How to teach a child to walk: 5 most important conditions and 4 possible difficulties, doctor’s advice

Timing of skill appearance

A child's first steps can usually be observed at 12 months of age. But this does not mean that all children master the skill of walking at one year old.

It is considered normal if the baby is born between 9 and 16 months.

What are the features of walking at an early or late age?

too early. It also happens that a child gets on his feet at the age of seven months, and after a couple of weeks begins to walk. Doctors are wary of such “acceleration”, worrying about the condition of the fragile spinal column. But you need to look at the baby. If it develops at an accelerated pace, then there is no need to worry too much;
early. If a child starts at 9 months, then it is also generally accepted that his motor abilities are formed earlier than the norm. There is also no need to worry, but only if the parents did not specifically stimulate the walking skill;
late. Walking at 16 months and even a little later is also considered normal. This occurs in healthy children, but more often the delay in motor skills is associated with prematurity or high weight.

As soon as the baby masters the skill of independent movement, you can notice the difference between his walking and the walking of adults. The child will place his feet next to each other, “printing” steps due to the inability to roll from heel to toe. This is fine.

If the baby is very clubbing, walks on his toes, or has invented his own, not entirely adequate, method of movement, you need to show him to an orthopedist and neurologist.

They will be able to assess the condition of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems and recommend the necessary therapeutic procedures, including massage and gymnastic exercises, swimming.

How to quickly teach a child to walk: top exercises

Exercise 1

We teach the child to stand up independently. The baby should be squatted with his back to you and, holding him firmly by the hips, rock him back and forth. From this position, the baby can easily stand on straight legs, but an adult needs to help him, supporting him in the chest area and helping him lean forward more. If the baby does not want to get up, it is better to leave the exercise - most likely, his legs are not yet strong enough.

Exercise 2

We teach the baby to stand up with support. This exercise can be performed from 9-12 months. The baby needs to be interested in a bright toy by lifting it onto an armchair or stool. Trying to get the toy, the baby will try to stand up on his own, leaning his hands on the chair.

Exercise 3

We develop coordination of movements and the ability to maintain balance (can be performed from 6–9 months). The baby needs to be placed on the fitball with his back to himself and firmly grasped by the hips, and then begin to turn the ball in different directions. For this exercise, a medium-sized fitball is suitable, inflated by about two-thirds, so that it is more convenient for the baby to sit on it.

Exercise 4

We help you take your first independent steps. This exercise requires a stroller that your baby can reach. The baby needs to be positioned so that he grasps the hands. Then the stroller should be slowly moved forward, while supporting the baby. If the exercise is performed correctly, the baby will reach for the stroller and will be able to take his first steps with support.

Exercise 5

It is performed from the moment when the baby can already move on his own legs, but still holds an adult’s hands. It will require a long cord or rope, which must be pulled between the chairs at a height just below the baby’s knees. Then you should bring the baby to him and show him how to correctly step over the obstacle.

What can slow down the emergence of a skill?

If the child has not walked independently at 12 months, but at the same time is developing normally, without neurological and orthopedic diseases, you should not worry too much.

As mentioned above, the ability to walk at 12 months is an average normative indicator. However, parents need to know what can slow down the development of walking skills:

excessive fatness. Children gain excess weight due to an ill-conceived diet, overeating and impaired metabolism. Unnecessary kilograms load the spine, as a result of which the child cannot take a vertical position;
temperament. Phlegmatic and melancholic children crawl and walk somewhat later than the more “groovy” choleric and sanguine people. This pattern arises due to the connection between motor activity and the characteristics of the neuropsychic organization;
genetics. Is walking delay a family trait? In this case, it makes no sense to expect the child to develop the skill of walking as soon as possible;
climate. Residents of the southern regions of the planet, as a rule, master motor skills faster than natives of the northern territories;
fear. Children's walking is always accompanied by small failures in the form of stumbling and falling. Some kids, having had bad experiences, are afraid to walk without parental support;
stress. Kids are sensitive to any change in the psychological atmosphere. An unfamiliar environment, scandals in the family, punishment and other unfavorable conditions lead to a stressful situation. The child will go as soon as he feels safe;
disease. Even a common cold weakens a baby. Some children even forget the skill after being sick for some time. However, after a couple of weeks the skills return easily.

