VTech First Steps Baby Walker

Product Information

Encourage baby’s first steps with the VTech First Steps Baby Walker. This 2-in-1 baby walker and activity centre is designed to help tots find their balance, with a playful activity panel for fun along the way. When it’s not in use, it also folds down. Chances are that many parents end up buying a seated walker and a push-along one, which cost more than buying this all-in-one model. Paediatric research has shown that sit-in baby walkers may have an impact on baby’s development and impact on gait and posture. Can baby walkers delay walking? The safety of seated baby walkers is up for debate in the childcare community. In 2007, baby walkers were banned in Canada due to reported and potential dangers, and childminders in the UK have been told by the National Childminding Association not to use them. For babies who can sit and play, it’s an interactive play tray at which they can spend time exploring either on the frame or on the floor; for toddlers who have only just learned to walk, it’s a little Zimmer frame that can take them across the room at exciting new speeds. It may be plastic fantastic, but you can always fold it up and put it in a cupboard when you want to clear your living space again.

Some will be on their feet from as early as eight months whereas others are happy to sit and crawl until 18 months. Imagine the look on your baby’s face when they see this! Not only does it look pretty spectacular, this cute 4-in-1 train toy from VTech functions as a walker, pull-along wagon and ride-on, has modes for sit-down play as well as plenty of educational features.We’re not in the business of shaming toys, but if you feel your house is getting overwhelmed by mountains of plastic then how about a nice wooden alternative?

Before we recommend new products, we always ask our trusted Mumsnet users, of which there are more than 7 million each month. That’s a lot of honest, impartial advice. Expert guidance When powered, this gizmo offers an array of cheerful farmyard noises, songs and counting options, along with other sounds and lights, shapes, buttons, spinning wheels and a little plastic phone for them to talk into.Finally, consider the footprint of the baby walker. Most do not fold up and will take up space in your home. What is the best baby walker? Don’t leave them in the baby walker too long. It’s a fun way to encourage your baby to walk, but it won’t actually help the process. They’ll have to do that by themselves, using furniture to help. So make sure they spend most of their time on the floor in a hazard-free zone – preferably barefoot – and keep baby walker time as an occasional 20-minute treat.

Seated walker: these take up the most space and often double up as play stations, with buttons, lights and noises to entertain your baby. Third – and this is what elevates the Babylo Combo from others in this list – you can remove the seat completely and replace it with a bar to transform it into a push-along walker. One that’s more secure and enclosed than other push-along walkers, while still offering the benefits of activities.Push-along baby walkers don’t generate the same concerns as seated baby walkers. Your baby is required to concentrate on keeping upright by themselves, rather than being held in place, and their hands are always occupied holding onto the handle bar. When choosing a baby entertainer or baby activity walker, look out for features that can spark your little one’s curiosity. Playful music, flashing lights, mirrors and bright colours stimulate baby’s senses, while entertainers with animal toys or baby walkers with steering wheels can help encourage imaginative play. Bat-at toys, teethers and bead chasers are great for your child’s developing hand-eye coordination and other fine motor skills. Some baby entertainers, like the Fisher-Price jumperoo, feature seats that spin 360˚ so baby has even more to explore. Probably the most fought-over toy at your local playgroup, you’ll recognise this baby activity walker – although you may not have realised its full potential until you see it loaded with batteries and with the toys attached.

From this list, we chose a shortlist of the 10 best baby walkers that we felt offered a range of design, functions and price points, to ensure there was something for everyone. About the authorAnother highlight is the detachability of the activity panel so your baby can play with it anywhere – even when laid on their best play mat if they're not quite up to walking yet. The brain works in a criss-cross pattern with the left brain controlling the right arm and leg and the right brain controlling the left arm and leg. Crawling is an important activity in encouraging this criss-cross pattern in the brain to develop, although don’t worry if your baby doesn't crawl – many miss out this stage. Trailer: this simple, classic design is useful beyond the transition into walking because it can double up as a toy carrier for when your two-year-old becomes obsessed with transportation.