on the back of your stovetop. Consider bolting down unsteady furniture along with TVs.
Practice standing: As your baby approaches the walking stage, you can help them practice standing by holding them in a standing position and letting them bear weight on their legs. When your baby starts taking steps with assistance, hold their hands for balance and support.
Rearrange furniture: Set up two pieces of furniture-like a couch and a low table-parallel to each other and with enough space in between for your baby to cruise while holding onto both. Sit or kneel at the opposite end of this aisle from your baby and invite them to come get an interesting plaything or object. Slowly increase the distance between the furniture, so that your baby may need to let go of one support surface to reach the other.
Motivate with toys: If your baby can stand unsupported, offer them a toy within their reach, such as the Stainless Steel Jingle Keys. Hold onto the toy as they grasp it, then move it a small distance to see if your baby will step toward it.
Encourage squatting: While your baby is standing at a wall or by a piece of furniture, hold their favorite toy low to the ground, so that they have to squat to pick it up. Practicing squatting repeatedly will strengthen your baby’s core and leg muscles to prepare them for walking. The Slide and Seek Ball Run is a helpful toy for this activity: After your baby watches the ball slide down, they’ll squat to open the door and grab the ball from the box.
Create some distance: If your baby is reluctant to let go of your finger while practicing walking, try holding a plaything-like a doll or stuffed animal-between you.
Challenge their balance: Once your baby can stand at the couch, turn them around so that their back is to it. Read to your baby in this position, holding the book slightly outside of their reach. Encourage them to turn the pages.
Try not to “walk” your toddler: As your toddler gets comfortable taking their first steps, try holding their hand at their shoulder height or down by their sides.
Expect falls: Research shows that 12- to 19-month-olds average 17 falls per hour. Falling is a big part of learning to walk. When it happens, try to avoid a negative reaction.

Recommended Toys

Offering safe, age-appropriate push-toys (not infant walkers) can inspire your child to walk while picking up some speed. Infant play grocery carts or musical walking toys with wheels and handles can bring joy and assistance to beginning walkers. You can also hold your baby’s hand or give them a blanket to hold while you hold the other end and walk. Push toys are generally safe and are recommended for supported walking. Just make sure the toy is heavy enough that it won't tip when your child uses it to pull up. Also, hold off on introducing baby shoes until your baby is walking around outside. Toys that your child walks behind and pushes are fine to use. These help babies who are just learning to walk with balance so they can take those first steps.

Once your toddler has experience walking independently, sometime between 15 and 18 months, you can introduce The Buddy Stroller or a pull toy like The Pull Pup. These help promote whole body coordination, fine motor strength, and problem-solving. Pull toys engage several muscle groups-hand muscles to grasp the string, arm muscles to pull it, and legs and torso to balance.

Toys to Avoid

Baby walkers are devices with wheels that you sit your child in to propel themselves around. They may be handy for giving you some time to get chores done around the house, but they’re also known to cause thousands of head and neck injuries every year. “They can be dangerous around open doors and stairs and can also get stuck in places,” Dr. Marshall warns.

Read also: A Look at Sodalities

Baby walkers allow babies to move around while seated and have been linked to delayed motor development and a higher risk of injury. Research shows baby walkers can cause walking delays and lower scores on developmental tests compared to babies who didn’t use them. Medical professionals do not recommend using baby walkers. Because a walker makes it easier for your baby to get around, their leg muscles may not develop well enough to walk on their own. 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 walkers that suspend your baby in a seat over a wheeled base are unsafe enough to send thousands of children to the hospital every year. Some research indicates that these types of walkers can also be related to delays in walking. Several countries, including Canada, have banned these types of baby walkers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has called for a ban in the United States. According to the AAP, baby walkers can delay a child's first steps.

Push toys that have a low or small base and a long handle-like a toy lawn mower-may not provide enough support for cruisers and new walkers. They can be fairly easy to tip over, which is why Lovevery child development experts don’t recommend them.

Barefoot vs. Shoes

Babies should be barefoot while learning to walk. Barefoot walking promotes optimal foot development and encourages balance and coordination. Barefoot is best while your baby is learning to walk. The soles of their feet have thousands of nerve endings, making them especially sensitive to vibrations, textures, temperatures, and other stimuli. Let your baby walk barefoot on grass, sand, and other safe surfaces outside. Make a game out of standing on various surfaces.

Letting your baby walk and crawl barefoot helps their feet and toes develop the muscles they need to walk. If it's cold, they can wear socks or you can dress them in a footed onesie. "Babies learn to walk by gripping the ground with their toes and using their heels for stability," says the AAP. "This helps develop the muscles needed for walking and is easier to do without socks or shoes."

When walking outside the home, shoes are necessary for protection. Outside shoes should be comfortable, flexible, and closed-toe. Toddlers need protective yet flexible footwear when they’re out and about.

