Ways to Play

Standing and pre-walking skills.

Expected Age Range: 11-13 months, or so.

These activities help your baby discover their ability to stand by themselves.

Getting Un-stuck While Walking With a Push Toy

When your baby gets stuck against the wall with their push toy, give them time to problem solve on their own first. 

Try not to jump right in to redirect them. Give your baby an opportunity to notice what has happened, and experiment with how they might fix it.

At first, they’ll probably do nothing. Or they might get down to the floor and crawl away. 

Next time it happens, pause again and let them notice. Then show them these two movements: 

Pulling the toy away from the wall and turning the toy to redirect. 

Once your baby crashes their push toy into the wall, is able to pull it backward, and redirect the push toy… they have the strength and balance they need to walk. 

Provide Semi-Stable Support in Standing

One way to bridge cruising and walking is to provide semi-stable support for your baby when they are standing or walking. This could look like holding their hands loosely as they walk, with their hands below their shoulders. Or holding a toy up for them as they stand and play with one hand on the toy. 

Standing With Their Back Supported by the Couch or Wall

Before babies actually take their first steps, there are a lot of false alarms. They are so close. They stand up from the floor, and just stand there with a wide stance, psyching you out, and lowering back down to the floor instead of taking a step. You’re pretty sure they can do it, though. 

Stand your baby with their back against the sofa. Scoot back a little, hold up a toy that they love. It should be just within reach, but they’ll need to lean away from the support of the couch to get it. 

This activity can increase your baby’s confidence with independent and unsupported standing. 

Practice Standing from Squat with a Stool

Dangle a favorite toy about 2 feet above a small stool, sturdy box, or cushion that is about 6 inches tall. Give your baby opportunities to practice getting up into standing through a squat position to reach the toy. And then practice lowering down, using the stool for support. There should be nothing else in the area that your baby can pull up on.