Who has a child that is working on standing and walking? I have had a lot of parents recently ask me what toys are best for learning this major milestone. I have created a list with affiliate links on Amazon of some of my favorite toys to help work on walking! Some of these you may have lying around your house already, so if you do not have the extra money to spend, this post is still for you! However, if you have family members asking "what can I get little Johnny for his first birthday?"- these may be good options :)
(This post contains affiliate links, See disclosure at bottom of post)
Simple Push Toy
This is one of my favorite push toys, not only to work on walking, but to work on sitting, squatting, kneeling and much more! It's a great multi-purpose toy. I like this push toy over other options because the back wheels can "lock", which is helpful for little ones who can't control the speed of the toy yet. Disclaimer: I don't prefer for this to be the ONLY tool used to assist walking, as it can lead to forward leaning instead of upright posture.
Laundry Basket
You heard it! Flip that thing upside down and have your child push it forward! They can use this to walk on their knees or their feet, depending on their height, and the height of your basket. I also love laundry baskets to make mini ball pits for little ones (great sitting activity and keeps them busy)!!
Shopping Cart
Anyone have a really tall child learning to stand and walk? I found this amazing shopping cart by Melissa and Doug that is about 2 feet tall and perfect for older kids or really tall ones! I love this brand because it is really sturdy and will not tip over. Your child can also cruise around the whole cart, challenging their cruising around angles and balance skills.
Little Balance Box
This one is a little bit more of an investment, but worth it if you have some extra cash or someone asking what they can buy your child for their birthday! This Balance Box is a great toy for standing in place because it has rubber feet on the bottom so it won't slide. These rubber feet can be removed so that when they are ready to take steps forward, the box will slide! It promotes more upright posture than a conventional push toy does.
Hula Hoop
I love hula hoops! This one is amazing because you can make it bigger or smaller based on your child's height. I use hula hoops to work on standing balance by placing the hula hoop vertical from the floor. Hold onto the hula hoop to stabilize it, then have you child stand and hold on to the top of it! You can hook beads, ribbons, etc. to the hoop so that they can play in standing. You can also use it for walking by placing the hula hoop around your child's waist. Have them hold onto the front of the hula hoop and you hold the back. Progress the hula hoop forward, encouraging your child to take steps forward at the same time!
Squigz
Squigz are an amazing toy for lots of reasons, but if you have solid, nonporous surface like a fridge, standing mirror, or glass door, this is a great toy for standing. It challenges their balance because when they pull it off the surface, it provides a perturbation and your child must correct that to maintain their balance. These might stick to your floor as well (some hardwoods and linoleums), so as your child learns to take independent steps, you can also have them work on squatting to pull one off the floor and return to stand!
**Disclaimer: some of these pieces are small and should always be used under supervision.
Which toys do you like best? Anything you would like to invest in?
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