If your child is at the stage of taking their first tentative steps, they could probably do with a helping hand. Whilst it's a lovely bonding moment for it to be your hand, you might not always have a spare one! A baby walker can give your little one their first taste of toddling in a way that is safe and supported.
Bay walkers are great for training little legs, getting them ready for learning to walk unassisted. With so many fun wooden and plastic designs (many of which are foldable and suitable for small spaces) you're sure to find one that both adults and children will love. Whether they still need a very supportive seat on a ride-along or they're ready to start pushing things along whilst standing, read on for our favourite walkers from Amazon, Argos, Boots and more.
Quick List - Top Baby Walkers
Dr Jonathan Henderson is a consultant paediatrician who practices for the NHS and his award-winning private practice. His medical qualifications (MB, BAO and BCh) were all completed at Queen's University Belfast in 2007. He then obtained his membership with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in 2012 and later became a college fellow in 2019. In addtion to his clinical work, he contributes to e-learning programmes and teaches paediatrics internationally to other healthcare professionals. Dr Henderson, who is on the speciality register of the General Medical Council, has a keen interest in promoting quality improvement in paediatrics and has presented work both regionally and nationally.
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Dr Jonathan Henderson is a consultant paediatrician practising for the NHS, as well as privately. His medical qualifications (MB, BAO and BCh) were all completed at Queen's University Belfast in 2007.
He then obtained his membership with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in 2012. In addition to his clinical work, he contributes to e-learning programmes and teaches paediatrics internationally to other healthcare professionals. Check out more about him on his website.
All baby walkers are designed for young children learning to walk, but there are still a lot of individual needs within this group, which is why the style of walkers varies so much. For it to work for your child, you need to choose a style that is suitable for their development stage.
If you're still unsure as to which walker will be suitable for your baby, don't worry, as the best brands will tell you explicitly which ages they are designed for. Most are suitable from 6 months and up, although some might be for around the 10 month mark and others aren't intended for babies under a year old.
As far as upper limits go, it again changes from model to model. Walkers without a seat don't have these limits because a child doesn't have to be a certain weight or size to use it, but this is not the case with seated walkers. These will give either an upper age or an upper weight limit, which is usually about 12 kg.
On the topic of weight limits, have you checked out our recommended car seats for babies?
Think about why you want to use a baby walker! Elevating a child to a higher than normal level for their developmental age means they will explore with their hands more if not yet cruising without a baby walker. An important safety consideration, be sure to read the safety precautions before buying.
For younger children who are just able to hold themselves up and are getting restless, a baby walker with a seat is the perfect next step. They are still fully supported from below and on the sides, but with their feet on the ground and wheels on the frame, they'll be able to take themselves where they want to go – this builds up coordination and strength in the legs.
This style often has a tray table as well, giving another place where they can enjoy a meal or snack. As well as being somewhere to eat, look for trays that also have toys on them to keep your child entertained for longer.
When your child shows evidence of cruising along with furniture, once they have found their feet, providing a walker will help them coordinate their balance and find their core stability with that broad-based gait they have found.
Please be mindful of the increased risk of accidents in the home environment as there are increased risks of injuries and still a safety hazard (e.g., rolling into heaters, downstairs or ponds if outside).
For the next step, once your child feels a bit more comfortable on their feet, look for a walker without a seat. These normally come in the form of little trolleys or triangular stands with wheels on that they can push along. Your child can use the handles as a way of supporting themselves, but their feet are doing most of the work.
Many of these walkers say (optimistically) that they are suitable for children that are 6 months and older, but it might take them a bit longer to get to a position where they can walk comfortably with one of these, especially when compared to walkers with a built-in seat.
With four distinct sides surrounding your baby, seated options tend to be larger and take up more space than non-seated alternatives. This gives enough room for them to get comfortable and means useful additions such as tray tables and toys, but it does all mean that you should make sure your home can accommodate this extra bulk.
Seated baby walkers can be as wide as 90 cm, so if you're looking for something that is more compact and won't have your baby crashing into doorways quite as much, a non-seated option will provide this as they're often narrower at under 50 cm.
Every parent knows that babies grow up so fast, so it's a good idea to buy a walker that will grow with them. A height-adjustable walker means that you can raise the seat to allow their feet to rest comfortably on the floor without squashing their lengthening legs.
As with other points in this guide, height adjustability is less relevant when it comes to push-along walkers as your child can reach up or down depending on their height. However, it is still worth checking that their height is compatible with a push-along walker because if it's wildly mismatched, it will be uncomfortable.
Many of these selected baby baths are size adjustable, to ensure longevity.
With a young child in the house, it's a given that you're going to have toys, bibs and high chairs strewn around, so anything which makes cleaning up and packing away easier is always welcome in a baby product.
If you live in a small space where it's inconvenient to have your walker out all of the time, look for a foldable option. It makes it easier to slip it into a cupboard or under another piece of furniture when it's not in use. Foldable walkers are also a good option for taking with you when away from home, or for keeping at a relative's home that your baby visits often.
Removing clutter in the home environment is always safe with a mobile toddler. The risk of accidents increases, so keeping items folded is an excellent way of allowing for more space for those other developmental milestones to develop, such as fine motor hand skills when sitting on the floor.
With most walkers, it isn't enough just to have one that helps your child to walk. Lots of both seated and non-seated options have a whole host of additional toys attached to keep your child entertained for hours. These additions also help to improve their motor skills, and in some cases, they can be educational.
This could come in the form of detachable blocks or spinning elements that are built into the walker, some models have built-in music makers and lights that flash when pressed. If you choose the battery-powered options, you do have to be prepared to change the batteries and listen to noises that could get slightly irritating after the umpteenth time of hearing them!
