Trying to decide on steady walker/push toy

[tigalig]

Our dd is delayed in walking and her therapist recommends that we get her a push toy/walker (not the kind she'll sit in), but this is all new to me so I'm asking you. Is there a "preferred" push toy out there that is steady? I had my eye on the Walker Wagon from Haba and the Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon, but I'm not sure. Any ideas or suggestions?

[holliam]

I'm no expert but we just got the Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon and DD LOVES it. She is 8 months old one of her favorite things to do is stand up at the coffee table or hold our fingers and walk. So, I thought this would add some excitement to her life.

It moves too quickly for her to keep up just yet so we actually either move it along more slowly with her or park it in front of something. She stands up at that thing laughing her head off. LOL The sides also slip right out so we took them off so she could practice taking things in/out of the cart while sitting down. She really loves this thing.

I imagine in another couple of weeks she'll be able to keep up with the pace of it. It supposedly has "resisting" that makes it not go as fast as something with wheels, and it definitely does go slower but not quite slow enough for our young girly.

ETA: Here's hoping Beth doesn't tell me I shouldn't have bought this. LOL

Holli

[sdbc]

We got the little tikes racer http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005850H/qid=1116966529/br=1-1/ref=br_lf_t_1//002-5139274-4089653?v=glance&s=toys&n=556986 for $5 at a consignment sale (in girlie pastel colors) and DD loved pushing it before she walked on her own. Now she still enjoys riding on it.

Sue, mommy to Aurora (Rory) born 5/13/04

[neeter]

We have two, and the one that is pretty steady, and doesn't go too quickly is the Leapfrog one. We also have the Fisher-Price one, but it wasn't so great at first because DS was going too quickly and his feet weren't fast enough. Now he's great with the FP, but we were glad to have the Leapfrog one to start.

[holliam]

I'm replying to myself to just add that I was pretty set on choosing a wooden one because we try to limit plastic toys. So, there were not many to consider.

Holli

[ethansmom]

DS received two as gifts - the Playskool and a tonka (sorry, don't know the brand.) This is the idea: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005LBUN/qid=1116982125/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/002-1239665-6153642?v=glance&s=toys

Playskool gets thumbs down, but DS still loves his Tonka. I think it was easier for him to push...better speed control and balance since it has a longer base. Now, it's great for him to ride on.

[brittone2]

Oh Holli, am I that tough LOL ?? ;) Push toys are A-Okay in my book in terms of using them as a developmental tool. DS has a pushtoy so we fully support them here ;)

We have a very old fashioned plastic (yes plastic!) yellow shopping cart style push toy (it has blue wheels). It is one of the more stable ones I've come across. If you happen to see one, scarf it up...they are very stable IMHO.

Anything that has a way to adjust the wheels so they move less quickly is nice, but sturdiness/good center of gravity is what I'd look for overall (this makes it easier to pull to stand at it, which means it is easier to use in general for a new walker). Carpet is obviously easier to walk over at slower speeds than hard floors. You can use your fingers to just help slow the push toy down if all else fails.

Ikea makes a cute walker wagon, and I know the radio flyer is well liked by many here.

But basically, coming from a now SAHM that used to be a pediatric PT, anything stable will work well enough. It just might require that you bend over and slow the speed down for DC until s/he gets the hang of it.

[sue_g]

Ida,
I am curious at what age is a child delayed in walking? My children are 13 months so I was curious.

[brittone2]

generally if they aren't walking by 18 months it is good to get an early intervention eval.

My DS walked at 13.5 months which is considered average....no worries :)

[MarisaSF]

I saw a wooden pusher-walker at Target for about $50 or so. It's by the Parents Magazine people. I don't have any first-hand experience with it, though was thinking about getting it at some point. Holli, I think it was one of your posts about the wooden activity cube at Target that got me looking in that aisle. I haven't seen the walker on any websites though.

ETA: The Parents walker I'm referring to has something like "steady" or "balanced" in its name. Sorry I can't remember! The picture made it look pretty wide/low center or gravity so that it wouldn't easily tip over.

[samiam]

We got our Radio Flyer wagon when ds had just started walking so I can't really comment too much on it in those "trying to walk" days. BUT... I can tell you one thing I hate about it. The fact that it's sturdier than most other push toys is a good and bad thing. The bad is that my ds fell once when pushing the wagon and hit his head on the side of the handles, which are metal. The bruise he got was enormous. That being said, he's now 21 months and still plays with the wagon almost daily. I think it's a great toy but if heaven forbid they fall against it, they can really get hurt.

[lilycat88]

Our DD was delayed with rolling/crawling and has been in physical therapy since March. She has made EXTRAORDINARY progress and is now developmentally appropriate with her gross motor skills. Her therapist is going to continue to work with her for a while to make sure some of the muscle tightness and weakness doesn't return and to make sure she is on the right track with walking and doesn't develop any bad habits. Her therapist started working with the push toys a few weeks ago. Here's our list of the ones we've used and my impression of how they worked for us.

The plastic grocery cart - She tried it for the first time last week with so so results. I think DD is a bit too small (she's 11 months, 22 lbs, 27 inches) for the one her therapist was using so it had her hands up a bit high and it was awkward for her. I think it will be fabulous for a little bigger baby.

