When Do Babies Start Walking?
Updated September 2025 · 5 min read
Most babies take their first independent steps between about 9 and 15 months, with many walking well by around their first birthday. Before that they pass through crawling, pulling up, cruising along furniture and standing. The range of normal is wide — some walk earlier, some later — so focus on steady progress rather than a single date.
- First independent steps typically come between about 9 and 15 months.
- Walking follows a sequence: sitting, crawling, pulling up, cruising, then steps.
- The normal range is wide — earlier or later can both be fine.
- Talk to your doctor if your baby isn’t walking by around 18 months.
The typical window
Most babies take their first independent steps somewhere between about 9 and 15 months, and many are walking confidently around their first birthday. But this is a broad average — plenty of perfectly healthy babies walk a little earlier or later.
The steps before the steps
Walking is the last stage in a sequence, and the earlier stages matter just as much:
- Sitting independently (often around 6–8 months).
- Crawling or bottom-shuffling (around 7–10 months) — some babies skip crawling entirely.
- Pulling up to stand holding furniture.
- Cruising — stepping sideways while holding on.
- Standing alone, then those first wobbly independent steps.
How to encourage walking
- Give plenty of floor time and safe space to move and explore.
- Let your baby go barefoot indoors — it helps balance and foot development.
- Offer sturdy furniture or a weighted push-along toy to cruise and practise with.
- Cheer them on — encouragement and a safe, baby-proofed space do more than any device.
Baby walkers (the seated kind) are discouraged by many paediatric bodies on safety grounds; a push-along toy is a safer choice.
When to check in
Because the range is so wide, there’s usually no need to worry about small differences in timing. It’s worth speaking to your health visitor or paediatrician if your baby isn’t walking at all by around 18 months, isn’t bearing weight on their legs, or if you notice they’re losing skills they previously had. Trust your instincts — if something feels off, ask.
Frequently asked questions
At what age do babies start walking?
Most take their first independent steps between about 9 and 15 months, with many walking well around their first birthday. The normal range is wide.
What comes before walking?
Babies usually sit, then crawl or bottom-shuffle, pull up to stand, cruise along furniture and stand alone before taking independent steps.
When should I worry if my baby isnu2019t walking?
Speak to your health visitor or doctor if your baby isnu2019t walking by around 18 months, wonu2019t bear weight on their legs, or loses skills they had before.
Sources
Guidance in this article reflects widely published parenting and paediatric advice from bodies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the UK’s NHS. It is general information, not medical or dietary advice — always follow the guidance of your own paediatrician, health visitor or a registered dietitian.