Push toys and baby walkers can be beneficial for a baby's development in many ways. They can help with gait, strength, and balance, as well as provide activities for learning and fine motor skills. However, it is important to note that these toys can also put babies in an unnatural position for their stage of development and make them use their muscles and limbs in an unnatural way. This can lead to developmental delays and even lasting problems in the hip, knee, and ankle. Baby walkers, such as the VTech Sit To Stand learning walker, are also an option.
Push walkers do not allow the baby the unrestricted freedom of traditional walkers and most models allow parents to control the speed at which the wheels move. However, it is important to note that mobility toys should only be used under close supervision. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), most walker injuries occur when one parent is watching. Sometimes it is physically impossible to react quickly enough because once the fall or other dangerous situation occurs, it is too late. A baby in a walker can move 3 feet in 1 second, so walkers are not safe even when supervised.
At those speeds, they can descend stairs, pass a balcony, walk out a door, or fall into furniture that could fall. It's too fast to control or stop it. No, and neither do activity centers, jumpers or walking toys. In fact, research shows that babies who use a walker can learn to walk later than those who don't. Don't reward your baby with food one day, a pat on the back the next day, and a flashy toy the next day. And of course, pushing toys into a small cart or building towers out of blocks is fun for years making these great value toys.
Just make sure the walking toy is sturdy enough that it won't tip over if your baby uses it to get up. However, these items refer to walkers for seated babies instead of walkers to push and even seated walkers should be safe for short periods if supervised.
