During the coaching sessions with the families I work with, I often recommend various toys or materials to support the development of a particular skill. My first recommendation is that the family use currently available materials. I have a Pinterest board that contains many great ideas using recycled materials. It is not unusual for me to suggest the use of an inverted storage container or a laundry basket weighted down with books to support the development of motor skills such as kneeling and pulling to stand.
Here are some other items I recommend to support Kneeling and Pulling to Stand:
Smart Stages Car
This car is an awesome tool to encourage kneeling. Why is kneeling important? Typically, babies go through a developmental sequence of motor patterns as they progress from crawling to standing. An important foundational skill within this process is Kneeling. Typically babies will begin to pull to stand at about 8-10 months. A baby will kneel, then half kneel, then stand. We can support this milestone by providing safe stimulating toys and items for them to practice these skills multiple times a day.
With the Smart Stages car, babies are enticed to kneel and play both inside and outside of the car. In addition a child can place the balls and cubes inside the opening shape-sorter door. Placing items into a shaped opening such as this is a foundational skill for later puzzle play. Who thought you could work on preschool skills before a baby can walk? You absolutely can!
Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Table
This activity table not only encourages kneeling but also supports pull to stand. What I like about this table is that two legs can be removed, to where it becomes an angled play surface. In this position, a baby can be placed in high kneel and supported to weight bear with one arm while playing with the items on the tabletop. With all four legs attached, it works well for pulling to stand, standing, and even cruising.
Fisher Price Bright Beats
I wanted this toy from the moment I saw it. I guess I oogled over it so much that when one of my families outgrew it ,they gave it to me to share with others. It’s gone through 3 families and its holding up well. The ball chute occasionally comes off but it pops right back in. Another fun feature that we discovered, is that when it is placed on wood or tile surfaces it can be pushed. Consequently, it can serve as a walk behind toy.
Little Tykes Activity Walker
Ok. I’m not a huge fan of push behind walkers. But I know parents are going to buy them anyway. My concern with them is that many of them provide little to no resistance when pushed. As a result, babies begin to lean forward when they walk with their weight too far in front of them. I’ve experimented with many ways to add resistance -from using vegetable rubber bands on wheels to adding bags of rice or beans to the base.
This Push Behind Toy does not need modification. It folds down to become an activity table for floor play (remember the play in kneeling we talked about above?). My favorite feature is that it is not flimsy. This walker has resistance when pushed.
Those old-fashioned walkers? Throw them away. Research has shown that they delay motor and cognitive development as well as cause injury. See article here.
Families are always in such a hurry for their child to walk. Although many babies are walking by their first birthday, many typically developing babies do not walk until 15 months. No need to rush it. Remember, good ol’ Floor Time can build so many skills, including those foundational skills that are needed for walking. So relax and enjoy this time with your baby as he progresses to his journey toward independent mobility.
Please leave a comment if you would like to share your great ideas regarding toys or items for supporting kneeling and standing.
Some of the links mentioned are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I only recommend products I have personally used and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something.
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