Baby walkers are commonly used by parents who hope to help their babies learn to walk faster. These devices usually consist of a suspended seat surrounded by a frame with wheels, allowing babies to move around while sitting upright. They are often seen as a fun and helpful tool. However, many pediatricians and child development experts warn against using walkers. Recent research shows that they may cause more harm than good when it comes to a baby’s development.
One of the biggest concerns with baby walkers is that they can actually slow down your baby's ability to learn how to walk and move properly.
• Delayed Development: Babies need floor time to practice skills like rolling, crawling, pulling up, and cruising. These movements build the muscles needed for walking. When babies spend a lot of time in walkers, they miss out on these important opportunities, which can delay walking and other motor milestones.
• Walking on Toes: Walkers encourage babies to move by pushing with their toes, which can lead to toe-walking habits and poor walking posture.
Studies show that babies who use walkers may walk later than those who don’t.
Reference: Siegel & Burton (1999); Garrett et al. (2002)
Walkers can also affect how babies explore and learn about their world.
• Less Floor Exploration: When a baby is on the floor, they can touch, grab, look around, and explore freely. This helps them understand space, depth, and cause and effect.
• Limited Interaction: In a walker, babies are often stuck in a fixed position and are higher off the ground. This limits what they can see and touch.
These experiences are very important for developing thinking and problem-solving skills.
Reference: Khatemi et al. (2005)
Walkers are not only bad for development—they can also be dangerous.
• Falls: The most common accidents involve babies falling down stairs while in a walker, which can cause serious injuries.
• Reaching Hazards: Walkers allow babies to move faster and reach things like hot drinks, electrical cords, or sharp objects they wouldn't normally be able to get to.
• Tipping Over: If a walker rolls over an uneven surface, it can tip and hurt the baby.
Because of these dangers, some countries like Canada have banned baby walkers completely.
Reference: American Academy of Pediatrics (2001); Health Canada (2004)
Many parents think walkers help babies walk earlier, but this is not true.
• False Belief: It might seem like the baby is learning to walk because they’re moving around, but the walker is doing most of the work.
• Less Motivation: Babies in walkers don’t learn to balance or support their weight on their own, which is essential for walking.
Research has shown that walker use may actually delay walking.
Reference: Fallah et al. (2011)
Instead of using a walker, try these activities that are safer and actually help your baby grow strong and confident:
• Tummy Time: Helps strengthen neck, shoulder, and arm muscles.
• Supervised Floor Play: Let your baby roll, crawl, and explore on the floor with safe toys.
• Stationary Activity Centers: These are similar to walkers but don’t have wheels, so they’re safer and don’t interfere with learning to walk.
These alternatives allow your baby to learn through natural movement and exploration.
Reference: American Academy of Pediatrics (2018)
Even though baby walkers may look fun and helpful, they can actually slow down your baby's development and increase the risk of injury. Experts strongly recommend not using them. Instead, give your baby lots of safe time on the floor to explore and build the skills they need to walk and learn. Helping your child grow safely and naturally is the best way to support their development.
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