Your toddler just turned a year and you want to see your baby walking. Yes, your baby might put the first step around first-year birthday. You may see your baby standing against the couch and attempting to totter hesitantly. So, at what age do babies walk as mentioned earlier around one year, the babies start walking. However, it may vary around 9 to 18 months depending on the kid. But, remember as your child walks leaving behind the childhood the kid becomes independent.

At What Age Do Babies Walk?

During the first 9 months, your baby is busy in developing the body strength and muscle coordination. The baby crawls, rolls over and starts standing up by 9 months of age. Let us see the monthly milestone of the baby in developing walk. However, below given are a generic set of guidelines. Few babies may start walking as early as seven months while the others may start by 17 months.

Birth To 2 Months: If you hold your baby in a standing position you can find your baby showing some standing reflexes. But, you cannot notice the reflex by 6 weeks age as it disappears gradually.

3 Months To 4 Months: Baby will build up the upper body muscles by doing mini-pushups. You can see the baby roll over tummy and lie on the tummy lifts up the chest and head high by using arms. These changes you are noticing are the prerequisites to develop walking.

By 5 Months: Building leg strength is crucial for the baby to start walking. The baby bounces high and low when it held in a standing posture. Remember it is important for you to keep the things out of the reach of your baby as your baby soon starts walking and try to get few things.

6 Months To 8 Months: By this age, baby learns sitting. Developing sitting on own strengthens the neck, improves coordination and balance. Additionally, the baby also develops head control. These skills are required by the baby to walk. Most of the babies learn to crawl between 6 and 8 months. Although, few babies skip crawling and start develop walking altogether.

By 8 Months: Now you can see the baby standing up by holding some support. Few weeks later, you will watch the baby taking some sliding steps holding something to support the movement.

9 Months To 10 Months: Baby will adopt the standing posture holding an immobile object. Say, for instance, by holding the table leg or a sofa. Additionally, the baby also learns the bending knees in order to sit.

By 11 Months: The baby can stand unsupported for few seconds now. And the baby also starts walking holding your hands.

11 Months To 14 Months: By 13 months, the baby probably put the first step. 3 babies for every 4 babies start walking. However, the babies walk may look awkward by the arms stretching wide open. The arms ensure the babies to get support immediately. No later your baby learns stooping down and again to stand back.

14 Months To 15 Months: The child now enjoys playing with push and pull toys. Your baby learns to walk backward as well.

Note: In case if the baby does not start coggling by 14 to 15 months then you must consult your doctor. Not to worry, the baby’s development still falls under the normal range but detecting any problem earlier makes the medication easy.

By 16 Months: With your support, your toddler can climb up and down the stairs.

By 18 Months: If your toddler listens to music, then you will sure see him dancing.

19 Months To 24 Months: The baby can run now. You can find baby enjoying running while carrying something in hand.

25 Months To 30 Months: The baby can drive up the stairs but not down. Your baby now prepared to comfortably play a running game and also can play Ring around the Rosy.

31 Months To 36 Months: Forget alone walking, the baby can jump with both feet together. The baby can zip right and left. Later, it can dribble the ball.

4 Years: The baby now learns to balance and hopping on one foot. You can see baby choosing one foot over the other.

5 Years: Your little one is now mastered walking, hopping, skipping, running, and jumping.

The above mentioned is a generic chart, if you are still concerned with the walking progress of the baby you can check with your doctor.

How The Baby Develops Walking?

Legs of your baby are not strong enough to aid walking within 12 months. However, when you hold your baby in the standing posture by holding under the arms, you can see the baby dangling the legs and pushing the hard surface with the feet to look like almost walking. Remember this reflexive motion and the baby is not able to walk up to a couple of months.

As your baby completes six months, you will see the baby bouncing up and down when you allow the baby to rest feet on your thighs. The baby’s favorite activity remains bouncing as the baby’s leg muscles develop and the baby masters crawling, sitting, and rolling over.

Later, your baby learns standing holding your sofa or any other hard support. Make sure the baby’s path is filled with objects that are sturdy enough to support the baby’s movement. If you can help the baby by placing the sofa in reach, then the baby can stand strong holding it.

The baby is also seen squatting and stooping. And now the baby can scoop toys while standing and take small steps when you are holding the baby in a standing posture. Most of the kids take the first step with their foot pointing outwards. By 12 months, if your baby is not able to walk on own and not stopped cruising then your baby may take little long to start walking.

