Teaching Children to Stand

Motor Learning 

Motor Learning occurs in stages and builds upon previously acquired skills. Standing occurs once child masters independent sitting and often times in conjunction with independent crawling. Once the child demonstrates the strength, balance and coordination needed for further milestones, we can assist their motor development in a healthy and helpful manner.

Intrinsic and extrinsic feedback are both essential in the development of each new skill. For standing, intrinsic feedback involves proprioception, utilizing the ground surface to push off for support, finding aligned neutral position, and engaging the necessary musculature to maintain balance. We can use massage to provide graded input to the foot. In addition gentle joint compressions to the ankle, knee and hip can help promote awareness of each lower extremity joint.

Encouraging barefoot navigation as much as possible, allowing child to weight bear on different tactile surfaces, will help activate and develop the intrinsic muscles of foot which comprise the arch, so integral to child’s ability to stand and walk independently!

Standing Milestones

• Pull to Stand: 7-9 months
• Stand at Support Surface : 8-10 months
• Stand Independently: 10-12 months

Tips to Encourage Independent Standing

Shift Focus

Take the focus off your child and more on the toys or objects (in this case a beautiful duck we spotted in the park!) that are motivating. Instead of saying, “Stand up and look at this duck” try, “Wow, I see a duck, let’s go get a closer look!”

Offer Dynamic Support

Use therapy ball as dynamic support, which can be placed to side, in front or behind child. This is a great way to decrease dependence on adult for external support and develop a better sense of body awareness as we target strength and stability.

Use Music

Find a song that your child likes and have a “dance party”. Once your child sees you standing and bouncing to the beat, encourage them to join the fun. A good cadence can help encourage knee flexion/extension (facilitating leg musculature activation), which is important for independent standing and walking. Let the child hold an egg shaker or tambourine so that their hands are busy and they let go of your support!

Toy Placement

Keep things off the floor, using shelves or surfaces which allow placement of items at a height where child needs to stand and reach.  A shape sorter is great for this activity. You can place the different shapes at different levels to encourage squatting and standing!

Vertical Surfaces

Utilize vertical surfaces to allow child to work on reaching & crossing midline in standing position. Suction spinners & magnetic toys are great motivators!

Mix It Up

Change up the environment if you can; visit the park, the beach, friends/relatives houses, play spaces. It is important to generalize skills, new environments offer new challenges and new motivations!

Bring a Friend

Use one on one peer modeling (with peer who is standing/walking). Allow  child the opportunity to watch and engage with peer. Passing a soft ball back and forth can be a great motivator for standing! This is also a great way to incorporate hand eye coordination skills!

Slam Dunk

Make your own basketball game using different objects to throw into receptacle (held higher to encourage standing). Think outside the box, for example throwing rolled up socks into laundry basket! This basketball hoop is a big hit in our house!