This is because children have been known to tip themselves out of these walkers, and catch fingers between the sides of walkers and walls, while the extra height can give them access to plug sockets or other items that would typically be out of reach. Physiotherapists have also warned that the use of baby walkers could actually hinder a child’s ability to learn to walk.
Despite this, you’ll find them for sale in almost every baby store in the country, and they have been certified safe by the European Committee for Standardisation. This standard was amended in 2005 (look for BS EN 1273:2005 when buying a seated walker) to make baby walkers safe, and manufacturers are now obliged to make the baby gear move more slowly. They’ve also added safety features to protect babies from steps and trapping their hands or limbs.
Additionally, as with all baby gear, it’s your responsibility to make sure the walkers are being used safely, and babies shouldn’t be left alone.
- Never leave your baby unattended. Babies can move at one metre per second with a walker so before you know it they could be in trouble without you there to rescue them.
- Baby-proof the room. You may have already put cushions against all the sharp corners and picked all the dangerous objects up from ground level when your baby started to walk, but your baby will gain height in their walker. Look out for household cleaning stuff, perfumes and alcohol that might now be within reach, and bear in mind that if your little one’s in a seated walker, they’ll have new freedom to grasp objects, such as trailing cables, with both hands.
- Don’t leave them in the baby walker too long. It’s a fun way to encourage your baby to walk, but it won’t actually help the process. They’ll have to do that by themselves, using furniture to help. So make sure they spend most of their time on the floor in a hazard-free zone – preferably barefoot – and keep baby walker time as an occasional 20-minute treat.
- Check it has the safety standard. All baby walkers must comply with the safety standard BS EN 1273:2005. Older walkers can topple over easily. If you’re unsure, ask the manufacturer or retailer. All new models comply with this standard but older models, including any that you are given as hand-me-downs, may not.
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Which baby walker is best on carpet?
The best baby walkers to use on carpet are the Zimmer frame-style models, but they don’t offer the support or safety that enclosed seated walkers do.
Due to changes to the European Standard, wheels on seated baby walkers are harder to move than those that came before, in a bid to slow your baby down. The added safety benefits you get from this are offset against the fact they’re harder to use on carpets. It also depends on the thickness of your carpets and the type of pile.
How we test baby walkers
We know how overwhelming it can be to research baby equipment online. With so much choice available, it can be difficult to know where to start. This is the reason we test every baby walker in this roundup to ensure we provide the most honest and hands-on review of a product.
We test three main types of walker: seated, walking frame, and trailers. Each offers something a little different depending on the developmental stage of your baby, from helping your little one to transition from crawling to walking, to also doubling up as a play station. We paid particularly attention to each walker’s safety features such as the weight, age suitability, how easy it was to fold for storage, and general quality and construction. At the end of each review, we also include a snapshot of the key specs for each baby walker so you can do a quick comparison.
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The best baby walkers you can buy in 2023
1. Babylo Combo 3-in-1 walker: Best baby walker for versatility
Price when reviewed: £65 | Check price at Amazon
Combining the best features of sit-in walkers and their push-along counterparts, the Babylo Combo is three products in one.
First, it’s a static rocker – somewhere you can put your baby while you load up the washing machine or sort out dinner and where they can entertain themselves with the lights and colours on the small activity table. When in this position, the Babylo Combo has a footrest to prevent your little one from moving around.
Second, it’s a seated walker. Once you remove the footrest, your baby can start exploring and pushing themselves around as they grow in confidence and get more strength in their legs.
Third – and this is what elevates the Babylo Combo from others in this list – you can remove the seat completely and replace it with a bar to transform it into a push-along walker. One that’s more secure and enclosed than other push-along walkers, while still offering the benefits of activities.
When it’s not in use, it also folds down. Chances are that many parents end up buying a seated walker and a push-along one, which cost more than buying this all-in-one model.
Key specs – Age range: 6 months+; Dimensions: 57 x 61 x 77cm (HWD); Cleaning: Wipe clean