Read also: Infant Development in Sims 4

Choosing the Right Shoes

Flexible, non-skid soles: Shoes with nonskid soles enable your child to grip the floor when walking and can prevent falls. The soles also need to be flexible to allow for more natural foot movement.
A rounded, wide-toe box
Velcro or straps
A flexible, supportive heel cup: To test flexibility in the heel cup, give it a pinch.
Minimal bulk

Soft-soled shoes are best, as they are flexible, lightweight, and allow the foot to move naturally, mimicking the benefits of barefoot walking. Shoes should fit the natural shape of their foot, especially around their toes. Allow their toes to move freely. Allow about ½ inch of room between their longest toe and the end of the shoe so they have room to grow. Shoes shouldn't be too loose or tight around their heel and should be made of natural fibers, if possible. Children sweat a lot from their feet, so their shoes need to breathe.

Each time you buy your baby shoes, have their foot measured. Your baby's feet grow fast. So to make sure your baby's shoes aren't too tight, check the fit of their shoes and socks every 1-3 months until they're 3 years old and every 4 months until they're 5 years old. Check the fit often, because toddlers can grow out of shoes every few months. While your toddler is standing, press down on the front of the shoe.

What to Expect After Your Baby Walks

Your baby's first steps are only the beginning of an exciting new phase in their life. After those first magical steps toward independence, your child will begin to master the finer points of mobility:

14 months: At this age, your toddler will likely be able to stand on their own, squat, and stand back up. At 14 months old, your toddler should be able to stand alone. They can probably squat down and then stand back up again, and they might even work on walking backward.
15 months: Your child will be pretty good at walking and will likely enjoy push-and-pull toys and exploring new things. By 15 months, your child may be pretty good at walking. They might walk with their legs fairly far apart and their feet pointed outward. This is normal and helps maintain stability.
16 months: Your baby will start to show an interest in going up and down stairs, although they will likely still look to you for help with this one. At about 16 months old, your child will begin to take an interest in going up and down stairs - though they probably won't navigate them without your help until age 2. Make sure you have baby gates at the top and bottom of stairways.
18 months: By 18 months, your child will probably have the walking thing down, they can move backward and forward, and they enjoy moving around on their own. They’ll probably enjoy climbing on furniture and dancing to music, too. By 18 months, most toddlers can climb on and off a couch or chair without help. By 18 months, your little walker may also enjoy dancing to music.
Around age 2: your child's steps will be more even, and they'll get the hang of the smooth heel-to-toe motion that adults use. They'll also be getting better at running and jumping, and they may try to kick a ball.
By the time your child's third birthday rolls around: many basic movements will have become second nature. They'll be able to walk up and down stairs with one foot on each stair.

As kids' mobility improves, so does their ability to explore where they couldn't before. So take a child's-eye look around your home and update childproofing to keep up with your child's growing skills.

When to Consult a Pediatrician

Walking is a major milestone that usually occurs between 12 and 15 months, but it’s important to remember that every child develops at their own pace. Child development can vary a lot, and that's totally normal. Talk to your pediatrician if your baby is 18 months or older and hasn’t started walking on their own even though they've passed the milestones that lead to walking. The milestones that lead to walking include: Rolling over in both directions, Sitting without support, Pulling themselves up into a stand, Furniture cruising (when your baby uses furniture to support themselves while they take a few sliding steps in between).

If your child isn’t sitting by 9 months or walking until 18 months, or if they seem to have difficulty bearing weight on their legs, it’s a good idea to consult with a pediatric physical therapist. We can assess your child’s motor skills and provide specific exercises to strengthen the muscles needed for sitting and walking. If your baby hasn’t started walking by 15 to 18 months, consult your local or Summer Health pediatrician for guidance. This could indicate a delay in motor development and may require further evaluation by a specialist. The CDC recommends talking to your child’s pediatrician if they’re not walking at all by 18 months and not walking steadily by age 2.

Talk to your baby's doctor if your child:

can't stand when supported by 12 months
can't take steps on their own by 15 months
can't walk by 18 months
doesn't walk steadily by 2 years

If there’s any concern about developmental delays, your doctor will be the first to let you know what may be going on in that tiny body of theirs. If they’re achieving all of their milestones, be patient because they may just need more time.

Some reasons for late walking are:

Delayed motor maturation. This happens when the baby's motor skills are normal but take longer than average to develop. If either or both of the baby's biological parents were also late walkers, this is more likely.
Conditions that affect the development of muscle tone and power, such as: Cerebral palsy, a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain their balance and posture; Muscular dystrophy, a genetic condition that causes loss of muscle mass and increased weakness over time; Down syndrome, a condition where a person has an extra copy of chromosome (a gene package) 21. This extra chromosome changes how the baby's body and brain develop; Prader-Willi syndrome, a condition where a person is missing part of one of their copies of chromosome 15. This missing genetic information causes weak muscles, trouble eating, poor growth, and delays in development; Tay-Sachs disease, a genetic condition that causes nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to die; Williams syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body; developmental hip dysplasia; soft or weak bones (medically termed rickets).
Environmental factors that affect brain development or milestones that lead to walking, such as: Infections or exposure to toxins in the biological mother before birth; Problems that the mother had during pregnancy, including a hemorrhage or high blood pressure (preeclampsia); Premature birth; Infections in the infant, such as meningitis, encephalitis, and cytomegalovirus; Head injury to the infant; Malnutrition, such as rickets; A high level of bilirubin in the infant that causes neurological damage (kernicterus).

tags: #infant #learning #to #walk #milestones