Pathologies in the development of the nervous system and musculoskeletal system stand apart. In such a situation, constant supervision by an appropriate specialist, medication and physiotherapeutic procedures are necessary.

How to help a one-year-old child walk on his own

Some parents believe that the sooner their baby sits down, stands up or walks, the better it will be for him, and they try in every possible way to speed up this event. But such help does more harm than good.

The baby will begin to walk at the moment when his spine and muscles are ready for increased loads. Trying to speed up this process means “loading” an unprepared body. And this is fraught with subsequent back problems.

So Dr. Komarovsky believes that all attempts by parents to teach their child to walk prematurely are dangerous. According to the pediatrician, it is necessary to create conditions that stimulate development. Mom and dad should allow the baby to move as much as possible and monitor his safety.

And yet there are a number of ways to teach a child to walk at 1 year old without harm to his health:

a set of exercises that train muscles;
toys and other children's devices that allow the baby to move with support;
psychological tricks that help stimulate the baby’s desire to move on his own.

Be consistent in your training, don’t rush your baby and soon he will delight you with his first steps

Exercises

Of course, it is better if you do gymnastics with your child from the first months, gradually complicating the exercises. But even if you haven’t done this, simple training will be a good way to teach your child to walk.

Here is the plan for one such lesson:

Give your little one a massage.
Rock him on the fitball, placing him first on his stomach and then on his back.
Remove the baby from the ball. Sit him down on his haunches in front of you, slightly pulling him up, until he pushes off the floor with his toes and stands on straight legs.
Place the little one on your knees in front of you, gently pull him towards you by the arms, he should take a few steps on his knees.

Finish the workout by placing your baby's feet on yours. Hold his hands and walk around the house together.

Children love to push their own stroller in front of them while walking. This exercise is great for training. Invite your baby to push the stroller; for the first time, you can hold him.

Toys to help

To help your baby begin to walk independently without support, allow him to move more. Rolling toys with a comfortable handle are suitable for this. Strollers for dolls will also help, holding on to which the little one will walk.

So-called reins are suitable for walking along the street. They look like a dog harness. They are used when the baby has already tried to take the first step on his own. They will protect him, preventing him from falling.

Walkers are the most controversial device. Some parents believe that they cannot do without it. While others will not let a child come within a kilometer of them.

According to the same doctor Komarovsky, walkers are rather a way to free up a few free minutes for mom. Walkers will not help your baby learn to walk independently.

A well-known pediatrician believes that they can be used, but not more than 10 minutes a day. Only those children who have already learned to sit independently are placed in walkers.

Before purchasing a walker, weigh the pros and cons. After all, their regular use leads to deformation of the feet, since the child rests only on the tips of his toes. Plus, the baby gets used to walking using a walker. Due to the prolonged stay of the child in them, the load on the spine is incorrectly distributed. And the child’s coordination of movements develops worse, since he always has support.

Among the advantages of using walkers are the new impressions and emotions that the baby will receive. Small, but still a child’s independence.

Psychological techniques

Curiosity is the driving force behind the development of children, especially at one year of age. Therefore, one of the ways to quickly teach a child to walk is to arouse his burning interest.

Favorite toys that he will need to get to are suitable for these purposes. The toddler's path should not be too long. Make sure that there are objects nearby that he can hold on to: a chair, pouf, stool.

One-year-old children love to repeat after those around them. On walks, draw your baby's attention to slightly older children who are already walking. Invite your little one to repeat after them

Don't panic when your baby falls. Without this, he is unlikely to learn to walk on his own. And your fear will be transferred to him. Take pity on the fallen child, encourage him and offer to continue training.

