Just like how interactive baby toys can motivate your little one to crawl, the best baby walkers can encourage them to take their first steps. So, to help you find the most suitable option for your little walker, we’ve scoured the shelves and put the top-rated options to the test.
If your baby has gone from crawling to cruising, it might be time to invest in a push toy to help them put their best foot forward. Nowadays, many of the best baby walkers do more than just encourage movement. They’re filled with musical features, rotating seats and contain brightly coloured blocks so little feet can stay entertained while on the go.
Every baby is different and reaches key child development stages at different times. For example, some babies might be ready to find their own two feet at around 9 months old. While others won’t consider placing one foot in front of the other until they’re around one. Either way, baby walkers can give them a confidence boost and help support their balance as they find their feet.
Our guide features a number of options suitable from 6m to 5 years — and they’ve all been tried and tested by parents. To help you find the most suitable option for you and your baby, it’s worth noting push toys come in a multitude of designs. For example:
- Seated walkers hold a baby in an upright position so they can use their feet to scoot around the room.
- A-frame walkers are push-along toys that babies hold onto for support as they practice taking steps.
- Ride-on toys are a mixture of both designs; toddlers can push them or sit on them to move themselves around, building strength and balance.
The best baby walker for your baby will depend on price and how confident they are with walking. Just note, the NHS recommends using a baby walker for no more than 20 minutes at a time.
The quick list
If you want quick advice to help you pinpoint the best baby walker to buy, here’s a quick summary of our findings and test results:
1. Haus Projekt Baby Walker Woodland
Parents who are looking for plastic alternatives will fall head over heels with the stylish Scandi-style Haus Projekt Baby Walker that’s crafted from natural wood. The pastel hues add a pop of colour without being too garish, while the design of the toy gives your baby the perfect opportunity to learn new skills when they’re having a break from trying to walk as there’s a collection of toys to keep them busy.
2. Vtech First Steps Baby Walker
Versatile, engaging, and packed with fun interactive features, this colourful baby walker is robust enough to withstand crashing into walls but light enough for little ones to manoeuvre easily.
3. Infantino Grow With Me Sensory 3-in-1 Walker
This push toy offers three modes of play for babies aged six to 36 months – sit and explore, stand and play, and the discovery car walker. It also features lights, sounds, songs and toys.
3. Babymoov 5-in-1 Progressive Baby Walker
With musical features and a rotating seat, this baby walker is suitable until your baby weighs 12kg, at which point it becomes a pusher toy for use up to 24 months – the seat lifts out and the back bar becomes a handle!
4. Hippy Chick Classic World Rider Walker
This is a strong little wooden walker and ride-on toy made of solid wood with cute additional features including a shape sorter, space to hide things underneath, and spinning picture blocks.
5. Little Tikes Fantastic First 3 in 1 Activity Walker
Ideal for encouraging little ones to take their first steps, this baby walker projects colourful lights onto the floor to encourage babies to get moving. It’s a 3-in-1 toy; a walker, a standing activity table, and a sit-and-play activity centre.
6. Legler Elephant Baby Walker
This is a walker, a play table, a shape sorter, and a beautifully designed wooden toy that will appeal to both toddlers and their parents. Play value is maximised on every inch, with interactive moving parts to entertain and educate. There’s a shape sorter on the front, numbered tiles to spin around, colours to find, and even a chalkboard.
8. Le Toy Van Rainbow Cloud Walker
Filled with colourful wooden blocks that help to add some extra weight to the walker to steady it, this is ideal for babies who aren’t quite ready for walking so they can sit and play instead. The wooden design means it’s not as hi-tech as other walkers but it supports fine motor skills as well as encouraging walking.
9. Fisher-Price Learn with Me Zebra
This baby walker demonstrates what Fisher Price does really well: bright, fun, good quality plastic toys which last. It’s designed to grow with your baby from sitting up through to first steps, and it doubles as an entertainment centre as well as a walker.
