Walking involves very complex brain and nerve connections; believe it or not, it is one of the most sophisticated physical skills we humans ever achieve. All parents remember their delight at their baby's first tottering steps and the inevitable squeal of self-congratulation from the baby. However, children learn to walk very much in their own time.
Some walk as early as nine months, others at 18 or 19 months; the average age for unaided walking is 14 months. Babies who can crawl extremely fast and 'bottom shufflers' are likely to walk later than other children, simply because they've learnt how to get along just fine without walking! Even the most adept walker will revert to crawling or sitting when tired. Some children never crawl and go straight to walking. All these variations are entirely normal.
Early Steps: If your child shows no interest in getting onto her feet, you can encourage her by putting a series of toys just out of reach so she has to stand up to get them. If, for instance, you put them on a sofa, she may need to take a step while holding the couch to get to them. Holding on to furniture for support while trying to walk is known as 'cruising' and is one of the first steps towards walking.
Can You Help? Your child can do without a special exercise programme to teach her to walk. Just letting her 'cruise' will do nicely. It's not a good idea to buy a baby walker - they are not recommended for children who can't already walk and can be dangerous, as a baby can find it difficult to stop them. Walking is a natural activity and most children don't need much more than simple encouragement, some space to walk comfortably and a little help when cruising. If you give your child lots of opportunities for movement, she'll generally use them.
Babies can walk perfectly well without shoes indoors (and bare feet are better than socks to prevent slipping). However, after walking for six weeks, you should take her outdoors to practise her skills. Have her feet measured before she is fitted for shoes to ensure healthy growth and foot development, but be prepared for your baby's walking skills to stall for a few days while she gets used to having lumps of leather at the end of her feet! Hard-wearing shoes with non-slip soles are best, but avoid heavy boots as these don't help the ankle muscles to strengthen. Remember that you'll need to check her feet for growth every few months.
Safety First: Some toddlers are cautious, others are not, but keeping a walking child safe is always important, such as keeping her on a rein or holding her hand. Young children can have nasty falls downstairs, so it's worth teaching your child the skills of walking up and down - it's easier for young children to go up than it is to go down. Teach her to come down backwards on hands and knees, to begin with. Then, when she is walking well, please help her to walk up and down the stairs, holding her hand, until you're confident that she is safe.
Becoming Mobile: About six months after becoming a confident walker, a toddler starts experimenting - first with running and then hopping, jumping and dancing. By three, most toddlers are proficient in all these skills. Around this time you can encourage your child to be more mobile. You will find that many local authorities and private companies such as Tumble Tots organise preschool gym sessions, which encourage activities like climbing and balancing and other co-ordination skills.
If there's one ankle locally and you have the time, these are great fun for active youngsters and their parents. Chasing games, skipping, hopping and games like hide-and-seek encourage your toddler's mobility skills and are fun, too! Giving your child the opportunity to be both physical and mobile is a great help to her.
Late Developer: If your child doesn't seem interested in walking by the time she's 18 months to two years old, mention this to your health visitor. There's a good chance that she's just a late walker. Children tend to develop their skills at different times, but it is worth giving her a few tests, especially if she still needs to attempt to walk by the time of her two-year check-up.