Choose interesting places for walks along the street. Parks or squares where the baby can “run” after pigeons or “wander” among the trees will arouse more curiosity. And, therefore, they will stimulate him to take his first independent steps.

During the period when the baby began to confidently move around the support, try to keep him company on his travels. Take your little one in your arms around the house or for walks more often. Seeing your keen interest, the baby will try to surprise his mother with new achievements.

Creating conditions for walking

If parents do not know how to teach their child to walk independently, they should contact the child’s doctor. It is likely that he will recommend taking note of one of the following popular teaching methods:

in shoes. Many experts recommend putting shoes on children before they begin to move independently. Naturally, you need to take only high-quality orthopedic shoes. These shoes are made of natural materials, tightly cover the leg, are distinguished by the presence of a hard heel and instep support that supports the arch of the foot;
barefoot. According to this approach, there is no need to rush to put your child’s shoes on, especially if the walking skill began to appear in the warm season. Walking with “naked” heels on a hard surface allows you to strengthen the ligamentous-muscular system, joints, and form the correct arch of the foot;
on a safe surface. The child moves uncertainly, so you need to limit his movement on slippery surfaces: tiles, linoleum, parquet boards. If your baby still slides on the floor, you need to purchase socks with rubber soles that improve traction with the surface;
in free territory. When a baby learns to walk, parents should provide him with space. This means moving large items out of the way of the young “traveler,” as well as providing access to other areas of the apartment;
with reins. Parents who lead their child “on a leash” are subject to all sorts of criticism, as well as sidelong glances from others. However, such a device can help if the baby is afraid to walk without support.

Popular TV doctor Komarovsky is not against parents using the reins. However, it indicates a serious drawback of such a device. The design prevents falls, and the child must learn to fall and get up.

At what age do children start walking?

In everything related to the development of the baby, there are no clear canons. Likewise, the “corridor” for the age of first steps is quite wide: 9-18 months.

If your little one is not a year old, this does not mean that you need to immediately rush to the doctor. Give him time, and ignore all the incredible stories about more successful kids.

A positive attitude from mom and dad is very important. After all, children are very sensitive to the emotions of others.

Harbingers of your baby's first hesitant steps:

he places his feet parallel to each other;
it actively moves along the support;
more often in a vertical position (sitting, standing against a support);
the child willingly walks with the support of his hands.

Remember, in addition to physical readiness, psychological readiness is also important. Therefore, you should not force your baby to walk on his own.

Teaching a child to walk

Before you start learning, you need to make sure that the child is ready to learn this skill. You shouldn’t rush the baby, but you shouldn’t miss the most appropriate moment either.

Signs that the baby is ready to walk: rising from his knees, the ability to remain in an upright position for a long time, attempts to move while holding onto furniture or walls.

The more signs of readiness are observed, the easier it will be to teach the baby to walk. And certain exercises, which will be discussed further, will contribute to accelerated learning.

Preparatory stage

Much will depend on what the parents lay down at the beginning of his life’s journey.
That is why, before quickly teaching a child to walk, it is necessary to prepare the child’s body for subsequent loads. A baby who moves a lot, shows activity and interest in learning about the world around him, will begin to walk faster than his peers who constantly lie down and move little.

In order for your child to grow up more physically fit and strong, you need
to do certain exercises every day:

laying on the tummy. As soon as the baby begins to roll over onto his tummy, you can put him in this position more often. This will strengthen the neck and back muscles;
coups. A 2-month-old baby is already trying to roll over while taking off clothes or changing diapers. Mom should encourage such “freaks”, because they improve the muscles of the limbs and cervical-dorsal region;
taking a sitting position. At approximately 4 - 6 months of age, the child begins to sit down, and already at 8 months he is able to sit fully. When he is in a sitting position, encourage him to reach for a doll or car.
crawl. The child, wanting to get the desired object, tries to crawl. These are very important exercises, so parents should encourage their baby to move on all fours or on his belly as often as possible.

