This week’s Frequently Asked Question from eBeanStalk
by: Deanie Barth, MSPT
Are there any activities/games I can play with my child that would help her learn to walk faster?
Any activities that help to strengthen your child’s legs and enhance balance will help her achieve the milestone of walking. Encouraging your child to climb up and down stairs on hands and feet (with very close supervision and assistance) will help strengthen her legs. Assist your child with standing and entice her to pick up objects on the ground by bending her knees. If she does this repeatedly, it’s like performing baby squats and will also help to improve her balance. When your child pulls to stand against furniture, encourage her to test her balance momentarily by letting go – you can demonstrate clapping or playing “so big” to help her out with this.
I don’t know about you folks but the more mobile they are, the harder they are to keep track of! Why rush it? Can’t we just keep them babies forever? My daughter is right at this stage and I am NOT ready for it! She is way ahead of where my firstborn was at this age- I just didn’t expect her to be crawling, pulling herself up and “cruising” starting at 7 months. My son barely crawled at 8 months so it was a shock that she took off so fast. Personally, I am not in any hurry for her to walk and I think she is doing a great job exploring and practicing skills on her own. Of course we do play and do some of the things suggested above- just not specifically to encourage her to walk faster.
Do you or did you take steps to encourage your child/children to walk at an early age? Please share your thoughts with us by leaving a comment.
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