Babies between 5 and 7 months old are typically in a stage where they can safely bear weight in their legs when held with support. You may find they enjoy being held in your lap and playfully kicking up on their feet! That said, this doesn’t mean that putting them in baby gear devices like doorway swings or walkers are safe or ideal in supporting their progression to independent standing.
Do: | Don’t: |
Honor standing as a progression of many skills, not an isolated skill, and continue to offer plentiful floor play where they can be on all fours. | Restrict baby in devices like doorway swings or walkers, which can pose additional safety risks and take time away from building varied strength on the floor. |
Support their early attempts to stand by placing toys on a shelf or floor pouf, where they will be motivated to reach and pull up to new heights at their own pace. | Walk your baby while holding their arms above their head. Walking your baby like this can disrupt their balance (consider how you might feel disoriented if someone was holding your arms high above your head). |
The best way to encourage standing is to cultivate spaces in your home that move play slightly off the floor. A low shelf, floor pouf, foot stool, or coffee table are all great examples of reachable heights that babies love to practice pulling up on. Place their favorite toys on top of these surfaces and encourage them as they kneel, pull up, balance, and transition back down.