Strong muscles are the key to timely walking. In order for children's legs to confidently hold their little owner, the child must be taught to bend and straighten his knees, and jump with the help of adults.

Exercises for early ages

How to properly teach a small child to walk? First of all, there is no need to insist; on the contrary, it is recommended to carefully monitor the baby’s development. The following activities will help improve your walking skills:

Fitball exercises. A child 6-9 months old can be seated on a large ball with his back to himself, supporting him by the hips. The little “rider” is rocked in different directions to train the vestibular system and coordination of actions.
From the age of 9 months, children can be taught to stand on a hard surface. The child is turned with his back towards him, supported by the sternum. Then they lift him up so that he can rise from his haunches and straighten his legs. This exercise can be done with music.
Also, a 9-month-old baby needs to be encouraged to get up from his knees. To do this, you need to attract his attention with the help of a doll or a car, which is placed further away on the sofa. The child, trying to get a toy, gets up and tries to walk.
Another question: how to teach a child to stand without support. Experts advise waiting for the moment when the baby is standing at a reliable stand and giving him his favorite toy. Then he is offered another game object so that he is forced to let go of the support he is holding on to.

If a child is interested in walking before 9 months, do not interfere. Usually, children who are already physically stronger are ready for new achievements.

Exercises for older children

The child learns and grows quickly, so you need to constantly come up with new activities.

Experts advise performing several useful exercises:

From 10 months, you can use a regular baby stroller (for girls) or a pushchair (for boys) to train walking skills. The stroller is pushed forward and the child follows. His parents support him from behind;
As soon as the baby learns to hold himself confidently (in the tenth month of life), exercises with sticks are included. The length of these devices is approximately 100 cm. The child grabs them, and the parent places his hands on the children's arms. By moving the sticks forward, the baby learns to walk;
By 10 months, children are usually trying to walk independently, but some are afraid of large spaces. The child is put into a hoop, and then this sports device is moved in such a way that the child is forced to walk;
If the baby already knows how to walk (usually at 11 months), holding on to the parent’s hand, you can teach him to move around obstacles. At a low height, you need to pull the rope, and the child must step over it.

Parents should monitor their children's mood. If the child is uncomfortable and refuses to get up or walk, the exercises are postponed for a while.

The beginning of time

No. 1 Lying on your tummy

Long before your baby takes his first steps, when he is just a few weeks old, you can begin to prepare his muscles for the work ahead. Make sure your baby gets 10 minutes of tummy time a day, either right away or throughout the day. This action will help strengthen the baby's neck and back muscles. ( Reading: How to properly place your baby on his tummy).

#2 Practice turning over

Be prepared to somersault during diaper changes! The child will begin to roll over from side to side and try to return back as early as two to four months of age. Encourage him to roll over by holding the toy above him first and then moving it to the side as far as he can go. This will help the baby develop the muscles of the neck, back, legs and arms, and prepare for the next step: the ability to sit. ( Reading: When a baby starts to roll over | Teaching a baby to roll over at 3 - 4 months: simple working exercises (+ video)).

#3 Encourage movement

Starting at about 4 months of age, the baby tries to sit with support or cushions, and by 6 months he is able to sit independently. Help him sit up by gently pulling on his arms. Encourage your baby to turn in different directions, lean, sit with the help of a toy, leaving it out of reach, strengthening his muscles and coordination.

#4 Let's go on a trip

From six to ten months, the baby will learn to crawl, lunging forward for an object that attracts its attention. Take advantage of this and place objects that attract him further away, encouraging movement. Take a little trip around your home using your baby's newfound mobility. An article about the initial period of crawling.

#5 Help strengthen your leg muscles

Your curious little one will soon begin to stand up, leaning on various objects such as furniture, your leg or anything else to maintain balance. Typically, children cope with this task at seven to twelve months. Help them strengthen their leg muscles by allowing them to hold on to you and jump on your knees. Also teach your baby to bend his knees so he knows how to get back to the floor.