The best baby walkers 2024 – tried and tested by babies
Best baby walker overall
(Image credit: Haus Projekt)
Buy it if
✅ Your baby is hesitant about walking: Our tester found this toy got her reluctant walker moving!
✅ Plastic toys aren’t your vibe: Baby gear doesn’t get much more stylish than this classic wooden toy.
✅ You’re not a fan of noisy toys: Great news – this walker has no musical features to annoy you.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You can afford to spend more: The Legler Elephant Baby Walker is worth a look if you’ve got more to spend.
❌ You want a walker that will grow with your child: this can’t be adjusted so may be outgrown quickly.
❌ You need a robust walker: our tester found this tipped over easily – go for the Hippychick if that’s a worry.
The bottom line
🔎 Haus Projekt Baby Walker The pastel hues add a pop of colour without being garish, while the design of the toy gives your baby the perfect opportunity to learn new skills when they’re having a break from trying to walk as there’s a range of activities to keep them busy ★★★★★
Tested by: Charlie and her baby, Seb, aged 10 months.
Our baby gear expert says: ‘A brilliant feature of the Haus Projekt Walker is how incredibly light and easy to push it is. The clever piece of kit has been designed to encourage little ones to take their first steps and, based on our tester’s experience, it really works.’
Our tester, Charlie, says: ‘Until we had this walker to review, Seb wasn’t really showing any interest in pulling himself up, but within a couple of days, he realised that he could hold on to the top bar of the walker, and from that moment he was off.’
This is a seriously stylish baby walker, which design-conscious parents will appreciate, but it’s also super functional. There is a vast array of activities for little ones to explore, including cogs, flaps, beads, and musical instruments. ‘There’s a little xylophone (although Seb mostly enjoys chewing on the stick to play it with), cogs to turn, a little door that opens and closes, a spinning bear/leaf, a small corrugated block, some abacus beads, a spinning mirror, three holes for shapes to go through, and a wooden hexagon that you can move along a track’, says Charlie. ‘They’ve all been designed to encourage babies’ cognitive development, and it’s great that you can leave your little one in front of it and they’ll be captivated for ages – super handy if you want to have a sneaky coffee while you watch them play!’.
Verdict: While this walker isn’t the cheapest option in our guide, Charlie thinks the Haus Projekt is still a savvy purchase and we wholeheartedly agree. ‘With all the activities and the option of using it as a walker, this would suit a wide age range of babies so would be a good investment as they certainly won’t be bored of it after five minutes,’ she adds.
Read more: Haus Projekt Baby Walker review
Best value baby walker
(Image credit: Vtech)
Buy it if
✅ You prioritise value for money: It’s packed with engaging features and yet it’s a super affordable option.
✅ You’re short on storage space: This folds compactly so you can pack it away at bedtime or once outgrown.
✅ You want a detachable panel: Adding even more value, this is fun for seated playtime too.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You don’t want to keep buying batteries: It’s packed with fun features but yes, it needs batteries. Lots of them.
❌ Colourful plastic toys ruin your decor: Babies love this walker but if your home is Scandi-chic it might kill the vibe.
❌ You’re not a fan of noisy toys: Our tester actually liked the lights and sounds but not everyone will agree.
The bottom line
🔎 Vtech First Steps Baby Walker This colourful, sturdy walker is packed with fun and appealing sounds and features to keep busy hands and brains occupied. It gives good support for little feet just starting to step out, and offers plenty of playtime appeal, both before and after its use as a walker. ★★★★★
Tested by: Katy Islip, mum to Thea, nine months.
Our baby gear expert says: ‘This baby walker has a detachable two-mode panel with lights and sounds including a movable bird character, rotating gears, piano keys, and a toy smartphone, while the frame also houses a simple roller rattle. It’s easy to assemble and its compact size makes it easy to store at bedtime – bonus!’
Our tester, Katy, says: ‘Thea was immediately interested in this walker when it arrived, getting very excited as I went through the simple process of putting it together.’ She gave her baby the play panel to explore on the floor at first, which was an instant hit.