One of those ride on toys that has the high back so they can hold on - I think a PP had a link or picture to one of these. We actually bought this specifically after her therapist suggested we get a push toy. Mixed review on this one. It's good in that it is pretty heavy and it doesn't tend to take off totally on her...most of the time. She has a big problem with steering and because it is so long front to back, you have to make sure you have a pretty long clear space for her to move in.

Our FAVORITE at this point is this -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008PW0A/qid=1116990136/br=1-18/ref=br_lf_t_18//103-0095581-6558206?v=glance&s=toys&n=3020681

Sorry for the link. I can't seem to post pictures tonight. We got this quite a while ago when she was going through the "kicking" phase. Unfortunately, it's pretty crappy for that activity. But, it has been fabulous as a push toy. It's a three stage toy...you move parts around for different ages and activities. It is VERY stable and it doesn't go very fast at all. Another thing I like about it is that there is a ton of free space down at the feet. Most push toys, it seems, have something solid down at the bottom and it makes it hard sometimes for her to step without hitting the toy. The sort of "slanted" sides also give her a wide range of hand positions. I don't know if this is even available anymore.

We've also used one of those huge plastic exercise balls...like adults do crunches and other exercises on. She would stand on one side and I would stand on the other and as she walked, the ball would roll. Obviously, there is absolutely no control without a parent helping. This helps with balance as well.

The last thing I can think of is a walker. Beth, I've finally found a good use for a walker! :-) Susanna has a great time pushing the one at daycare around the room. It's very stable and doesn't move toooo quickly. She can also cruise around the outside of it. At least the one where we are.

Those are just some BTDT things we've done. Hope it helps some.

[brittone2]

I just wanted to say way to go, Susanna :) I'm glad therapy has given her the boost she needed and that she's now doing so well....awesome!! :) What a good mama you are for getting her evaluated and getting her the therapy she needed...and now it is paying off!

Hey, that is a pretty good use for a walker ;)

[octmom]

We really like the Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon. Ds still likes to push it around the family room, to put toys into it, and most often, to climb in and have DH race him around the furniture. It won't be too long before he won't be able to squeeze himself in there anymore. :)

Jerilyn
DS, Sean 10/03

"Baby makes days shorter, nights longer, home happier, and love stronger."

[dules]

DD took her first steps this week at 17 months, 23 days! We have the Radio Flyer wagon and it was too fast for her until she was a very steady finger walker, and then she took off with it. We use it outside on our sidewalks.

She also LOVES to push our strollers around. I'm a stroller nut so she has a few to choose from. One pram has an adjustable handle and when I put it all the way down she can walk and push:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y70/mfglickman/weekend/bertinistroll1.jpg



Best,
Mary

[tigalig]

Sue, my daughter is 16 months and just now cruising and trying to stand on her own (no more than two seconds) and the doctors are not alarmed. I was told, however, that if she does not make more progress by 18 months, we would have a physical evaluation for PT. She is currently in OT and ST - preemie baby and making great strides. The interesting thing is that she can walk while holding our hands, but I was told (by her OT) that she will not learn to walk with her hands up high. I feel really silly, but that's how my ds learned to walk so . . . I'm in the market for a walker/push toy.

[tigalig]

Mary, what a great photo and very encouraging for me. I've been hearing alot of "and she can't walk yet?" lately and I'm glad to know that there are others... I'll post a photo of Mia walking in the next year when she takes her first steps. :)

[cadawson]

I did some reserach, and I have decided on the Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon for my DD. Wondering where you purchased yours?

Just a quick note, I read in "Joyful Child" (Michael Olaf company catalogue - they follow the Montessori method & carry appropriate toys) that you can put heavy books in it to slow it down when they are first using it for walking.

[holliam]

Oh my gosh, that idea is brilliant! Why did it not occur to me?

The best price I found was at Kidsurplus, including shipping I paid $63.13. I also ordered it on Wednesday and it arrived on Saturday! I've ordered from them a lot, always with success.

http://store.yahoo.com/kidsurplus/rad12.html

Holli

[dules]

Ida, how old is she? I've been hearing a lot of that too and it really kind of grated on me. A couple of moms actually said "Oh, that's too bad" like there was some dire problem (G-d forbid). I just kept smiling and saying "She'll do it in her time" and "Her pediatrician and I agree that if she has no INTEREST in walking by 18 months, we'll look into it."

She rolled over around 5 months, sat up at 7 (or 8?), and didn't do a true "cross crawl" until she was a year. She did have a funny, scootchy locomotion starting around 10 months. My pediatrician's daughter was apparently very similar in her development so he was not in the least concerned.

She's generally a very placid, mellow child. I honestly think she didn't crawl or walk because she didn't really care to. Now she's starting to develop a shorter fuse and I'm realizing how easy I had it in that first year, lol!

Something that helped me too is that a friend of mine has a 3 year old who followed this same pattern, and whenever I'd mention stress about it she'd say "Do you see any difference in how Katie walks/runs/crawls/sits/climbs NOW?" - it all evens out!

Good luck and I hope you are right there when she takes her first steps!

Best,
Mary

[hellosmiletoday]

We have the FP walker (the one that converts to a ride on). At first it was very slippery on our wood floors and DD would fall alot. However, once DD was stronger, she quickly learned how to use it to walk. I think it helped her learn faster!