Safety precautions

First of all, you should be concerned about the safety of the child while training walking skills. The first piece of advice is to not put your baby on his feet if he is still too small and not ready to move. What else do you need to remember?

purchase special shoes designed for walking. Avoid booties and soft sandals. The optimal shoes are lightweight, with a stiff sole. If the lower part seems slippery to parents, it can be sanded with sandpaper;
as already noted, avoid practicing walking on slippery surfaces to avoid injury and damage. In addition, some babies stop even trying to walk when faced with a surface that is too smooth;
an inexperienced “walker” should not encounter obstacles: steps, thresholds, carpets and other barriers. Only when the child learns to walk can you come up with various obstacles, but at the initial stage they must be avoided;
You should also protect the baby from sharp corners of furniture, large floor flowerpots, swinging doors and boxes and cans of household chemicals lying in cabinets, fragile objects and hanging tablecloths;
Avoid using walkers, in which the baby will not walk, but ride, and very quickly. In addition, such a device will not encourage the child to move independently.

Pediatrician Evgeny Komarovsky is also convinced of the uselessness of walkers in teaching a child to walk upright. This device helps exclusively parents who want to take a break from communicating with their child.

For more information about the dangers of walkers for babies and whether they benefit a small child, read the informative article by a child psychologist.

When taking care of children's safety, it is necessary not to go to the other extreme - excessive guardianship. Children should move independently, freely, and parents just need to help and protect their kids from injury.

How to teach a child to walk independently: top tips

What will help you prepare:

Motivation

Children are curious, so place a bright toy in front of him to make him want to touch it. He will try to move in the direction of the toy, so if he can stand up, then you can hold him and guide him towards the object.

Control of the situation

The baby is always trying to grab onto something and get to his feet, so remove unstable supports so that when he falls, injury does not occur and he does not get scared. During this period, constantly monitor the baby so that he does not hit walls or corners.

Reaction

The future behavior of the baby depends on how parents react to falls. If adults are afraid of falling, feel sorry for the baby, and run to his aid, then he will manipulate adults, feigning helplessness.

Therefore, you need to mentally prepare yourself and realize that no one learned to walk without falling. Therefore, falls are inevitable, and there is no need to focus on them, while avoiding falling as much as possible.

Conditions for muscle training

An important condition for learning to walk is the preparation of muscles, so do exercises aimed at strengthening: massages, gymnastics. It is better not to use walkers, because they do not require as much strength as, for example, learning to crawl or get on all fours. They require no effort other than standing on their feet. If the walker is chosen incorrectly, then there is a risk that the child, standing on tiptoes, will get a “dancing gait”, with support on tiptoes.

Let's meet

When the child can take 2 steps, it’s time for parents to sit opposite each other at a close distance to control his path with their hands.

First, let the baby take 1 step towards the adult’s embrace, then the distance can be increased. At the same time, when meeting him, you need to praise him for coming on his own, even if only one step has been taken.

Imitation

For children, a clear example is an important motivation. Introduce him to a baby who has recently learned to walk; this will be an incentive for him.

We walk around the house

Walk around the house with your baby tilted toward the floor as if he were walking on his own so he can pace. Show him other rooms so that he becomes interested in walking around, discovering a new space. So that he has a desire to walk around the house.

Solving possible difficulties

The recommendations described above answer the question of how to help a child quickly learn to walk.

Usually the learning process goes smoothly, but in some cases there may be some problems that you should be aware of:

Constant falls. The child is just learning to walk - therefore, he will fall due to the ineptitude and underdevelopment of the vestibular apparatus. However, if falls are too frequent, you may suspect poor vision and consult an ophthalmologist.
Fear of walking independently. This usually happens to overly sensitive children. If the baby gets scared of something while walking or falls, you should not scold him, but support him and encourage him in every possible way to walk.
Increased tone of the lower leg muscles. If your child walks on his toes, you should consult a doctor. The reason is muscle hypertonicity? In this case, the specialist will prescribe special relaxing exercises and massage.
Incorrect foot position. How to teach a child to walk if he is constantly clubbing, “rolling” his foot outward or inward? These positions are incorrect, so it is important to consult with an orthopedist and carry out corrective exercises.