These teething toy suggestions might be of interest too.
The first few years of a child's development are through play and learning the world they live in. Movement is such a small part of that. Stimulating the developing brain through sight and sound is just as important.
Many entertainment systems for a child provide this, even if you do wish that favourite sound of theirs that they have found would just run out of battery at some point - do not underestimate the power of play to help with all areas of child development. It's a joy to watch your child learn!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Red Kite Baby Go Round Twist Spot Walker | ![]() | A Fantastic Walker That Transforms Into a Rocker | |
2 | Chad Valley Jungle Deluxe Foldable Baby Walker | ![]() | Walker With Activity Centre and Space for Toys | |
3 | Babylo Bizzy Bee Height Adjustable Baby Walker | ![]() | Folding Walker That’s Easy to Pack Away | |
4 | Nuby Educational Wooden Baby Walker | ![]() | Wooden Walker With Plenty of Activities to Keep Them Occupied | |
5 | Safety 1st Bolid Baby Walker | ![]() | A Seated Walker That Supports Babies Age 6 Months and Up | |
6 | labebe Baby Walker | ![]() | Eye-Catching Wooden Walker for 1 - 3 Year Old Babies and Toddlers | |
7 | Fisher-Price Learn With Me Zebra Baby Walker | ![]() | Music and Sounds Help Teach Baby to Talk as Well as Walk | |
8 | MyChild Car 2-in-1 Baby Walker | ![]() | Speed Along in This Car-Themed Walker | |
9 | VTech Baby First Steps Baby Walker | ![]() | Push Along Walker Packed With Toys, Sounds and Activities | |
10 | Boots Wooden Baby Walkerwith Blocks | ![]() | Traditional Push Toy With Wooden Building Blocks |
With its bright primary colours and a tray table full of activities, this walker will definitely be a hit with your youngster. There are toys on each side, and you'll be glad to hear that the seat offers plenty of cushioning to keep your baby comfortable.
Once playtime's over, this walker can be transformed into a rocker to act as somewhere your baby can sit and relax. Plus, to help them rest calmly, the anti-slip base will stop them from slipping and sliding when they don't intend to.
When your baby is younger, it's OK to keep things simple, and that's exactly what this walker aims to do. On a design front, it has everything you could want, including a sturdy frame and comfortable seat. For fun, it has a basic but captivating bead chaser.
As they grow and can cope with more activities and have different interests, you can tie their favourite toys to the loops on either side of this walker, so they can always have them on hand. It also means you don't have the frustration of watching them constantly drop them!
This walker from Babylo is a seated option that isn't too wide at less than 50 cm. It is highly adjustable and can be made to work for your child until they are 18 months old.
Again, it may not have any electronic features, but the multiple rattles in the form of friendly bees will certainly keep them entertained as they roll. And when the fun is over, you'll have no problem folding it away and storing it for next time.
There's no reason why a lack of electronics means a toy has to be boring, and this walker proves that. With blocks, cogs and sliding toys, it has every sort of activity you could want to help improve your baby's movement and coordination.
It even has a built-in xylophone, which will allow your child to get in touch with their musical side. And, if all else fails, they can look at themselves in the mirror. A truly exciting walker which doesn't take up too much room!
Here we have a walker with a seat that manages to avoid being too bulky or too overwhelming. The colours are lovely and subtle, perfectly complimenting each other, but you also get plenty of fun details with the the toys on the front - which handily can be removed revealing a plain tray for snack time.
The base isn't completely solid and isn't as wide as some other options on this list, so it's a good option if your baby is charging around a smaller home. It's also adjustable, meaning it can grow with your child.
An option we love because of its traditional design, this wooden creation is a work of art. It is full of colour without being overwhelmingly bright, and the cute elephant is bound to be a hit with your child.
The inclusion of an abacus and attached number cards will help your baby get to grips with their counting, but it's worth noting that the shape of the walker might mean that the back wheels get slightly in the way when they're taking their first steps.
This walker offers much more than just its adorable zebra design; it can also be used as an educational tool. Your baby can press a button and find out all about their ABC's and 123's thanks to the musical features included.
There are also lots of other activities to enjoy, including flippy and twisty toys to improve motor skills. But bear in mind that this is quite a lightweight walker, so would be best for confident standers, not for those constantly struggling to pull themselves up.
OK, so your child might be a bit young to drive, but here's a way of giving them some of that excitement. With Mychild's offering, they can pretend to drive their own walker, using their feet but spinning the steering wheel and changing gears.
The car part of the walker is removable, but even with that gone, this option is quite bulky so it might not be the best choice for small homes. It does fold down, though, which will make it easier to store.
The features on this walker will keep your baby busy for hours. While they're wheeling, they won't be able to play much with the games on the other side, but once they stop, the whole front can be removed to provide easier access to all the fun activities.
It isn't the most stylish walker on this list, and the sheer number of things to press and do makes it look busy and could be distracting, but its value entertainment-wise and the fact that it's easy to pack away might be enough of a selling point.
This wooden push-along walker has a traditional feel to it. The trolley, handle and wheels are made from wood, so this option avoids adding to plastic mountain, but it still manages to be eye-catching and inviting to little ones with its array of brightly coloured blocks.
Because it is less supportive, this walker is only suitable for babies who are one year old and above. It is also true that, while you might appreciate the analogue nature of this walker, it won't be as obviously stimulating as those with electronic toys and gizmos.
No. 1: Red Kite|Baby Go Round Twist Spot Walker
No. 2: Chad Valley|Jungle Deluxe Foldable Baby Walker
No. 3: Babylo|Bizzy Bee Height Adjustable Baby Walker
No. 4: Nuby|Educational Wooden Baby Walker
No. 5: Safety 1st|Bolid Baby Walker
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