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You’ve been waiting for your baby’s first steps. You’ve coaxed and encouraged and cheered him on from the sidelines. But at 11 months, his preferred travel option is still…the belly scoot. Meanwhile your friend’s baby walked at 9 months, and she talks about it endlessly. “Can you believe she’s already walking!? She’s amazing!”
Sigh.
It can be hard to resist the urge to compare babies who reach major milestones at very different ages… and to worry when yours is a late bloomer (or walker, in this case). It doesn’t help that the Internet is full of articles claiming there’s a correlation between reaching physical milestones early and increased intelligence.
Let us put your mind at ease: Research shows that early walkers are not more advanced or intelligent. In fact, by the time young children start school, those who started walking later are just as well-coordinated and intelligent as those who pushed off early.
The bottom line is that the average infant starts toddling at around 12 months, but anywhere from nine to 20 months is possible. Is your little princess still scooting at 11 months? Cool! That just means you have a little extra time to get more video footage of the cute scoot, the proud stand, the cruise around the furniture, and those cherished first steps! If your baby is still grounded after 20 months, consider talking to your pediatrician about underlying issues. Overall, though, this is the time to relax, let your baby progress at her own pace, and enjoy watching her discover the world around her.
Here’s our tips for making the most out of your baby’s early walking months:
