Activities to encourage 16 month old to walk?

DD is almost 16 months old and still doesn't walk. I know she will do it 'in her own time', but in my limited experience i think she's starting to push the boundaries of what is 'normal'. To be fair to her she only started crawling at 11 months (I attribute this to limited tummy time due to really bad reflux). Anyway, she cruises really well, can stand on her own and has taken half a step a couple of times so I think she is developmentally capable, but she just seems like she's happy to do what she knows (crawl), rather than try something new. If shes standing and I sit a step away and try to coax her to me she happily gets onto her hands and knees and crawls to me. Does anyone know any games or activities we can try to see if we can encourage her to want to walk?

Hi hun, my DS was 19 months old when he finally started walking (well, running really) and he was only crawling properly at 14 months (commando crawled for aaaaaages before that). I was asking my friends at the time if they knew how to encourage little ones to walk, and one friend told me to line chairs close to one another so your LO has to take at least 2 to 3 steps to get from one to the next and then move them further and furter apart till she has to make a few good steps. Worked for us, especially if there was somethig on the next chair that DS really wanted...:)

Chody, I stand by the strong belief that children will ALWAYS do something when they are developmentally ready. It would be hard to slow down or speed up what is developmentally set for that person, kwim? I bet once he figures it out he'll have you running!!!

Don't blame yourself for the limited tummy time resulting in delayed crawling because I have read a lot about tummy time with my 2nd DD and to be honest, I think it's pretty over rated..... my DD2 hasn't ever had a lot of tummy time yet she crawled before my DD1 who had more tummy time than her. Both kids hated tummy time until they could get themselves into that position themselves!!!! It just isn't natural to a baby. So don't beat yourself up about that ok? ;)

i agree she will probably do it in her own time but if you are looking for fun , no pressure activities, theres a book i read when DS was refusing tummy time but had stuff for older babies and toddlers as well. it was by the lady behind gymbaroo and kindyroo, called get smart. it was all about fun games to play to encourage their natural developmental behaviours if that makes sence.

My DD was exactly the same and I hate to say it but really you just need to let her do her own thing. My DD was certainly not manipulating us by not walking. She as a person is very cautious. And I think this is why she crawled at 11 months, and walked at 18 months.

DS on the other hand has no fear. Crawled at 5 months, stood at 6 months, and was walking by 11 months. They are all different. Oh and DS had way less tummy time than DD.

BUT if I said I wasn't worried. I would be lying. Please know it's normal to feel the way you do. But hopefully I can help reassure you in some way. Because it was the reassurance I didn't have. Instead I got told she'd have bow legs, she'd never do sports, she'd always be lazy or uncoordinated. But she isn't any of those things :) :hug:

I agree with the other ladies, she will do it at her own time...

My two were completely different when it came to all these milestones, DD2 was a lot faster Crawling at 4months, walking at 8.5months, DD1 however was crawling at 6-7, and walking at 11.

you could do some positive reinforcement so if you see her take a few steps make a fuss at how clever she is, see if she will walk between you adn Dh - be close together at first and then move away.

She will eventually walk ;-D

Stubborn babes cant be pushed, no matte how hard we try! its very testing i know, my DD2 was 21 months when she first started walking! whereas my DD1 was a week past her first birthday.
She will walk one day, enjoy this stage before it ends xxxx

Her development sounds perfectly normal. She sounds like she's doing really well with her standing and cruising... she will most certainly continue to trend in the right direction :D

I completely agree with the comments already made not to worry. You haven't done anything 'wrong' and she is developing perfectly :hug:

Just to add though, do you have a push trolley thing? Many children like to use those when they first start walking, like mobile cruising ;)

I'm sure DD1 was manipulating us by not walking - seriously, she was living a duplicitous life at 15 months! One where she would walk at Childcare and the other where she would only crawl at home!! Everyone had seen her walk but us :lol: She is the sort of kid who won't do something unless she is is pretty confident she can actually do it - quite cautious and risk averse.

We eventually tricked her into walking at home by having us sit opposite each other, with our leg straddled apart and got her walking from one to the other gradually letting her go and walking by herself. Once she had done it for us then she continued to do it. It was pretty funny though!

Her development sounds normal. Kids all develop and learn in their own time and no need to push them as it does no good.
DS1 commando crawled at 10 months crawled at 13 months and didn't walk till 21 months.
DS2 walked at 17 months.

To form norms their needs to be some earlier and some later to get an avg, so do not worry.

As the others have said, try not to worry. All babies are different and they'll do it their own time. If you're really worried though, make a physio appointment and get her checked out.


Fwiw, dd didn't crawl until 12 months and walk until 22 months! A year on you wouldn't know, she is just like any other almost 3 year old.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk so forgive spelling mistakes :)

Thanks for the advice everyone! Amazingly DD picked tonight to start walking :) :) I knew she could do it!!!

It sounds like she's developing in a normal manner, if a bit slower than others. My DD is 17 months and still not walking either. She isn't cautious, though, so in a way it's good she's taken longer to get there. :)

Woop woop!

Glad to hear she started walking :)

LOL! i somehow missed that bit of your post.
they always do that, though. :)