Of all your baby’s firsts, his first steps are one of the most exciting. You’ll probably be able to anticipate the moment, as you’ll see your baby trying to balance and stand up straight. Once your baby takes his first steps, he is not going to stop! When the day finally comes, here’s how to be prepared.
Shoes
Walking barefoot is good for your baby’s balance, and it’s fine for inside the house. But he’ll definitely need some shoes for when he is walking around outside or on rough surfaces. You can buy some lovely socks with grip for inside the house to keep his toes warm, and then you can look for his first set of walking shoes. Buy shoes with soft but protective soles – soft leather is a good choice.
Push toys
There are lots of push toys that are specially designed to help your baby pull himself up to standing and give extra stability as he learns to walk around. These toys are good for his balance, and they make learning to walk fun.
Safety gates
You can help your child learn how to go up and down stairs, but it’s a good idea to only let him clamber up and down when you’re around to watch. Buying safety gates to put across the stairs in your house can stop any escape attempts. (Yes, it’s time to think about toddler-proofing your home now!)
Sturdy furniture
While your baby is learning to walk, all of the furniture within reach will be used to help him pull himself up. So, make sure there is nothing dangerous that your baby can reach: any lamp chords or unstable chairs shouldn’t be left where their little hands can reach. And that rocking chair should be put in a safe, very adult space!
Camera
By now you must have hundreds and hundreds of pics of your baby. You’ll definitely want to catch these early attempts at walking on camera and maybe on video too so make sure your batteries are charged and there’s space on your memory card or smartphone to capture the first steps.
