At around 11-12 months, your baby will be walking on his own., although it would not be strange if he did it before, or even shortly after, around 15 months of age. When this very particular phase of his life approaches, we can play some exercises or games to help the child walk.
Your little one will show signs of being ready to walk at a certain moment: he won’t stop moving, he will try to hold on to furniture, chairs, boxes or anything that can support him to stand longer. And you’ll love having the bigger ones to help you stay on your feet!
c.When the baby starts walking, a new phase of learning and playing begins. You will surely end up hopelessly exhausted, since you will have to follow the baby on his walks. However, you will also be thrilled to share new adventures with him.
To encourage their first steps!
Walking is not always an easy process for a child to go through. This is an amazing achievement in the development of the child’s gross motor skills, and it is even fundamental for the establishment of new social relationships, according to the CEO study published by Child behavior and development.
Surely sooner or later it will be your walking companion. But remember that encouraging is not the same as enforcing. Don’t try to force your child to walk or forcefully speed up his process, every stage is important. Of course, make sure he doesn’t spend most of the day sitting but can move around freely in a safe space, this will increase his chances of practicing.
To help the child walk you need to strengthen their leg muscles. To do this, make it a daily practice, but allow it to have fun. The game is the best learning tool!
Here are some activities that you will definitely enjoy. The alternatives we list are based on the guidelines proposed by the professionals of the MedlinePlus medical site in one of their publications on the subject.
1. Pedal
Play the pedal. After the bath or when you change her diaper, take his legs and make the movement as if he were pedaling a bicycle. Bend the legs and bring them towards the abdomen; then let me pull them hard.
2. Encourage him to crawl
Place the baby face down on a blanket on the floor and get their attention with a very flashy toy. He will try to crawl, so place your palms on the soles of his feet so he can use them for momentum. Over time, she will start crawling.
3. Help him with a pillow
To make it easy and comfortable for him to get into the crawling position, with your knees and palms on the floor, place a pillow under his body. This will allow him not to lie on his stomach.
take advantage of stimulate it getting on all fours, that is, at its height! Exaggerate the movements a bit, so he’ll pay more attention to you and enjoy watching your example.
4. Have fun at bath time!
Spraying is great exercise for your baby, even if you don’t really like how your baby will look after a bath. Don’t steal the excitement from a fun and profitable time to strengthen your legs. More than an exercise, it’s a very fun game!
5. Get up
Encourage him to get up. Gradually, her need to explore and curiosity about him will force her to adopt this position. Help him get up by leaning on the bars of the crib and place toys or objects that might get his attention so he can venture out on his feet.
Another way is to take him by the armpits and lift him off the ground, then lower him until his feet touch the surface. Then, as he gains strength, hold him by the hip and encourage him to walk, giving him a gentle rocking motion so he can take small steps.
6. With just one finger
When your baby takes his first steps, Offer him to take one of your fingers to keep him balanced when he’s still. Therefore, he will take steps progressively and have your support to avoid accidents.
7. Take it
Another game to help the child walk is to find a small chair and stand next to it holding an object that makes an impression. When she sees him, she will surely use the chair as a support to get up and reach for him.
8. Barefoot
To help your child walk, a great exercise is to leave your child barefoot around the house, even if it doesn’t look like it. This will allow you to improve your balance, your grip on the ground, your perception of the environment and your relationship with everything around you.
9. Lying on the legs
When you already have strength in your legs, play with your baby to put him on your legs so that he stretches them and tries to stand. You can also bring your hands closer to him so that he uses them for support and he can stand up.
10. With a stand
You can look for a device to help your child walk, such as a walker, toy shopping cart, or doll’s chair with wheels. Because babies love to push things around, they’ll feel safe and confident. take a few steps holding on to something.
11. Get closer
When your child can stand, you can hold his hands and help him take his first steps little by little. When he gains confidence, walk away a few steps and encourage him to take his first steps by approaching you.
Patience and confidence to help the child walk
Finally, even if it hurts as a mother, remember that falls are inevitable. When fall, avoid being surprised more. Your reaction will scare him more than any possible blow; fear, apprehension and self-doubt are also learned.
A fall can cause a halt in the walking process. For this reason it is important to provide a safe and secure environment to help your child walk. There should be no unprotected dangerous objects or sharp edges. Also, the area must be free from hazards such as loose plugs or cables.
When do you need to worry? If a child has not been able to walk after 18 months, the pediatrician should be consultedwhich will provide the proper guidance to rule out any major problem.
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