‘Thea got straight into pushing the piano keys and opening and closing the central door,’ Katy adds. ‘There are loads of engaging toys in the play panel, which doubles up on the fun by offering a music mode and a learning mode. This effectively gives every feature a dual purpose, so there’s no danger of Thea getting bored with it – or of me getting fed up listening to the same old noises and tunes.’
Our tester also commented on the wide range of music and songs that this walker plays, with more natural voices than baby toys typically feature. ‘The two-volume levels help keep the chaos to a dull roar when needed, too,’ she adds.
Verdict: Babies seem to universally love this walker toy – I had one for my first child who is now nineteen years old! It offers brilliant value for money and our tester found it gave her daughter hours of fun play, as well as physical support which helped build her confidence as she moved towards more independent walking.
Read more: Vtech First Steps baby walker review
Best longevity
(Image credit: Infantino)
Buy it if
✅ You like lots of interactive features: From melodies to sound and light effects, this walker has them all.
✅ You want long-term use: It’s designed for use from six months to three years old, so you’ll get your money’s worth.
✅ You’d like a walker with inbuilt play: From the shape-sorter to chaser beads you won’t need many other toys.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You don’t want a musical toy: You could always forget batteries but the real fun starts when you add them.
❌ You need a walker you can store: While not overly bulky, this isn’t designed for popping under the sofa.
❌ Colourful plastic toys aren’t your thing: This is actually very cute but a wooden push toy might appeal to you more.
The bottom line
🔎 Infantino Grow With Me Sensory 3-in-1 Walker A super fun car-themed baby walker that can be used as a seated toy or as a rolling walker with plenty of fun features to keep little hands and brains busy. ★★★★
Tested by: Katy Islip, mum to Thea, nine months.
Our baby gear expert says: A sweet little walker and activity toy with adjustable height settings. The musical effects and sounds are mainly cute and didn’t annoy our tester, and the additional toys added to the fun. Although Katy thinks it’s a shame the ball tunnel only comes with one ball, and the door unfortunately comes off very easily. ‘That has become a bit of a game for Thea,’ she explains.
Our tester, Katy says: ‘This little car quickly became a firm favourite in our house – it was simple to put together and, with batteries included, it was immediately good to go.’ They started using the sit-and-play mode while Thea explored the various features, particularly enjoying the car’s cute rolling eyes and the amusing light and sound effects triggered when each one moved. ‘As she’s just started cruising, we soon moved the handle up to the stand-and-play setting, giving her a better grip as she used it to pull herself up and lean on,’ Katy adds.
Verdict: Overall, this is a sturdy little toy with lots to discover and hold a baby’s attention. ‘I might not have considered buying this over a ‘traditional’ walker but I’ve been impressed by its stability and charm,’ our tester explains. ‘The shape sorter pieces are very firmly wedged in position so she’s not able to remove them yet but – hilariously – she has tried ‘latching’ onto their protruding tops, which made us laugh.’
Most versatile baby walker
(Image credit: Babymoov)
Buy it if
✅ You want somewhere safe to pop your baby: A seated walker offers much more support than a standard push toy.
✅ You can’t decide which type to go for: Have both – this starts as a seated walker but then converts to a push toy.
✅ You’re not a fan of musical toys: The electronic play panel might annoy noise-sensitive parents.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You’re short on space: This needs plenty of room for your child to pick up speed, especially in use as a push toy.
❌ You don’t want to spend this much on a walker: We think it’s worth the price but cheaper alternatives exist.
❌ You’d rather not use a seated walker: Some parents feel they restrict a baby’s freedom too much.
The bottom line
🔎 Babymoov 5-in-1 Progessive Walker This has two core functions – it’s a baby walker for up to 12kg, and a pusher toy for use up to 24 months. When your little one gets bigger, the 360° seat can be lifted out and the back bar becomes a handle for toddlers to hold onto, so they can use the walker and guiding wheels to continue exploring the world. ★★★★
Tested by: Tess Watkins, mum to ten-month-old Isla.
