How to Teach a Child to Walk

As a parent, you can discover ways to assist your child in learning to walk. While every child is different and does things in his or her own time, there are several things you can do to give your special little one a hand.

Instructions

1. Work your child's legs when he is around four months old. Encourage him to kick his legs, and hold him under the arms, letting him semi-support himself with his legs. Be careful though, as this can cause unneeded strain on the legs. Two or three 15-minute sessions every 3 to 4 hours will suffice.

2. Use a walker when she reaches six months of age. She will not yet be too inclined to roam about yet, but she will be pushing her legs against the ground, developing strength in her legs. If you do not have a walker, you can simply hold her hands and help her move her feet. By the time she is nine months old, she will be more inclined to take steps herself, with you holding onto her hands for support.

3. Utilize push-along toys, which will help get him used to the idea of taking steps. There are many toys available that will allow him to walk behind them while he pushes. Use a light toy without wheels at first, which should be about waist high (on him, not you). He will soon begin to push this toy around, walking behind it.

4. Graduate her to a wheeled push-along toy. Once she is able to push a light toy while walking behind, these toys will give her more of an edge and help her to master her balance. Keep a close watch on her, as her balance is still developing.

5. Praise him after every walking accomplishment. Children need praise and love to hear it. By praising him when he succeeds in walking, he will be more likely to repeat the actions that got him that praise in the first place.

Tips & Warnings

• Always remember that every child is different. Not all children begin walking at nine months, and not all children walk after crawling.

• Children who are learning to walk do fall often. Be sure to practice walking in a carpeted or padded area.