As a parent, your child’s development may make you anxious. The anxiety may heighten if, by a certain age, your child has not crossed a milestone that he should have. One such milestone is walking. If you experience such, there are a few things that you can do to encourage her to walk.
You may not remember this, but for you to learn how to walk, you had to master the same skills that an expert gymnast has. These skills include:
- Sufficient balance
- Stability of the hips
- Enough strength
- Co-ordination
Contents
Tips on How to Help Your Baby Learn How to Walk
Below are some techniques that you can use to help your child to embrace and perfect these skills.
Play the wheelbarrow game
Importance
It will help your child to develop the upper body strength. Once he starts walking, he will use his upper body strength to pull himself up from a sitting or crawling position and to support himself should he fall. It will also make him more confident in his ability.
How to play
Lay your baby on his stomach. Lift him by supporting his legs. His hands should be able to touch the ground. Push him gently to get him moving.
As this exercise may prove to be strenuous for your child, it is advised that you shower him with praise as you go along.
Play the core muscle bounce game
Importance
By playing this game, your baby will exercise and strengthen her core muscles, improve her balance and also her hip stability.
How to play
Sit your baby on an exercise ball and place your hands on her hips to stop her from falling over. She should be supporting her trunk without your help. Without letting her go, gently roll the ball back and forth then left and right.
Since your baby is supporting her upper body, she will use her core muscles to maintain balance. By doing so, the muscles will strengthen. The game is loved by many toddlers because of the bouncy exercise ball.
Help your baby to walk
Importance
Your child gets to use his feet and strengthen their muscles. He will also develop the courage to walk on his own.
How to do it
Stand in front or behind your baby and support him by holding his arms. Guide him around the house by taking step after step during which he will also take steps of his own. It is you who will be stopping him from falling over. Remember that a painful fall could make him afraid of walking.
A majority of parents use this method at one point or another during the development of their children, and it has proven to yield very positive results.
Place your baby’s favorite toy out of her reach
Importance
Your baby will learn how to stand on her own.
How to do it
Identify your baby’s favorite toy and place it or hold it just out of her reach when she is seated. At first, you can help her stand and show her that she can get her toy if she stood on her feet. She can use you or another object to support herself. Once she learns to stand on her own, she will soon master the courage to take her first steps.
Teaching your baby how to sit
Importance
By learning how to sit, your child will avoid numerous painful crashes.
How to do it
Bend her knees until she gets back on the ground. You can also do it as a demonstration. Since babies are excellent at mimicking, she will soon get the drift and do it.
Buy your baby a push toy
Importance
It will offer your baby the much-needed support as she cruises.
How to do it:
Initially, get him something without wheels. Once you are sure that he can walk without pressing all of his weight onto the toy, get him something with four wheels. The toy should be lower to the ground and have large wheels. These two features will ensure that it does not tumble over and injure your child.
A push toy is not to be mistaken for a baby walker. Baby walkers will do more harm than good to your child. In fact, they have been banned in Canada and America is looking to do the same.
The balancing game
Importance:
It will encourage your baby to balance on her own and eventually stand without any help.
How to do it:
Sit on the floor or mat with your child and help her onto her feet. Let her go and count out loud the number of seconds that she can stand before she collapses. Shower her with praise after every attempt.
Children are born with the desire to please their parents. If you seem excited and shower your child with praise for every accomplishment he makes, he will do it again and again just to please you. By doing so, he will be developing his skills and abilities. Soon after you commence these activities, your house will be filled with the pitter-patter of little feet.
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