Our baby gear expert says: ‘The Babymoov 5-in-1 Progressive Baby Walker has two core functions – it’s a seated baby walker for babies weighing up to 12kg, and then a push toy for use up to 24 months. I love how versatile the design is and the fact that it’s not redundant once the child no longer needs a seated walker.’
Our tester, Tess, says: ‘I absolutely loved this walker – it’s very simple to assemble and took around 20 minutes to build – I’m not usually very confident building anything on my own, but even I found it super easy.’
The seat is height adjustable and has three different settings, while the learning tray features a music box with three tunes and toys. Our tester found her daughter got the hang of this walker straight away and was soon cruising all over the living room. ‘I really love the freedom this walker toy gives her; it encourages her development and lets her move around and get used to being on her feet in a safe way,’ she adds.
Verdict: The 360° rotating seat is a brilliant feature. ‘Isla gets so excited spinning around to discover the different toys,’ says our tester, Tess. ‘The walker is exceptionally good quality and extremely stable, and the seat cover is easy to remove and wash. And, with three different height settings, I think we’ll get a great deal of use out of this walker, making it superb value for money too.’
Read more: Babymoov 5-in-1 Progessive Walker review
Best ride-on baby walker
(Image credit: Hippychick)
Buy it if
✅ You love wooden toys: If the thought of filling your home with colourful plastic fills you with dread, choose this.
✅ You’d like a multifunctional walker: This doubles as a ride-on toy so you’ll get twice the fun out of it.
✅ You’d like some play features too: This walker has an inbuilt shape sorter which our tester’s baby loved.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You don’t have much space: This is pretty heavy to steer round corners so you need plenty of floor space.
❌ You hate assembling furniture: You’ll need a screwdriver and plenty of patience to put this together.
❌ You’d like a walker with music or sound features: This is a classic wooden toy so there are no electronics.
The bottom line
🔎 Hippy Chick Classic World Rider Walker A stylish, classic wooden ride-on toy that doubles as a baby walker, this will appeal to parents who don’t want a home full of colourful plastic but it’s also great fun for babies. ★★★★
Tested by: Pippa Elmes, mum to Lara Elmes, 18 months.
Our baby gear expert says: This is a strong little wooden walker and ride-on toy made of solid wood with cute additional features including a shape sorter, space to hide things in underneath, and spinning picture blocks.
Our tester, Pippa, says: ‘This is by far the most robust walker I’ve seen and it’s great for a little one starting to toddle – I’d have been much more confident using this rather than the walker we had when my daughter was little, as this seems less likely to roll away, leaving her flat on her face.’
The shape sorter was an immediate hit – being low on the side makes for a different shape sorting angle than most top-down sorter toys, which adds to the challenge, according to Pippa. ‘The two different heights for pushing/holding when riding is a great design idea too,’ she says.
Verdict: This is a great walker and a great idea to transition to a ride-on. ‘My little one always wants to ride things ‘backward’ and this works as a ride-on in either direction,’ concludes Pippa. ‘However, its weightiness made it harder for her to heft it around corners.’
‘It took 20-25 mins to build as it needs proper screwing together but it does make for a really solid toy as a result. It feels as though it will last us a really long time and could be passed on to younger friends or family members.’
Best walker for boosting confidence
(Image credit: Little Tikes)
Buy it if
✅ Your baby needs encouragement to get walking: The light projector helps motivate reluctant walkers.
✅ You’d like an activity table and walker in one: This double as a play table so you’ll save money.
✅ Your baby loves music: This plays more than 70 songs and sounds and has piano keys too.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You’d prefer to spend less: Instead, go for the Vtech First Steps walker which is very similar but half the price.
❌ You dislike noisy musical toys: Warning – this is packed with light, sound, and music features!
❌ You’re not a fan of DIY: This walker is pretty tricky to assemble.