Is it necessary to teach a child to walk? An unexpected question, since we wrote about training above. However, it should be understood that by teaching we mean more like training if the baby develops at an optimal pace.

Targeted training is necessary only if the child is delayed in mastering the skill and the doctor prescribes special exercises. Remember that all children develop individually!

What parents can expect

Sometimes the process of learning to walk can be accompanied by some unpleasant moments.

Sometimes a mother thinks that if a child walks on bent legs, then this is quite normal. But there are cases when a “jockey gait” indicates disturbances in muscle tone. This matter is fixable and can be treated with massage, salt and herbal baths, and a special gymnast.
Walking on bent legs is a sign of hypotonicity (low tone), and walking on tiptoes is a sign of hypertonicity (increased tone).
If your baby does not want to walk, perhaps he is simply not ready for a new activity. Some children run confidently at one year, while the physical development of others allows them to walk independently only at eighteen months. Therefore, there is no need to panic, but it is better to calmly wait until your baby can take his first steps. One thing is for sure: a healthy baby should be able to walk by the age of two. Many parents ask the question of how to get their baby to walk. But the firm belief of more than one pediatrician is that it is impossible to put pressure on children, you can only encourage and stimulate the described process.
Quite often (in almost all families) a problem arises when a child walks on his toes. Some doctors explain this gait as the child’s fantasies, others as pampering. Some orthopedists say that it is more comfortable for the baby, so he does not stand on his entire foot.
A child walks on his toes until about 2 years of age, and this is considered normal. Why are parents so worried if they notice such a habit in their child? The fact is that some serious neurological diseases have such a symptom as the baby walking on tiptoe.
Before getting scared if a child walks on his toes, moms and dads should understand that there is no disease that is indicated by only one alarming factor. You will definitely notice a few more signs, and then knock loudly on all the doors. In any case, consulting a competent specialist will not hurt. It will help you calm down and not worry unnecessarily.

When should you see a doctor?

Sometimes a child does not walk for reasons other than harmless. Unfortunately, there are many diseases that can slow down this process. So, when should you go to a specialist:

The baby does not crawl or try to stand up by holding onto support by 12 months.
The child walks on tiptoes, holding onto a gurney or any other object, as well as with the support of parents by the arms.
After 18 months, the toddler does not strive for independent vertical movement.

These signs may indicate various abnormalities that require timely diagnosis and treatment. Parents should be aware that the earlier a particular disease was identified, the greater the chance of coping with it without complications.

Read more about the development of children under one year old in one of our articles. Only useful information for parents.

Adult mistakes

A child who has realized that he can stand on his own legs most often not only happily agrees to move around like an adult, but even demands it.

You can also purchase special “reins” for children - they are convenient during walks, when the baby is most active. It is good to use support wheelchairs at home and on the street: holding onto the support with two handles, a little person is able to move short distances on a flat surface.

Another misconception among adults is the belief that the more time a child spends in a walker, the faster he will learn to walk. In fact, this invention, as has been repeatedly noted by reputable doctors, was developed solely for the convenience of parents. The child is in a physiologically incorrect position: he pushes off the floor not with his entire foot, but only with his toes, rests his buttocks on the seat, and leans forward. It is basically impossible to walk in this position, and in the future such children have many problems with the muscles of the back and legs, and it is very difficult to wean them from walking on tiptoes.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=dZz6pokdNj8

When to start teaching your baby to take his first steps

You can often hear that the sooner the baby starts walking, the better. In fact, it's all individual. For a child to be able to walk independently, his spine must be strengthened. My baby started crawling first, and then it was much easier for him to start walking.

The normal age for taking the first steps is considered to be from 9 to 18 months, on average it is 1 year. In addition, let's not forget that girls develop faster and begin to walk earlier. My son took his first steps when he was 11 months old. And he started walking on his own when he was one year old.

