At around eight to nine months most babies are able to stand when held. If he/she wants to stand hold him/her on your lap or a firm surface, give plenty of smiling approval and don’t worry if the legs buckle at first. Some babies love bouncers especially if they like movement. Some parents use baby walkers but they are very dangerous and are the cause of many accidents because the babies cannot see where they are going. If you use a baby walker it is best to only use it while you are with your baby and concentrating.

At this stage many babies start to crawl but this varies from baby to baby. Some babies never crawl but bum shuffle or do a crab like crawl. And there are many variations of crawling. Crawling can be encouraged by putting a favourite toy slightly out of reach to tempt the baby to crawl over to it. You can also crawl together and have obstacle races using cushions to crawl over or allowing them the experience of crawling over you first on the floor. This it is great fun and if you are happy they will be too. Toys that roll are good to use when skills at crawling are improving. Crawling is thought to be good for the brain because it helps to develop the parts that are used later for reading and writing.

The next skill they learn is pulling up to stand. To encourage this put a toy on a chair that can take the baby’s weight to encourage the child to pull up to stand. The first time children do this it is important to show pleasure but the child will need help to sit down again because he will not be able to do that. Hold his hands and gently sit him on the floor. Climbing may also start during this time and this is also a time to be safety conscious because many accidents occur at this time. Babies love to crawl up the stairs but never know how to get down so parents have to show them how to slide backwards. They also need to be shown how to get down the stairs via the bottom when they reach that stage and then how to walk down two feet per step and then one foot per step holding the rail. They love exploring and developing their skills and once they can stand they will soon be walking around the furniture. Holding hands and walking with them is a good idea and as the walking progresses try holding one hand only and then a finger until they are confident to take some steps alone. Push-along-toys are good for increasing confidence. Let your child walk a few steps towards you and increase the distance as they gain skill and confidence. Play games with your child that encourage walking such as asking “I can see the teddy can you get it for me”, this also encourages speech. Running games and a basic version of hide and seek are also fun to do. This is an exciting time for parents and babies but an exhausting one too because they want to practice all the time. They get tired easily so you will still need to use your buggy and many park benches for a few more years! Have fun and try not to expect too much too soon and remember that the average age for walking is fourteen months. All babies are different and develop their skills differently and while some babies walk at 10 months others will not walk alone until 20 months.

If your are worried at any time about your baby’s development or your intuition tells you that there is something wrong it is best to discuss your worries with your Health Visitor or Doctor.

Frances Byatt-Smith RN RHV BA Psychology

Click Here for previous features

Back to parents home page