Creating a confident climber

Your baby is beginning to understand themselves and realising that they can lead their own explorations on how to move and get around. This will be a time of mixed feelings for you since you want your baby to grow stronger and move with confidence, but you also want to keep them safe. Here are some ways to support your young climber as they begin to scale new heights.

Babies have different levels of confidence

They also have no sense of danger. So, while your baby will be happy to move around, explore and get into places you would never have thought of, when it comes to climbing, not all babies will have the same confidence. Climbing can be thrilling for some, while others may stop after a few steps, or freeze just over halfway, or maybe cry when they reach the top. There is not one single emotional journey that babies will follow when climbing a flight of stairs. 

How you can encourage and keep them safe

The last thing we want to do is scare our babies when they take on new challenges, but this can be easier said than done. Consider these two simple suggestions to help your baby climb with confidence. 

The most important thing you can do is be right behind your baby when they climb. You will feel more in control of them as they make their way, knowing there is less chance of them taking a tumble. Your baby will feel comforted by your presence, and it will also build their confidence. 

Secondly, praise all their efforts, no matter if they climb one step, or all of them. Seeing and hearing positivity from you will help reduce any fear of danger that could accidentally be instilled; your encouraging comments will help them feel protected and secure.