Observe the baby, the presence of the following signs will indicate the baby’s readiness to take his first steps:

Education

The first signal that the child is preparing to walk independently are confident attempts to move along support, for example, along the sofa, the sides of the crib or other stable interior items.

If the baby already stands up and sits down perfectly without outside help, moves along the walls, leaning on them with his hands, then he is quite ready to take the first steps.

Now is the time to teach him to walk correctly without support. And here some valuable recommendations will help parents.

You need to support the child by the armpits, as is done in the first months of life. Move forward synchronously with him, and here you will benefit from the help of another adult who could intercept the baby at the right moment.
The second adult is opposite and stretches out his hands to the walking baby. At that moment you let him go, and it turns out that the baby walks independently, relying only on your hands. In this way, it is very important to teach him how to navigate correctly, because when walking along a wall, the nature of the movement is radically different. The above method is the simplest and most reliable, but always remember to be safe.
If the child has already had experience in moving independently, it is very important that he is not afraid to fall and squat at the right moment. Therefore, you must be sure to belay him when moving and catch him when he bends or stands unsteadily. You can attract the baby with toys or other objects that interest him, then he will move along the right trajectory.
At the very beginning of learning to walk, make sure that there are soft pillows or specialized cushions in the path of the baby’s intended movement. They can prevent injury from unplanned falls.
If you see that your baby is still moving uncertainly, standing, swaying from side to side, do not work with him for too long. His spine is not yet strong, which can provoke the formation of incorrect posture when walking.
Try to teach your toddler to sit down from a standing position. After all, this is how he will be able to take short breaks, which will relieve his legs from excessive stress.
If you started training on the street, special devices - “leashes” - will help you in the very first stages. Thanks to them, you can prevent injury without holding your baby under your armpits. They are safety belts. Of course, this is not the best method of teaching walking, but its use is acceptable when the child begins to walk more confidently, and you want to make his movement as safe as possible.
Some children are already very active and physically developed at an early age. If your baby shows a genuine interest in walking independently, don’t interfere. When his body is strong enough, early steps will only benefit the baby. But if he shows dissatisfaction and protests at the first stages of training, temporarily postpone this process.

Exercises to help you prepare for walking

The first year of a child's life is considered very important. At this stage, all processes that occur in the body are interconnected. This concerns, first of all, the connection between the moral and physical aspects of development. Experts emphasize that physical exercise is very beneficial. They not only help strengthen the muscle corset, but also help the baby learn to walk faster.

The benefits of fitball

You can stimulate good physical development with the help of exercises on a fitness ball. You can buy it at any sports store. This ball is suitable for both babies and older children, for example, a two-year-old baby. It is always fun and useful to perform various exercises on it.

The simplest exercise is to place the baby on the ball and hold it tightly by the legs and hips. Now you need to slightly rock the little one from side to side or make springy movements up and down. In addition, you can place the child on the ball with his back or tummy. The main thing is that the little one is not afraid. If he is capricious or refuses such gymnastics, you cannot force him, it is better to postpone the classes until later.

Using a toy and chair

If your son or daughter doesn’t want to get up on his feet while holding onto a support, you can try doing the exercise with his favorite toy and chair. Any support is suitable for these activities, for example, an armchair, sofa, and so on. So, the baby needs to be shown his favorite thing and put it on a hill. The little one must crawl to it and try to stand on its legs, pulling itself up by the support.

If your child doesn’t succeed right away, don’t despair or scold him. It is important to continue studying and everything will certainly work out.

Rope exercise

If a little fidget already walks well, holding his mother’s hand, but does not dare to take the first steps on his own, you can try exercises with a rope. This activity will help develop balance or dexterity.

To practice, you can take a string or elastic band and stretch it in the middle of the room. Now you need to take the baby by the arms and lead him straight to the rope. The baby must try to cross the barrier. At first it will be quite difficult to do this, but every time everything will work out better and better.