Learning to Walk

Every baby will learn to walk at their own pace. But whether your child is an early or a later starter, they will almost certainly be toddling before they are two and it is likely that within a few months of those first independent steps any worries you might have had about their development will have been put aside.

Learning to walk is part of the development of a baby’s gross motor function: crawling, sitting, turning and generally interacting with their surroundings, babies are constantly learning important motor skills, building muscle and core strength, and developing balance, all of which will help your baby to walk.

Signs your baby is getting ready to walk

There are a number of developmental milestones your baby will cross before taking its first steps. From tummy time (head, neck and core control) through to crawling and eventually standing and cruising, your baby’s journey to fully-fledged toddlerhood will encompass several stages.

But remember, it is not the same for every child. For example, children will spend different amounts of time in each phase, with some crawling for only a few days or weeks before learning to stand and cruise and some skipping the crawling phase altogether.

However, once your baby is cruising, you should be aware that the first steps could occur at any minute!

When will your baby learn to walk?

The Guinness Book of World Records has confirmed cases of babies walking as early as six months. However, the earliest a child is likely to walk is around nine or ten months, and even this is pretty rare. Most babies will take their first independent steps at the age of 12 months with many more learning as late as 18 months; you should only be concerned if your child is still not walking at 20 months although in many cases even these children may simply be late starters.(1)

Why do children learn to walk at different times?

There are many reasons why children may learn to walk at different ages. These include the following:

Environment: some environments are more conducive to developing first walking skills than others. For example, if your child spends a lot of time in a pushchair or car seat or doesn’t get much tummy time, it may slow development; while if your baby grows up in a stimulating environment with lots of opportunities to explore and play, walking may occur sooner.
Genetics: if you or your child’s other parent started walking early, your child may be more likely to begin early too.
Personality and temperament: children with bolder and more adventurous natures are perhaps more likely to take their first steps early.

How to help your baby learn to walk

You and your baby already have everything you need, so investing in a baby walker is not a necessity and some reports even suggest they can be harmful to development.(2) However, there are a number of things you can do to encourage your child’s first steps:

Minimise time spent in car seats and pushchairs: of course, there are times when your baby has to go in a car seat or pushchair, but try to avoid unnecessary time spent “strapped in”; this includes naps in a pushchair or car seat. This is because when babies are seated in these, they have only a limited range of motion and as such are not able to freely develop.
Carry your child less: carrying is important for bonding and development, so there is no need to abandon carrying altogether. However, if your baby is carried everywhere, there may be less motivation for your baby to try walking and standing alone.
Let baby be barefoot: in modern life we tend to rely on shoes more than our ancestors ever did and it can be tempting to put your baby in shoes as early as possible, particularly as they look so cute! However, going barefoot is good for the development of muscles in the feet, legs and ankles and helps your baby’s ability to balance. Eventually, of course, you will have a walking baby, so when the time comes buy shoes that are light, flexible and not constrictive.
Limit playpen and activity centre time: restricting your baby to a playpen or activity centre will limit range and ambition of motion, including the ability to stand, stretch and roll.
Play with your baby: the more you play with your child, the more confident and secure they will feel. This will help embolden them to try new things and to reach new developmental milestones.
Tempt baby to cruise: place enticing objects on raised surfaces that are a little out of your baby’s reach. This will encourage her to stand and to turn her curiosity and willpower into action.

Accept trips, falls and tumbles

Young children are still nearsighted so don’t have your expert depth perception. This can make it harder for them to orient themselves and spot hazards. They also have only very basic balance and motor skills, so it is inevitable that trips and stumbles will happen as they learn to walk. Don’t worry, though, as long as you create a safe environment for baby to walk and cruise, these minor mishaps will just be part of honing walking skills.

Children are built of pretty stern stuff and have enviable “bouncebackability”. They are chubby enough to be cushioned (and that’s without the extra padding of a nappy!) so are made to weather the inevitable accidents that go with learning to walk.

It is also important to note that young children are typically quite flat-footed until they are two or three and that they may be bow-legged or pigeon-toed until they are a little older. You may also notice that your child spends a lot of time walking on tiptoes. Again, this is usually normal, helps develop balance, and will only be worthy of investigation if your child is older than six or seven years.(3)

How to making learning to walk safe

It is crucial that your home environment is safe enough to allow your baby to learn how to walk. For example:

Cover any sharp or hard corners or edges.
Keep floors free of trip and slip hazards.
Remove choking hazards.
Place cushions or mats around the room where necessary to soften landings.
Make sure there are no dangerous substances within reach.
Make sure there is nothing such as a television or heavy vase that could topple or be pulled onto baby.
Make sure furniture and other items your baby might use for support are secure.
Place safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs and to prevent entry to any areas where hazards are unavoidable.

What to do if your baby is not walking

Remember, every baby is different — some learn earlier and others learn later. However, if your baby is around 18 months and has still shown no sign of standing or taking steps and seems uninterested, you should speak with a health professional.

Signs of a potential problem such as dyspraxia at this stage include:

Your baby is unable to put weight on either leg.
Your baby seems to be dragging her feet or legs.
Your baby takes unusual body positions.
Your baby has difficulty with coordination in general, e.g. when using building blocks or attempting to use cutlery.(4)

Summary

Babies learn to walk at different ages, but many start around 12 months. If your baby has not shown any interest in standing or walking by the age of 18 months you should speak to your doctor.

You can encourage walking by letting your baby interact fully with the world around them, and by limiting time in playpens, pushchairs and baby seats.

Once your baby starts to cruise and then walk, you will need to be fully safety conscious. Protect your baby from accidents by using corner protectors, covering plug sockets, installing baby gates wherever necessary, and securing hazardous objects that could cause harm, including heavy objects that could be pulled onto baby and chemicals and substances that could be ingested.

1. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130328075702.htm#:~:text=The%20results%20show%20that%20children,months%20(average%2012%20months).
2. https://www.shb.scot.nhs.uk/departments/physiotherapy/Myths_About_BabyWalkers.pdf
3. https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/podiatry/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Toe-walking-in-children.pdf
4. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/developmental-coordination-disorder-dyspraxia/symptoms/