Walking generally happens a few months after crawling as your baby’s balance, muscle tone, and gross motor skills develop and most babies are taking their first steps by 14 months. Once they’re up on two feet, get ready to chase them, because they’ll be off running quickly!
Keep the camera handy when you see your baby getting ready to walk by doing these things:
- Pulls up to stand – your baby will use furniture to pull themselves up to stand when they’re getting ready to walk
- Cruising – once your child is comfortable pulling themselves up, you’ll likely find that they start cruising – that is, walking while holding onto furniture or even your leg or hands
- Using push toys – walking while holding onto toy shopping carts and other push toys often comes before a baby can walk independently (push toys are fine, but infant walkers should never be used)
- Standing on their own – before your baby takes her or his first steps, you’ll likely find them practicing their balance by standing by themselves