Giving a child independence from a young age is essential for developing confidence. One way to achieve this while also improving strength and walking abilities is by providing them with a reliable walker and entertainer system.
At Kiddies Kingdom, we offer a broad collection of baby walkers that are ideal for keeping a little one entertained. In this article, we will continue our Pushchair, Stroller, Buggy, and Pram Buying Guide and help you select the perfect walker and entertainment system for your child.
We will explore the benefits of walkers, let you know how to choose a safe design and share some of our top recommended products. If you want to source one of the practical yet educational items, keep reading.
What Are The Benefits Of Using A Baby Walker?
Before we jump into our list of recommended walkers, it’s firstly important to understand why these products are a good investment to make. By considering the benefits on offer from top accessories, you can best select one that your child will adore. These are as follows:
- Just like how a highchair helps a child transition to sitting at a table, a baby walker is a great way to encourage those first steps. By helping babies learn how to use their feet and legs, they can improve coordination plus muscle strength.
- Baby walkers don’t just help children learn to walk but also simply encourage them to stand. Learning to balance weight is the first stage of walking, plus it’s also important for improving muscle strength in the hips and back.
- Another benefit is that baby walkers can provide a safe way for little ones to start exploring. As with other childcare accessories, parents should supervise babies whilst using walkers. However, the safety aspect means this task is less stressful as the walker offers a strong aid and reliable structure to hold onto should a little one become wobbly on their feet.
- The last benefit leads to our next point, which is that walkers improve balance. This is essential for helping a child get around as they start to walk unaided, and it also offers support for coordination.
- Finally, baby walkers are also known as entertainers as they can provide plenty of mental stimulation for little ones. These systems include bright colours and different built-in toys to encourage development. Studies do show that this form of multisensory stimulation has many additional benefits including support for cognitive, social, physical and emotional development².
What Types Of Baby Walkers Are Available?
Now that you understand the benefits of selecting a high-quality baby walker, we can now share some of our top picks that any child will love. There are a couple of different types of baby walkers available that you can choose between. Check them out below along with our top recommended products.
Sit In Baby Walker
When you think of a baby walker, this type of product is likely the one that will spring to mind. Suitable for younger babies, these walkers include a fixed seat which is held above a movable base. Many can be secured into one position or used to easily navigate areas by the little one simply moving their legs around. Sit-in baby walkers include a comfortable seat, a choice of designs with and without harness straps and a tabletop that includes plenty of entertaining accessories. These walkers are intended to be used as both a seat and movable product; hence, the different forms of toys are made available to enhance engagement and peak interest.
If you are searching for a sit-in seat that mimics a walker but doesn’t move, we recommend both the Skip Hop Explore & More 3 Stage Activity Centre and the Red Kite Baby Go Round Jump a Round. Both of these products are perfect for young babies who are learning to support themselves and move around more freely for the first time. By encouraging them to start using their legs, it means the transition to a regular sit in baby walker is easier.
Should a baby walker that does indeed move around be on your radar, a few of our recommendations include the Aya 2in1 Rocker Walker, Red Kite Baby Go Round Kiddo and the My Child 2in1 Walker Rocker. These walkers show the wide variety of fun designs that are available to engage little ones and provide entertainment. From racing cars to unicorn-themed products, there is something available to suit any child’s preferences.
Finally, you can also select sit-in baby walkers that combine elements from both of these different types. Products like the My Child Coupe Rocker/Walker offer both rocking and walking functionality, which helps babies of all ages understand how movement works. These are ideal again for younger children or those who may be experiencing delays in their physical development.
Push Walker
The other type of baby walkers and entertainers that are available are known as push walkers. These products encourage children to move around using their own posture to support their steps. They offer a bar and surface to hold onto to ensure that those who still need assistance are properly cared for.
These products also include entertainment features to encourage the child not just to move around with the aid of the product but to move freely to view it from different sides. The most traditional designs are essentially flat boards mounted on a four-wheeled frame which has a handle at the top. Examples of this are the Skip Hop Explore & More Grow Along 4in1 Activity Walker and the Hauck Learn to Walk Skills Wooden Walker.
Another style available is known as a trailer walker. This includes areas for little ones to store their toys and other items to encourage more creative play. The Hauck Learn to Walk Plants Wooden Walker is a fantastic example of this providing a slimmer area to hold on too which means children are not so reliant on the flat board or other push walkers to give them stability.
Are Baby Walkers Safe To Use?
As with any other childcare accessory, proper support from a parent or guardian greatly improves the safety of a baby walker. To further reduce risks, you should only choose recommended walkers plus plus ones that have been safety tested.
Baby walkers should also only be used by children of the recommended age. If a baby is too young, a walker can put pressure on their joints, which will likely lead to issues with walking and moving around as they get older. The experience may also be distressing, leading to a negative mental link being created with walking. If a child is using a walker once they have outgrown it, this can also lead to stunted walking development plus physical strains.
It should also be mentioned that a baby walker should never be used instead of teaching a baby to walk freely. When used as part of a natural progression to transition from being immobile to navigating the world with independence, a baby walker can provide lots of benefits and is safe to interact with.
What Ages Are Baby Walkers Intended For?
The recommended age for a baby walker will depend on the type of product you select. Each of the items for sale on Kiddies Kingdom includes recommended age brackets, which tend to range from 4 to 15 months based on the child’s size, weight, and development phase.
Many parents choose to also invest in both types of walkers to see their children supported through all parts of learning to walk. This means a sit-in walker is great for younger babies then a stand up one is good as they are getting older. The benefit also of selecting a push walker is that the toy can still be played with even once a child no longer needs it for walking as many entertainment features are also included.
Our advice is always to base the purchase on your child and their current skill level when it comes to getting around. You can also select a product that has versatility in its functions to ensure you are making an investment that will last for even longer.
How To Choose The Best Baby Walker?
After reading this complete buying guide, you should now feel empowered to select the perfect walker and entertainer system for your child. By choosing a product that you know will keep them engaged and one that is best suited to meet their physical development needs, the baby walker will improve their confidence, strength and motor skills simultaneously.
Did you enjoy this guide? At Kiddies Kingdom we are experts in childcare products which is represented in our broad collection of products and popular buying guides. From our guide about choosing the best nursing chair to our review of the Snuzpod studio and our look at the best high chairs, we have support available for any parenting question.
Explore our collection of walkers and entertainers now to find a quality product that will give your child the confidence they need during the pivotal early years.
Sources
1 NHS
2 RCM