The bottom line
🔎 Little Tikes Fantastic First 3 in 1 Activity Walker A walker, activity table, and sit-and-play activity centre in one, this is packed with fun features including piano keys, a peekaboo slider, and a glowing light dome plus it plays more than 70 songs, sounds and activities. ★★★★
Tested by: Tess Watkins, mum to Isla, aged ten months.
Our baby gear expert says: ‘The Little Tikes Fantastic Firsts 3-in-1 Activity Walker has an engaging activity centre that’s designed to help develop curious minds and it’s the perfect walker for encouraging little ones to take their first steps as it projects colourful lights onto the floor, motivating them to keep moving. It also folds down flat for floor-time fun and easy storage.’
Our tester, Tess, says: ‘This is the best walker we’ve tried – it’s so simple to put together as it all snaps into place, taking us about ten minutes to assemble in total, and it’s super easy to use – we loved it.’
Tess particularly loves the light projector; she says it truly works to encourage first steps but also adds excitement and fun for babies. ‘The activity centre is amazing; my daughter was still discovering new features days after it arrived, from piano keys which illuminate different colours to a spinning drum that features the alphabet,’ adds Tess.
Verdict: Another huge plus is that this works as a standing toy and can be stored away easily if you’re short on space. ‘It’s also much sturdier than other walkers – in particular, the speed-restrictive wheels stopped it from getting away from Isla too much,’ adds Tess. ‘Most importantly, this walker toy kept Isla entertained for ages while encouraging her development. She gets so excited to see the lights illuminate and the music play when she takes a few steps. This walker has truly helped to build up her confidence when it comes to standing and it’s been amazing to watch her mobility develop.’
Most robust baby walker
(Image credit: Legler)
Buy it if
✅ You love wooden toys: This is a thing of craftmanship, beautifully designed.
✅ You want lots of interactive features: It’s packed with fun things to explore!
✅ You’ve got lots of space: Because it’s so heavy, your baby will need plenty of floor space to move it around.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You want a quick-to-assemble walker: This is not the one – our tester found it fiddly.
❌ You need a lightweight walker that your baby car steer easily: This is the heaviest of all the walkers we tested.
❌ You’d prefer a musical toy: There’s plenty on this to entertain little ones but they’ll have to make their own music.
The bottom line
🔎 Legler Elephant Baby Walker This is a walker, a play table, a shape sorter, and a beautifully designed wooden toy all in one – it’s sure to appeal to both toddlers and their parents. ★★★★
Tested by: Becky Barclay, mum to Charlie,14 months
Our baby gear expert says: Play value is maximised on every inch, with interactive moving parts to entertain and educate your little one. There’s a shape sorter on the front, numbered tiles to spin around, colours to find, and even a chalkboard. We think it’s guaranteed to provide hours of fun for babies and toddlers.
Our tester, Becky, says: ‘Even Charlie’s older brothers, aged seven and five, thought this walker looked exciting – I had to stop them from diving straight into the box when it arrived!’ She found screwing it together a little fiddly, with minimal instructions and some concentration required to get the pieces the right way round and lined up. ‘I was glad I’d chosen nap time to put it together or there might have been tears, but it’s definitely worth the effort to assemble – it’s sturdy and heavy enough not to tip, and you can tell it will withstand years of play,’ Becky adds.
Verdict: I’ve even pulled the walker alongside us during nappy changes – which have become rather wriggly recently – so Charlie can spin the numbered tiles as a distraction. He’ll also push it the length of the room, and its rubber-covered wheels suit hard floors, making it both safe and quiet. It’s too heavy for Charlie to turn on his own, but the play value of this toy is not only as a walker – it’s an entire entertainment station.’
Best baby walker for motor skills
(Image credit: Le Toy Van)
Buy it if
✅ You prefer wooden toys: No garish plastic here!
✅ You don’t have loads of space: This isn’t bulky to manouvre so it’s ideal for narrow hallways.
✅ You’re not a fan of noisy musical toys: Just good old-fashioned imaginative play with this one – no gimmicks.
