Your 12- to 18-month-old toddler is most likely toddling and walking now, and soon he’ll be running! You can see from all of this activity that he has more advanced Active, Coordinated Movement skills with greater large muscle control. You may see him stop and start with deliberate intention and agile coordination.¹ For instance, he might run after a toy, stop to squat down and pick it up, and then run back to you with the toy in hand. These actions demonstrate your baby’s growing ability to go smoothly from one position to another (e.g. from squatting to standing), carry one or more objects while moving, and walk and run with increasing skill.^2,3

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Has your baby been wary and cautious of running? If so, don’t worry because there is a great deal of learning and experimenting involved with running well. Once he learns to walk comfortably, he will naturally progress to trying out his running legs. At first, you may see him running stiffly or haltingly, and for short bursts.⁴ You may even see him streak forward only to fall or trip on to the floor. While these scenes may be hard to watch, know that it’s all part of the learning process. He will develop the ability to run with more finesse by learning to control his body movements, maintain his balance, and navigate the rough terrain of his environment (e.g. uneven surfaces, objects in his path).⁵ To help reduce the risks of injury and support his learning, consider offering him a pair of infant knee pads to wear and maintaining a play environment that’s free of clutter and has a dry, non-slip surface.

As your baby becomes more skilled at walking and running, shoes are bound to be on your mind! Shoes are not, in fact, necessary for normal foot development.⁶ Walking barefoot is very natural for babies, as they “learn to walk by gripping the ground with their toes and using their heels for stability.”⁷ So if you can, let your baby take his first steps in his bare feet. Of course, this isn’t always practical; you’ll want to protect his feet when away from home, or when the weather is not suitable. And to do that, he’ll need the right shoes.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends buying your baby shoes that are lightweight and flexible to imitate natural foot movement, breathable since babies feet sweat more than adults, and with a thin enough rubber sole for traction.⁷ WebMD recommends a sneaker-style, closed-toed shoe with a leather or rubber sole.⁸ When sizing shoes for your baby, it is a good idea to have him fitted professionally to assure you are fitting his feet at their proper size.⁷

Play Tips:

Do you want to know how you can support your baby’s development of these Active, Coordinated Movement skills at this age? It’s easy! Read on for some simple tips to incorporate into your daily play time together.

1. Support physical activities and games that encourage full body movement and control. Play Simon Says, soccer using a big soft ball, or a simple game of fetch that will allow your baby to practice full body movement and control. The more he can use his gross motor skills for a direct purpose, the more quickly he will be able to perform these skills with control and efficiency.
2. Offer plenty of spontaneous, active outdoor play. All young children need some time playing outside each day (when weather permits). Outside they can experiment with running, jumping, playing ball, and climbing without constraints. Be sure to use sunscreen to protect your baby’s sensitive skin, secure the area of potential hazards (e.g. car traffic or exposed ditches), and supervise him in the event he needs support or assistance.
3. Provide appropriate footwear.^7,8 No matter how cute those little sneakers are, they won’t give your baby a natural feel when walking. His first shoes should be thin-soled and flexible so that he can feel the ground beneath his feet.

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Developmental Milestones:

Has your baby achieved the following Active, Coordinated Movement developmental milestones yet? If yes, check off all the skill(s) she has already mastered to date using Playful Bee’s developmental milestones tracker. It’s absolutely FREE and easy to use, just click HERE!

• Begins to run with more control.

Sources:

¹Maryland State Department of Education (2010). Healthy Beginnings: Supporting Development and Learning from Birth through Three Years of Age.

²California Department of Education (2009). California Infant/Toddler Learning and Development Foundations.

³BabyCenter. Your Child’s Walking Timeline. BabyCenter: Expert Advice. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.babycenter.com/0_your-childs-walking-timeline_10357004.bc.

⁴von Hahn, Ludwig. A Look at Motor Development in Children. Tufts University: Tufts Open Courseware – Human Growth and Development Lectures. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://ocw.tufts.edu/Content/35/lecturenotes/375738.

⁵Parents. When will my child learn how to run? Parents: Ask Our Experts. Retrieved February 10, 2014, from http://www.parents.com/advice/toddlers-preschoolers/development/when-will-my-child-learn-how-to-run/.

⁶Orthoseek. Selecting Shoes for Children. Orthoseek. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.orthoseek.com/articles/selshoes.html.

⁷American Academy of Pediatrics. Your Baby’s First Steps. American Academy of Pediatrics: Patient Education Online. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://patiented.aap.org/content2.aspx?aid=6900&refURL=.

⁸Hatfield, Heather. Buying Shoes for Toddlers. WebMD: Health and Parenting. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/buying-shoes-for-toddlers.

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Playful Bee

Education Team at Playful Bee

Playful Bee is an e-Preschool that delivers inquiry-based preschool learning from the classroom to your home. Our preschool curriculum was created by our talented team of rock star teachers. With years of hands-on preschool and Kindergarten teaching experience, they've developed a high-quality preschool experience that is convenient-to-use and easy-to-teach by you, grandparents, or your nanny at home.

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