Walk This Way
Wide range
This is one baby milestone with the widest range of when it will occur. Some babies start to walk as early as nine months. Others don’t take their first steps until about 18 months. Most start to walk between 11 and 15 months. All of these times are considered normal. If you are really concerned that your baby is not walking yet, check in with your pediatrician.
Walking instincts
Babies arrive with the inherent ability to understand the movements they need to walk — they simply don’t have the strength as newborns or infants to be able to walk on their own.
However, if you stand a baby up and hold them by their hands, they will likely start doing the walking motions (called the stepping reflex) with your assistance.
Walk the walk
Babies are usually strong enough to walk about the same time that their brains have developed the understanding of balance and spatiality. When they begin to stand unassisted, their first steps that will lead to walking are not far behind.
Cruisin’ toward walking
When Baby stands with assistance and “cruises” around, say, a coffee table, he is getting ready to walk. Help Baby get the hang of his first steps by holding out your hands to him from a safe (and close) distance, and then gradually get farther and farther away.
Do a walkabout
When Baby starts walking, she’ll be entering a new level (literally). So you’ll want to make sure your house is safely equipped to handle this new milestone. Remove all glass or heavy items from low surfaces like coffee tables, nightstands and shelves. If you haven’t already, put locks on cabinets and drawers, as along with this new milestone comes a newfound curiosity of things Baby hasn’t been able to access thus far.
More on baby walking
When will my baby start walking?
Baby walking problems
12-month baby milestones
