8 Tips on How to Get Your Baby and Toddler to Walk

Children learn to walk between 9 and 18 months of age. It is best if they crawl for 3 months first- before walking- to build their core strength, and gain visual perceptual skills that will last a life time.  They will never go back to crawling once they learn to walk, make sure that your child is at a developmentally appropriate age and level for them to walk. Don’t push them to do it too early or before they’re ready.

 

Fun Fact:  It has been said that children need to take 3,000 steps or cover  24 foot ball fields before they can learn to walk by themselves.  Lets just say they need to do 100’s of steps/day -best if it is in a condensed period of time- to learn to walk.

 

1. Barefoot exercise


Here's why you should let your kids play barefoot. It's good for adults too  | Health - Hindustan Times

If your baby or toddler hasn't started walking yet, here are some tips:

Take off socks and shoes to strengthen the small muscles in the feet. This is the best direct way to strengthen your child's feet , We as humans have muscles and nerves in the feet. When you walk barefoot, you tell these muscles to connect directly with the ground. In this case, the muscles of the foot are forced to work intensely to find a way to balance on the ground

 

2. Build confidence in standing:

Image result for images of toddlers standing

 

 Let them stand while you read them a book,  or hold a toy for them to play with. Simple toys are best, pianos, books, simple busy boxes, allow them to cruise on furniture.

 

3. Stable shoes

Born To Run: Helping Toddlers with Wandering - Parenting Now

 

Avoid thin shoes At this stage, the child needs strong and comfortable shoes at the same time, because the child's muscles are weak and need support

Although barefoot style is the best way, but in outdoor places, shoes must be worn. The barefoot style may suit some children and some may not suit them.

Otherwise to avoid your child falling, rolling over or entering something in his foot

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4. Baby steps

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 Start small and don't expect your baby to fly when he first learns to walk. They will slowly begin to take one or two steps at a time. While teaching them, stay very close. If they can only take 2 steps at the moment then with encouragement the 3 steps will become 9 and 10, don't sit 3 feet away from them. Gradually increase the distance as they become more confident.

 

5. provide good role models

Two children walking grayscale photo | Pikrepo

 

Children need a role model from other children, however if you have siblings, cousins, or friends, make sure to have plenty of playdates for them to engage with others and learn new things . The child may want to see another child walk or fall and get up and receive praise and applause from his family.

 

6. Encouragement and motivation

If your baby or toddler hasn't started walking yet, here are some tips to teach your child to take steps and learn to walk independently. Make it fun & easy

Parents' encouragement for their children is really important, celebrating the smallest step, even if it's a step or two, to give them confidence that what they're doing is great. Make sure that the smiling face of their parents for what they do is all they want.

 

7. Gradually reduce support

 

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You can hold your baby under their arms, on their trunk, or on their hands. As they learn and gain muscle strength, they will need less and less support. Make sure you are decreasing the amount of support and assistance that you give them as they learn to walk.

 

8. Two adults are better than one

Couple walking on meadow with their baby daughter (6-11 months) - Stock  Photo - Dissolve

 
In the early stages of a child's walking, two adults are better than one to increase the encouragement and motivation for the child to start, in this way one adult can encourage the child while the other provides support from the other one.


Sources and References :
14 Tips to Get Your Baby or Toddler Walking - Teaching Littles
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And
How to Get Your Baby and Toddler to Walk | Pediatric Physical Therapy (wordpress.com)


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