A baby typically starts to walk between the age of 10months- 14months, but not all babies, every child learns at their own pace.
Walking may seem like no big deal to adults but children, especially toddlers, are quite comfortable being carried around and crawling all over. Soon they learn that a walk is not always a walk in the park, it can be tough. But no need to worry, babies will learn when they are ready, of course with a little help from us: the adults.
As a child-minder, I gathered and tried a few tips and tricks to encourage and help a baby to learn to walk when I was looking after a 15-month-old baby;
Encourage your child’s ability to pull themselves up to stand.
After the babies have mastered crawling, they might start pulling themselves up to hold onto things or grab things that catch their eyes. This is a sign that they are giving little clues here and there. So, to encourage them to start walking, you might want to sit on the sofa and try to make them grab a toy and little by little you can start the “cruising method”. This method consists in holding onto an object and using it as a support to walk. In the situation mentioned above, the kid may try to move while balancing himself on the sofa towards the toy.
Create standing stations in the house
You can create standing stations by getting the baby an activity table or a toy that has different activities like a small piano tab, a telephone, color buttons or toys that interest the child. Standing on their own supporting themselves with the activity table helps in strengthening the child’s muscles. And also make sure to put some thick playmats or comfortable cushions around the activity table so that when the baby falls or gets tired, he can sit on it. This makes him feel completely safe
Words of encouragement.
Words of affirmation play a huge role in sentimental values. I mean, we all want to be supported by our loved ones. The same goes for babies. When they do the smallest things, be sure to encourage them. The baby will love the attention and that feeling of accomplishment that will push him to keep trying.
Provide good role models.
What’s more encouraging to a child than seeing another child doing it? Watching another child doing something will push them to wanting to do the same. The same rule applies here: if a baby sees another baby walking, he will want to walk too. By this you can set up playdates or enroll a baby to a daycare. It will be helpful and will also improve his social skills.
Go barefoot
No socks, no shoes, just bare feet. Not only does it help in walking, but it’s also a great sensory experience for a child. It improves his balance and posture and strengthens his feet and ankles. for more information, you can click here
Yvettes Otieno CAP studen 2020-2021
