Study Suggests This Tactic Can Help Babies Learn to Walk

Ten weeks old probably sounds like too early to be walking. But a new study says it’s certainly not too early to start practicing.

Psychologists at Lancaster University helped 10-week-olds experience “reflex walking,” an instinct that disappears around 12 weeks old. Researchers held babies slightly forward as the soles of their feet touched a flat surface, prompting them to reflexively place one foot in front of the other. On average, these babies took an average of 23 steps in three minutes.

Researchers then showed the group of babies, along with another group of 10-week-old babies who hadn’t experienced the sensation of walking, videos of human figures walking and crawling. The electrical activity in the infants’ brains was measured as they watched.

Here’s what researchers found: The brains of babies who had taken part in reflex walking recognized the walking movement in the video. In fact, their brain responses were similar to that of toddlers learning to walk. The other group, on the other hand, did not show this brain activity. But researchers believe they were able to recognize the crawling movement.

“This suggests that the limited period of experience altered the infant’s perception of walking, indicating a link between action perception and action production in early infancy,” says Lancaster University psychology professor Vincent Reid. In other words, familiarization with the sensation of walking can help babies better understand it. If you want to help prepare your toddler for walking, consider helping them with reflex walking as a newborn. To see what it looks like, click here.

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