Don’t buy it if:
❌You’re on a budget: The Hippy Chick Classic World Rider Walker is a similar design but about £30 cheaper.
❌ You already have wooden stacking blocks: Go for the Haus Projekt Baby Walker instead if you don’t need lots more blocks.
❌ You’d prefer a musical walker: No lights, sounds or music on this classic wooden toy.
The bottom line
🔎 Rainbow Cloud Walker Filled with colourful wooden toys that add some extra weight to the walker to help steady it, this toy is ideal for babies who aren’t quite ready for walking so they can sit and play until they find their feet. ★★★★
Tested by: Grace Holliday and her 11-month-old daughter.
Our baby gear expert says: Colourful, attractive and classic in its design, the Rainbow Cloud Walker is a well-made wooden walker. It’s not as hi-tech as other walkers, but it will help develop babies’ fine motor skills as well as their walking. Finding a visually appealing toy that’s also engaging for babies and young children isn’t always easy but the Rainbow Cloud Walker nails it.
Our tester, Grace, says: ‘My 11-month-old daughter beamed the first time she saw it. She was still finding her confidence in walking, so she sat down and got to work, lifting out every single block, one by one.’
Grace particularly liked the narrow sizing of the walker. ‘Those with less space or narrower hallways and doorways at home needn’t worry about trapped fingers or scuffed paintwork,’ she explains. The walker holds 45 multi-coloured blocks of varying shapes and sizes. ‘It’s fantastic for her motor skills, the variety of colours means it keeps her engaged, and the different shapes are great for her development too,’ Grace added. ‘She enjoys knocking them together, offering them to me, and of course, putting them in her mouth, which I can let her do, thanks to the non-toxic paint. I built a few towers for her, which she gleefully knocked down. I know in time she’ll love building towers – and I’ll do my best not to get my revenge!’.
Verdict: A quality, wooden product comes at a price but this is well worth the money if your budget allows. ‘It’s dual use, as both a walker and a toy, thanks to the building blocks,’ she said. ‘Overall, I would definitely recommend this walker; as long as you aren’t after something that is going to stay utterly pristine, it should tick all, if not most, of your boxes.’
Read our Rainbow Cloud Walker review
Best musical baby walker
(Image credit: Fisher Price)
Buy it if
✅ You want an easy-to-assemble walker: Our tester had this up and running in minutes.
✅ You like musical features: This has plenty of those – and the off switch is easy to find!
✅ You haven’t got lots of space: This walker is light and easy to steer round corners so it doesn’t need a huge space.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You’re not a fan of plastic baby gear: Go for a wooden walker instead of this cheerful plastic Zebra!
❌ You don’t want to keep buying batteries: You’ll need plenty of them to keep the fun going.
❌ You can afford to spend a little more: For not much more money you could snap up the Vtech First Steps walker which is our overall best buy.
The bottom line
🔎 Fisher-Price Learn with Me Zebra Affordable, easy to assemble and light enough for little ones to steer easily, this is a brilliant value baby walker with plenty of interactive features so it doubles as an entertainment centre. ★★★★
Tesed by: Becky Barclay, mum to Charlie, 14 months.
Our baby gear expert says: This walker demonstrates what Fisher-Price does really well: bright, fun, good-quality plastic toys which last. It’s designed to grow with your baby from sitting up through to first steps, and it doubles as an entertainment centre as well as a walker.
Our tester, Becky, says: ‘As soon as the box was open, Charlie was attracted by the bright colours of this walker and crawled over to investigate – thankfully assembly took just a few minutes, with easy-to-follow instructions and large parts to click together.’
You’ll need a screwdriver to take off the battery cover, and two AA batteries which aren’t included, so don’t forget those. The zebra’s friendly smile, flashing buttons and catchy tunes immediately won over our tester’s son, who was keen to explore the different activities designed to support fine motor skills.
