Did you know that your child takes an average of 14,000 steps a day and falls about 100 times before they can walk independently and safely? This was the result of a US study of children aged between 12 and 19 months. Babies show enormous stamina when learning to walk in order to achieve the developmental goal that nature has set for them.
Most children start around the first birthday to take their first free steps. For them, this means moving around on their own two feet without holding on to furniture or a parental hand. However, the age mentioned is only an average value. Every child develops individually at their own pace.
So there's no need to worry if the neighbouring child is already dashing around the room while your child is still crawling enthusiastically after him. There are real early starters who start walking at nine or 10 months. However, these movement fans often take more time with the Learn to speak. Others, on the other hand, are little late bloomers when it comes to locomotion and only take their first free steps at 16 or 18 months. However, they may have started speaking at an early age. Hardly any child succeeds in learning both at the same time - the vast majority concentrate first on one skill and then on the other.
By 20 months, however, your child should have discovered how to walk independently. If this is not the case, the paediatrician will certainly investigate the possible causes of the delay.
Children also make various intermediate steps before they can walk. Many crawl, creep or walk on their hands and feet in a "four-footed gait" before they "get on their feet". Others roll, crawl or slide on their bums. And still others skip such intermediate stages as crawling altogether and march straight off (on mum's hand). While the age at which certain movement patterns are learnt varies greatly, it is important that your child learns the different movement patterns in the right order. This has an impact on physical strength and health and on the ability to deal with motivation and frustration when learning, which will be noticeable later in life.
Walking independently is a complex process that requires good interaction between various physical processes. Firstly, the brain "plans" what is to be done. To do this, nerve impulses travelling through the spinal cord transmit the necessary information or instructions to certain nerve cells (motor neurons) in the corresponding muscles. This then ensures that the coordinated movement sequence is executed. Bones, ligaments and tendons are also involved. You can think of it as a series of cogwheels that have to mesh together to make the whole thing work. The more smoothly these cogs work together, the better and safer running is. So the same applies here: Practice, practice makes perfect!
How do children train to walk?
Babies are already preparing in their mother's womb to walk one day. The unborn child kicks, pedals and rows its arms. From around the 18th week of pregnancy, expectant mothers notice this in the form of the baby's first movements. Once the baby is born, the weightless state in the amniotic fluid ends and gravity takes over. However, the muscles of newborn babies are still weak and their movements when kicking are still spontaneous and uncontrolled.
The movements only become more targeted at around three months of age. Now the baby also begins to lift and hold its own head. It discovers its hands and later also its feet. They are licked, fingered and explored with the mouth. The child begins its body coordination with the furthest parts of its body. The baby prepares to turn by stretching, lolling and contracting. This is how it learns to turn onto its side.
Soon he will be able to turn from his back to his tummy. In this way, the little one trains its muscles in the legs, neck and back, because if you want to walk, you need strong "muscles" not only in the legs.
Slowly, the baby now also begins to reach more and more purposefully for objects that are held out to him. This gets better and better over time. At seven to eight months, children also try to reach for things that they see out of their reach. Grasping training is also an important basis for learning to walk. From eight or nine months, children must be able to grasp and hold on securely to pull themselves up on furniture or trouser legs.
Wanting to reach exciting objects that are out of baby's reach independently also awakens the motivation to move around. By rolling, sliding, crawling and later crawling, every child develops the technique of locomotion and trains their motor skills. This prepares them for their first steps. The pace of development is also very individual.
When babies are able to sit upright independently from the age of eight months, another foundation stone has been laid: a physical feat that opens up completely new perspectives - in the truest sense of the word. The child is now one step closer to walking upright.
After grasping, moving and sitting up, the child faces another challenge on the way to independent walking: It has to learn to keep its balance. That's not so easy! But children practise with perseverance and enthusiasm. At first, they stand with both hands on the chair, cupboard or similar that they have pulled themselves up on. When they feel secure enough on their legs, they start to take steps along the piece of furniture - but always holding on with both hands. Holding on with just one hand, for example to grab a toy with the other to tempt daddy, requires further balance. Children now also love to push objects such as a box, their play bow or a baby walker in front of them and run around the room with them.
Suddenly, at some point, they manage to take their first free steps, for example to get to mummy or daddy. Even if these first steps still seem quite insecure and wobbly at first, the child has reached an important milestone in its development.
This opens up a whole new world for the little ones. They can now move around independently and quickly and have their hands free. This gives them the opportunity to carry something in their hand or pick up their favourite ball, for example. The children now enthusiastically practise and try out walking over and over again. They gain more and more confidence with every step. It is advantageous for them to walk on different surfaces: Soft carpets, smooth tiles, firm laminate, ticklish grass or crumbly sand not only provide sensory experiences, but also steadily increasing safety when walking.
Now it's high time for parents to childproof their home! Read more about this here. In my Online first aid course I will show you where and how you can find and avoid dangers for your child without impairing their development.
How you can help your child learn to walk
You are the greatest help for your child if you Trust that it will successfully master its developmental task of "learning to walk". At his own pace, with his own circumstances. This also includes practising falling down. And yes, sometimes this will result in a bump or two, even in a childproof home. However, no child can or should be protected from this. So save yourself unnecessary "safety equipment" by strapping beetle-shaped padding or similar to your child's back. Your child is well equipped with his or her skills and your reliable closeness and loving encouragement.
Your child also needs No special "walking shoes". Children do not learn to walk by wearing special shoes, but by trying them out and practising. The healthiest way for little feet to walk is naked or in Socks with non-slip rubber studs under the sole ("stopper socks"). Also popular are so-called "Toddler shoes", a kind of soft "mini moccasins" made entirely from supple leather. This is the best way to train and strengthen muscles and balance. Little beginners can also feel the ground better with a thin and flexible sole. It used to be assumed that children's feet needed a shoe with a firm shape and sole in order to have better grip. However, this assumption has turned out to be wrong.
By the way: When the first pair of "real" shoes is due at some point, competent and experienced sales assistants will not offer a pair straight away, but will first look at how the child walks. Only then will they be able to judge whether the child is actually in good hands in "real" shoes or whether you should wait a little longer.
What I also want to emphasise: Hands off so-called "baby walkers" (also known as a "walker" or "baby walker"). This refers to those frames on wheels where the child is in a kind of seat and can touch the ground with their feet in order to move around on wheels. This allows the child to pick up speed, which has already led to dangerous accidents on edges or steps. In addition, little ones quickly get used to walking on tiptoe. However, the anatomically correct movement sequence involves rolling the foot from back to front via the heel. In addition, the half-sitting child has no opportunity to train its balance, as it does not feel its own full weight and does not have to carry it completely.
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