Encourage Baby’s Walking

Around 1,000 hours of practice is required for the baby from the time the baby adopts the upright posture to start walking alone. Help your baby to start walking on its own:

Since Birth:

Obtaining strong back muscles is crucial for the baby to start walking. While baby rolls over the tummy and starts lying on the tummy the baby lifts the head high to develop strong back muscles. Make sure your baby spends a good deal of time lying on the tummy while staying awake. Keep the interesting objects and toys out of the reach of the small ones to develop the baby’s curiosity and motivate the baby to move on.

Baby Can Sit Then What Next:

You can play a ball by rolling it back and forth to the baby; this helps the baby to develop mobility and balance. Hold a toy and move it from one side to the other as your baby watches this helps baby lean in all ways. When the baby crawls forward or lunges, the baby’s neck gets more strength along with the legs, arms, and back. Moreover, the baby develops hip control by this the baby can stand by pulling up and land safely.

Baby Stands:

When your baby stand on its own, then your baby may attempting to walk now. Allow the baby to walk in your presence. Hold the baby’s hand while walking and at the regular intervals let go the baby on its own. By doing this, the baby learns how to balance and this will be an experiment session for the baby. Instead, you can stand a few feet away from your baby and cheer the baby to reach you to get the baby’s favorite doll. Once the reaches the target appreciate the baby and give the baby nice treats.

Baby Starts Cruising:

Hand prints of the baby are evident all over the home on the floor, chair, walls and other furniture. As the baby masters standing, he will start cruising everywhere. At this stage, help the baby to find strong support for keeping the strong and supporting furniture in reach of the baby and in the baby’s path. The baby may find it difficult to sit from the standing posture. And the baby learns to sit from the standing posture before learning to walk on its own. Stay closer to the baby so that you can help the baby sit safely without hurting the bottom.

Safety Tips

Your newborn is no more immobile; as the baby grows it is curious to explore more and more place and to see more objects. Now it is necessary to childproof your home.

• Take off the low tables and cover the sharp and hard corners to prevent the baby from getting injured.
• Remove the furniture that can be easily toppled
• Keep your home free from the trailing cords and any other objects that attract your child’s attention. Remove the throw rugs and make the siblings pick up their toys.
• Fix safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. And supervise the baby when climbing up or down the stairs.
• Lock all the harmful substances and keep it out of reach of the baby.

Does Your Baby Need A Walker?

No, baby do not need a walker. Canada has banned the sale of the walker. The American Academy of Pediatrics endorses a similar ban in USA. Every year, large numbers of children are left topple down the stairs or reach a hot stove while using walkers.

Elliptical seats or bouncers are not good ones. These hold the children in the upright position while do not aid walking. In case of frequent usage, these devices may distort the walking ability of the children. When your baby sits in any of them the baby’s body is not aligned appropriately and the baby feels better when left on the floor or a playpen.

Baby’s Shoes

When your baby is walking indoors, he can be left barefoot. The baby’s feet can grab the slippery surface of tile floors and wood better. If your baby is left outdoors for walking then, he needs a new pair of shoes. Look for a perfect and comfort fit:

• Remember do not shop the shoes as first thing in the morning. The baby’s feet grow about 5 percent by the end of each day.
• While you are checking the foot size make your baby stand. Look for perfect shoes where the baby can push the complete width of thumb between the end of the shoe and the tip of the toe. And the shoe should have enough room for the baby’s heel to get in.
• Allow your baby to toddle around the shop for few minutes. Then remove the shoes and look at the baby’s feet to check if you find any spots due to irritation. In case, if you find any marks then nix them as it is not suitable for the baby.
• Check the baby’s shoes regularly once in a month. As the feet grow rapidly, the baby often requires bigger ones. However, you require visiting the shoe shop once in two to three months.

As a parent, you are excited by your baby’s walking and his first steps. But, you require patience as every kid is different and take their own time in reaching the milestones. It is on your part to encourage your baby, secure the baby by taking few necessary safety measures, and finally and most important to wait for the baby until he starts walking. The pitter-patter of the little feet will soon be found completely in your home.

When You Should Be Concerned?

If your baby is taking more time, then do not fret. Allow the baby to take its own time. But, if you don’t find your baby standing with support even around 12 months then the baby cannot walk by 18 months. Or the baby cannot steadily walk by 2 years. Then you may need to take your baby to the doctor.

Remember that different babies reach the milestones at the different time frame and especially the premature babies reach the milestones later than the peer group. In case of a premature baby, the milestones should be dated from the due date which the pediatricians term as the adjusted age of the baby.