Baby's first steps: how to encourage them?

Taking the first steps is one of the most symbolic and exciting achievements in child development. It's a moment that combines discovery, courage, balance, and, of course, a lot of trial and error. Walking doesn't happen suddenly: it's the result of various motor achievements accumulated over months: rolling, sitting, crawling, pulling up, standing up.

For parents, accompanying this phase also means learning about patience, trust, and encouraging without rushing. Watching a baby walk signifies a new phase of freedom and independence, but it can also raise many questions: "Am I stimulating them correctly?", "Will my baby walk soon?", or "How can I make this process safe and fun?"

With this in mind, we've written this content with tips on how to support your baby until they feel secure enough to walk on their own. Shall we begin?

1. Before walking: understanding the natural process

Every baby has their own pace; some start walking around 10 months, others only after 16 or 18 months. And that's perfectly fine. Walking is influenced by factors such as muscle strength, balance, interest in exploration, and even temperament.

This range reflects the enormous natural variation in child development, and respecting this timeline is crucial. More important than age is observing signs of readiness, such as:

• Standing up while holding onto furniture
• Crawling up and down low steps
• Getting up from the floor independently
• Taking sideways steps while holding onto surfaces
• Showing curiosity in moving towards objects

These small advancements indicate that the body is building the necessary foundation for walking. Additionally, it's worth considering developmental leaps.

According to the Ministry of Health's guide for neuropsychomotor stimulation, around 13 to 15 months, many babies can already stand, take a few supported steps, and explore their environment by walking.

These leaps are moments of neurological reorganization, where the baby's body and brain adjust to new skills, and walking is one of the most challenging.

Discover the Baby Room collection!

2. The prepared environment: where it all begins

Much of a baby's confidence comes from the space they move in. A well-planned environment reduces risks and allows them to naturally experiment with their limits. Encouraging a baby's walking, when done with balance, brings many benefits!

What a prepared space needs to have:

→ Firm, non-slip surfaces: Safety first, autonomy always: Ensure the space where the baby walks has non-slip surfaces, furniture with rounded corners, and out-of-reach objects that could pose a risk.  Playmats are great for this scenario!

→ Montessori design: stable furniture at the baby's height, such as low shelves, small tables, and sturdy chests, which serve as support for standing.

→ Objects stored within reach: the baby knows where their toys are and can get to them without adult help.

→ Unobstructed circulation: the fewer loose obstacles, the safer the path.

→ Varied and safe textures: create exploratory paths with soft rugs, playmats, grass (if possible), or safe surfaces that encourage walking without risk.

If you use Montessori furniture, like Afetto's, even better. This type of furniture invites the child to participate in the space and explore autonomously — essential pillars for walking.

But be careful: encouragement should never turn into pressure. The goal is accompaniment, not forced acceleration. Every child has their own pace, and comparing them to others can cause unnecessary anxiety.

3. Strengthening muscles: what comes before walking

The importance of encouraging "standing." Let them experience standing up autonomously: don't hold them too much or put them in a standing position all the time.

If your environment follows free movement principles (as in the Pikler method), avoid unnecessary interventions: the child should discover how to position their body on their own.

The muscles of the core (abdomen, lower back), legs, and feet need to be strengthened to support the body in motion. Here are stimuli that happen naturally, but which parents can encourage:

• Crawling: is a very important stage: it strengthens arms, torso, balance, and cross-coordination. Allowing the baby to crawl freely every day is one of the greatest gifts for motor development.

• Standing with support: place interesting toys and objects on low surfaces. The baby will try to reach them and, in doing so, will make the movement of pulling up and standing.

• Play involving squatting and standing

Toys on the floor → the baby squats.
Toys a little higher → the baby stands up.
It seems simple, but this movement is fundamental for strengthening the legs.

• Safe climbing: gentle ramps or low blocks can simulate obstacles for the baby to practice climbing with supervision, strengthening balance and muscles.

• Free exploration: allow them to crawl, roll, and move freely, without unnecessary restrictions, so they can develop body awareness.

• Balance: walking is, in essence, controlling successive falls. Therefore, the more opportunities to play on different surfaces: carpet, firm floor, clean grass, the better.

Constant use of positive language: celebrate every advance, no matter how small. Encourage verbally with praise, applause, phrases like "you're walking so well!" to motivate every attempt. Our expression and motivation matter a lot, believe it!

Emotional security

Respect moments when the child gives up or gets scared. If they back away, don't force them — backing away is part of learning and may indicate that they need to consolidate a skill before moving forward.

Create a light practice routine: set aside moments of free play that include movements and stimuli for walking, but without turning it into an obligation. A baby who feels confident tends to take more risks and learn more fluidly.

4. The value of walking barefoot

Even though many people believe shoes help, the opposite is true: the baby needs to feel the ground. Allowing the baby to walk barefoot on safe surfaces (carpet, clean grass, clean floor) helps them feel the ground better, improving balance and strengthening the muscles of the feet and ankles.

This also allows them to adjust their foot grip, stabilize their stride, and have greater body awareness, without relying on rigid footwear too early. Benefits of walking barefoot:

• improves body perception in space;
• strengthens foot muscles;
• enhances sense of balance;
• facilitates natural stride adjustments;
• provides security in first attempts.

When you need to use shoes, prefer those that are very flexible, flat, and allow for full bending.

