Walking
Baby spends their entire first year gaining the strength, balance, and body awareness needed to get up on two feet. By around 9 to 12 months, most babies are pulling up and standing with support. First independent steps usually come between 12 and 15 months, and by 15 to 18 months, those steps get steadier and more confident. Every baby develops at their own pace, and walking a little earlier or later within these ranges can still be perfectly typical.
⚑ How Walking Develops
Signs Baby is Ready to Walk
Pulling up to stand
Is Baby using furniture or your hands to rise to their feet?
Cruising along furniture
Are they taking sideways steps while holding onto a surface for support?
Standing solo
Can Baby balance for a few seconds without holding onto anything?
Shifting weight
Do you notice Baby rocking side to side or forward and backward while standing with support?
Reaching in standing
Is Baby starting to reach forward for toys while standing, using their core to stay balanced?
How Walking Progresses
1. Early supported standing
In the newborn months, Baby handles short bursts in standing while you hold them securely under the arms with their feet flat on a surface.
2. Bearing full weight during supported standing
By 4 months, Baby bears their full weight while standing with your hands lower around their ribcage.
3. Stronger standing with support
By 6 months, Baby keeps their head upright in supported standing and their core is strong enough for your hands to drop to their hips.
4. Pulling up to stand
Around 9–12 months, Baby uses furniture and people to pull themselves up to standing, and experiments with lowering back down.
5. Cruising
Baby shifts weight side to side and moves along furniture, eventually moving forward with just one hand on a surface.
6. First steps with support
Baby takes steps while holding your hands or pushing a toy, getting a feel for the rhythm and balance walking requires.
7. Independent first steps
Those first wobbly steps happen around 12–15 months! Baby's arms are out and their legs are wide for balance. Falls are totally expected!
8. Walking with confidence
By 15–18 months, most toddlers are striding more steadily, falling less often, and picking up speed.
Different Styles of Early Walking
Cruising
Walking sideways while holding onto something for support, like furniture or walls.
Two-hand supported walking
Walking forward while holding onto a caregiver's hands.
Push-toy walking
Holding onto wheeled toys, like carts or "lawnmower"-style toys, for support.
Toe-walking
Walking on the balls of their feet without heels touching the ground. A toe-walking phase is normal, but keep an eye on it past age 2.
Start-stop walking
Switching between crawling and taking steps to move forward.
Helping Baby Walk
You can support Baby's journey with simple activities:
Start standing practice early. From the newborn months, hold Baby securely under their arms for brief standing sessions. Gradually lower your hands toward their hips as they grow stronger.
Make standing a game. Say "down, down, down" as you lower your hands to give Baby less support, and "up, up, up" when they need more.
Encourage cruising both ways. Put a toy just out of reach along a couch, then move it to the other side once Baby reaches it.
Guide first steps from behind. Stand behind Baby and offer your hands for support. Once they're comfortable, hold at the hips so Baby engages their core instead of relying on arm strength.
Offer a push toy. Toy carts and lawnmowers provide great support for stepping. Add some weight to slow it down and encourage Baby to engage their legs and core.
Go barefoot indoors. Feeling the floor builds balance, body awareness, and foot strength while Baby learns to walk, so save shoes for outdoors. Learn more about picking Baby's first shoes.
Heads up on equipment: While exersaucers and baby walkers might seem like a convenient way to get in standing practice, most pediatric physical therapists recommend against them. These devices don't require Baby to actively engage their core, can encourage toe-walking, and can't respond to Baby's needs the way a caregiver can.
Here's what to do if Baby falls while learning to walk!
Walking Activities to Try
When to Get Support with Walking
Every Baby develops differently, but reach out to Baby's healthcare provider if:
Baby hasn't tried standing and taking one or two independent steps by 15 months
Baby shows little interest in standing or cruising
Baby strongly favors one side of their body when moving
Baby consistently walks on toes
If you need help talking about your concerns, find more information here: Early Intervention Resources to Support Baby's Development
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