Why your baby doesn’t need to walk early

Your baby doesn’t need to walk early: most children take their first steps somewhere between about 9 and 18 months, and that whole range is normal. Walking requires balance, muscle strength and confidence, and your child builds these up themselves by rolling, crawling, pulling up and standing. You help most by giving them space and time rather than practising or pushing.

When does a baby start walking?

It’s understandable that you’re looking forward to those first steps. Yet there’s a lot of variation between children. Some babies are already walking around their first birthday or a little before, while others take their time until eighteen months. Both are perfectly normal.

The road to walking usually follows a set order, but not a set timetable. As a guide, with broad ranges:

Skill	Roughly when (broad range)
Lifting the head during tummy time	first months
Rolling over	around 4–7 months
Sitting unaided	around 6–9 months
Crawling, shuffling or bottom-shuffling	around 7–12 months (some children skip this)
Pulling up to stand, cruising along furniture	around 8–13 months
Walking independently	around 9–18 months

So don’t compare your child with a brother, cousin or the neighbours’ little one. The pace says little about how well your child will move later on.

Why doesn’t your baby need to walk early?

Walking is a complex skill. Your child has to be able to bear their own weight, keep their balance, hold their trunk stable and dare to let go. All of these elements develop in the stages before. A child who is physically and motorically ready will start walking by themselves.

There’s no advantage in bringing those first steps forward. Walking early doesn’t mean a child will be cleverer, stronger or more skilful. And if you steer too much, a few things may not go as well:

• Your child misses out on practice time. Rolling, sitting, crawling and pulling up are valuable stages for strength, balance and coordination. Plenty of time on the floor gives your child the chance to build up these skills calmly.
• Your child moves less independently. A child who is always led around by the hands learns less well how to find their own balance and how to fall and get up again.
• Pressure builds up. Comments like “your brother was already walking at 11 months” are well meant, but children sense expectations sooner than you think. Enjoying movement is more important than speed.

Some children skip crawling and, for example, bottom-shuffle or go straight to pulling up. That’s also very common. If you’re unsure whether your child’s motor development is on track, discuss it with your health visitor.

What can you do to help your baby?

You don’t need to teach walking. You can, however, create an environment in which your child can move a lot and safely.

Give plenty of floor time

A safe spot on the floor, with a mat and a few toys, is the best practice space. There your baby can roll, turn, shuffle and crawl. Tummy time under supervision helps strengthen the neck, shoulders and back from the very first months; a baby gym can be a lovely place for this.

Let your child play barefoot

Indoors, barefoot or in non-slip socks, your child can feel better where their weight is and make good use of their feet. Shoes are mainly needed to protect the feet outdoors.

Encourage crawling and pulling up

Place a toy just out of reach so your baby wants to get to it. A sturdy sofa, low table or stable cupboard is ideal for pulling up on and cruising along. Do make sure furniture can’t tip over.

Choose toys that invite movement

Toys that roll, such as a ball, invite your child to go after them. Large, light blocks can be picked up, moved and stacked. A sturdy push-along walker can be fun for a child who already stands by themselves and cruises along furniture; don’t put your child behind one before they’re ready for it themselves. You’ll find more ideas in the article on sensorimotor toys.

Let your child take the steps themselves

Don’t keep helping your child forward by the hands. Let them stand up, let go and sit back down by themselves. A bit of falling is part of it; above all, make sure the environment is safe.

Trust the process

Your child really will get there. Many parents notice that a child who has taken their time walks steadily quite quickly once they get going.

When should you contact your health visitor?

Small differences from children of the same age are normal. Do contact your health visitor or GP if:

• your child isn’t walking independently at around 18 months;
• your child loses a skill they could already do;
• your child clearly uses one side of the body less than the other;
• your child feels noticeably floppy or, on the contrary, stiff;
• your child persistently walks on tiptoe, or you’re worried for another reason.

Your health visitor can take a look and refer you if needed, for example to a paediatric physiotherapist. A conversation is often reassuring in itself.

Our vision at Vintatoys

At Vintatoys, we believe in toys that fit a child’s stage of development, not the other way round. Toys can invite movement, touch and play, without pressure. Playing is learning, at your child’s pace. Would you like to know more about play that follows the child? Then read how Montessori toys contribute to development.

Let your child be a child. They’ll walk when they walk.

Toys from this article

• wooden baby gym
• soft ball or large, light building blocks

Frequently asked questions

At what age is it normal for a baby to start walking?

Most children start walking independently somewhere between about 9 and 18 months. That’s a wide range, and anything within it is normal. If your child isn’t walking at around 18 months, discuss it with your health visitor.

Can I help my baby learn to walk faster?

You don’t need to speed up walking. You help your child most with plenty of free floor time, bare feet indoors, sturdy furniture to pull up on and toys that invite movement. Let your child take the steps themselves.

Does it matter if my baby doesn’t crawl?

Many children skip crawling and, for example, bottom-shuffle or go straight to pulling up and standing. That’s common. Do give your child enough time on the floor to move, and ask your health visitor for advice if you’re unsure.

Is a baby walker or push-along walker good for learning to walk?

A sturdy push-along walker can be fun for a child who already stands by themselves and cruises along furniture. A sit-in baby walker in which your child hangs is often advised against, because your child doesn’t learn to balance by themselves in it. Moving freely on the floor remains the best practice.

Does my baby need shoes to learn to walk?

Not indoors: barefoot or in non-slip socks, your child feels the surface best. Outdoors, soft, flexible shoes are handy to protect the feet once your child is walking there themselves.