5. Toys and objects that help, without accelerating the process

The idea here is not to "teach to walk," but to create opportunities. Toys and furniture that are great allies:

• Strollers or push toys with a firm base that don't roll away quickly.
• Montessori furniture (low shelves, small tables, and themed children's chairs like butterfly chairs, stable benches).
• Large boxes/chests that the baby can push to test their weight.
• Small balls that roll slowly and encourage movement.
• Visual and auditory stimuli: Position colorful objects, musical toys, or light toys a little ahead to motivate the child to move towards them

 Want a different idea? Create motor circuits

Set up small routes with cushions, playmats, safe ramps (with supervision) to encourage the child to climb up, down, squat, and stand, all skills that strengthen the legs.

What to avoid:

Traditional walkers: they can hinder natural development, destabilize posture, and even increase the risk of accidents. Instead of relying on wheeled walkers, prefer firm push toys, which require genuine effort and allow the baby to practice walking on their own.

This way, they develop more strength and coordination based on real effort, instead of being "carried" by a device.

Excessive interference: lifting the baby by the hand too early or putting them on their feet without them trying on their own can delay important skills.

6. Assisted walking: when and how to help

What about walking with affection? Walk with them: hold their hands as they balance and walk, walking alongside or behind them; this provides security and strengthens the emotional bond.

Once the baby can stand on their own and take sideways steps with support, they will likely start seeking human support.

How to help correctly:

• Walk alongside holding only one hand, when possible — this encourages balance.
• Stay a little ahead, inviting the baby to come to you.
• Use your voice, smile, and body movement as encouragement.
• Do not pull the baby to walk: let them set the pace.

Assisted walking should be light, fun, and brief. The goal is not "training," but accompanying curiosity.

7. Theoretical approaches that underpin stimulation: Montessori + Pikler

To deepen the reflection on how to encourage babies to walk, it's worth considering two pedagogies that value individual pace and autonomy: the Montessori method and the Pikler approach.

3.1 Montessori

The Montessori method values prepared and accessible environments: low furniture, objects within the child's reach, and freedom to explore. This allows the baby to use furniture as support to stand up and practice walking safely.

There is also a focus on autonomy: children should have the freedom to explore independently, guided by curiosity, not by imposition. In the context of walking, this means less direct adult intervention and more structural support (furniture, appropriate toys) for the baby to discover their own potential.

3.2 Pikler

Pediatrician Emmi Pikler advocated for free movement — the idea that babies should move without being forced by adults, in order to develop balance and body awareness naturally.

According to her, adults should observe and offer support, but allow the baby to stand up, stand, and walk when ready, without forced induction. The bond between caregiver and baby is also essential: when the adult is present and available, offering security and supervision, the child feels encouraged to try new movements, knowing that there is emotional support if something goes wrong.

8. Common challenges and how to deal with them

Even with well-planned stimuli, some babies may present difficulties, insecurities, or simply take longer to walk. Here are some common challenges and how to address them:

Frequent falls: It's natural for falls to occur at this stage. Ensure the environment is very safe (soft surfaces, corner protection, stable objects). Teach playfully: for example, play "get up" — help the baby get up on their own when they fall, so they understand they can recompose themselves.

Fear of letting go of support: totally expected. Some babies are more cautious. If the baby hesitates to take steps or seems unstable, avoid pressure. Offer support, walk alongside them, but allow them to back away.

Delayed walking: if the baby does not show interest in walking by 18 months, it may be worthwhile to talk to the pediatrician. But, most of the time, it's just a matter of individual pace. Often, this does not mean a problem: it may just be their individual pace.

But it's worth monitoring other motor milestones (standing, crawling, strengthening legs) and seeing if there are other areas of delay. With the pediatrician, hypotheses such as muscle tone, balance deficit, or referral for physical therapy, if necessary, can be evaluated.

Excessive adult intervention: it is common for parents, out of fear, to limit the baby's exploration space or interfere too much. When the baby is carried too much, artificially stood up, or held all the time, they lose opportunities to develop natural balance.

To avoid this, create safe spaces and "zones of freedom" where they can test their limits autonomously. Balance supervision with allowance: observe, intervene when necessary, but don't take on all functions (like lifting the baby every time they want to stand up).

9. How to incorporate stimulation into the family routine?

You don't need to set aside "training time." Learning happens in daily life. Some simple ways to incorporate stimuli:

• Let the baby play on the floor every day, without rushing.
• Set up a safe corner with appropriate furniture.
• Encourage small explorations around the house.
• Place toys at different heights.
• Go for outdoor walks where the baby can be barefoot.
• Allow them to participate in the routine (picking up an object, going to the shelf, putting away toys).
• Family support routine: share with other caregivers (parents, grandparents, nannies) the importance of offering support, but respecting the baby's autonomy.

The most important thing is to allow free movement and access to the environment.

10. Long-term: why all this matters

Stimulating babies to walk respectfully and consciously has impacts that go beyond their first steps:

1. More solid motor development: The muscle strengthening and coordination acquired at this stage help them in the future to run, jump, and play more safely.
2. Early autonomy: Babies who learn to move freely, within safe limits, tend to develop more confidence to explore, test, and take healthy risks.
3. Deep emotional bond: Walking together, offering emotional support, and celebrating achievements strengthens the relationship between parents and children.
4. Body awareness: By exploring different surfaces barefoot or in prepared environments, the child learns about their body, their balance, and their limits.
5. Preparation for learning: Motor autonomy also contributes to cognitive autonomy — a baby who develops confidence to move tends to become a more confident child to explore ideas, play, and learn.

Conclusion

The first steps don't depend on haste — they depend on presence. On a safe environment, appropriate stimuli, freedom to experiment, and, most importantly, the family's attentive and loving gaze.

Walking is an achievement born from autonomy. And autonomy is built with security, space, trust, and affection — values that deeply connect with the essence of Afetto Design: creating environments that welcome, inspire, and accompany every stage of child development.