‘His favourite is the page, which he can flip over to play a counting song on one side and an alphabet song on the other,’ says Becky. ‘He also likes pushing the walker around, and while its wide-set wheels make it nice and sturdy, it’s light enough for him to turn corners.’
Verdict: While Charlie’s a fan, Becky says she can’t pretend the zebra’s giggle and chatter don’t grate on her a little. Happily, there’s an easy-to-find off switch. ‘Good news if you want a break from the tunes or don’t enjoy being urged, in a sing-song voice, to ‘go for a walk’ when you accidentally nudge it with your foot after bedtime,’ adds Becky. ‘The walker is good quality and not at all flimsy. It feels like it would survive plenty of rough play, and provide a lot of entertainment for the price.’
How to choose the best baby walker for you
Before you choose which baby walker to buy, consider these factors:
Your baby’s age – Most baby walkers are designed for babies aged six months or older. However, all babies develop at different rates so a good indicator that your little one is ready for a walker toy is when they start using the furniture to pull themselves up to a standing position. Some walkers double as activity tables or sit-and-play units so if you choose one of these types of walker toys, you can expect your baby to enjoy playing with it even if they’re not yet ready to use it practicing their steps.
Wooden or plastic – Many plastic baby walker toys have battery-operated features such as games, lights, and sound effects for your baby to explore. Babies love to interact with these elements – but you might get tired of hearing the same sounds endlessly on repeat!
Wooden walkers don’t have these ‘noisy’ electronic elements but usually have play elements, such as stacking blocks or shape sorters, built into the design. Most baby walkers are brightly coloured to capture a baby’s interest but wooden walkers in neutral, muted tones are popular with design-conscious parents.
How much room you’ve got: Some walkers have a very wide wheelbase which means you need a generous amount of floor space to maoeuvre them around. Your baby may get frustrated if they can’t pick up much speed before crashing into a wall or piece of furniture. So if you’re short on space, choose one of the walkers that we’ve highlighted as being practical for that scenario, such as the Rainbow Cloud Walker.
Are baby walkers good for babies?
Before they’re ready to walk, babies need lots of tummy time to help strengthen the muscles they’ll eventually use for rolling over, crawling, and walking. Once your baby starts pulling up to standing and holding on to the furniture to cruise around the room, a baby walker can be a useful tool to help develop those skills. The best baby walkers help build your baby’s confidence, ready to take those important first steps.
Some types of baby walker toys are associated with a risk of injury, however. In particular, your baby shouldn’t spend long periods in the type of seated baby walker that encourages standing on their tiptoes. You should never leave your baby unattended in a baby walker and experts recommend not using a baby walker for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time.
What age is best for a baby walker?
This depends on which type of baby walker you choose. Many baby walker toys are suitable for use from six months, but check the age recommendations for the walker you’re thinking of buying, to make sure it’s safe and appropriate for your baby’s age and your child’s stage of development.
Having a baby walker among the toys in your baby’s playroom or nursery means your little one is likely to gravitate towards it when the time comes for taking those memorable first steps.
How we tested these baby walkers
Our product review testing process is fair, consistent and robust.
Our Consumer Editor Heidi Scrimgeour came up with a shortlist of the best baby walkers based on her product knowledge and industry research. She looked at the latest offering from the market-leading brands – and as a parenting journalist for 15 years and mother of three, what she doesn’t know about baby products isn’t worth knowing. She also selected products from a broad range of price points so there’s a baby walker toy on this list to suit every budget.
Next, we called on our pool of parent testers and assigned each of them a baby walker to review with their baby. They tested the product rigorously for at least a month.
After this, they gave each product a rating out of five for overall performance. We also asked for comprehensive feedback on key factors including design appeal, functionality (how easy is it to assemble and use), portability (how easy is it to carry around the house and how compact when stored), and value for money.
If all that walking is getting a bit tiring, why not check out our round-up of the best pushchairs and best baby carriers. If you’re after other baby kit for your home, we’ve also got a guide to the best high chairs and the best baby food makers to make weaning that little bit more easier.
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