Is my baby about to start walking?
Find out when and how your child will learn to walk, and what you can do to encourage it
We take a look at some of the key signs that will tell you when your baby is getting to ready to walk for the first time. Some may seem obvious, others a little more surprising.
What are the usual signs show my baby is ready to walk?
Sitting unaided
Once your baby is sitting on their own, they are perfecting their head control, balance, co-ordination and strengthening their neck muscles which are all crucial for the next stage of walking.
Crawling
Although not all babies crawl, once they start getting around on their hands and knees, this is a sure sign they are heading towards taking their first steps.
Pulling themselves up
Your little one will also be perfecting pulling themselves up with the aid of the sofa or table to a standing position which is a key sign they are close to attempting those first steps.
Cruising
Often once baby has mastered getting themselves upright they will attempt to take wobbly side steps, cruise, while holding on to something.
What are the more unusual signs that my baby is ready to walk?
Being fussy
If you notice your little one is a bit fussier than normal and more grouchy, this could be a sign that they are frustrated as they try to reach that next milestone of walking.
More tired than normal
If your baby is around 10-11 months and has been busy climbing up on furniture attempting to cruise across furniture, then don’t be surprised if they are sleepier than normal, all this effort to get to that huge milestone of walking is exhausting, plus at this age they may well be going through a growth spurt adding to their tiredness.
Extra bravery
Once your little one is an old hand at pulling themselves up, how quickly they move on to balancing on their own to get those first steps, will largely depend on their personality and bravery rather than any ability. So the more dare devil your little one is, the quicker they’ll attempt it.
Interesting facts about baby walking for the first time
As they are about to embark on those first steps, you’ll notice they have one foot in the air a lot.
Whether they walk early or late can be determined by their personality – brave or cautious.
Bigger babies tend to walk later as they need to build up more strength to get upright.
Recurring ear infections can delay when a baby walks as it affects their balance.
Babies with older siblings can walk earlier as they want to keep up with brothers and sisters and they make good coaches.
The typical age for walking is around 12 months but can range from eight-and-a-half months to 20 months. Yet, it may be worth a conversation with your doctor if your baby has not started to try and walk by the age of 18 months.
However, scientists say that timings of when a baby walks is of no consequence to their level of intelligence or coordination.