Hi Steph – They climb down steps head first. No, you don’t stand by and let it happen, you spot them for safely from one step below. And you ideally give them ample opportunities to practice with just a step or two as with a climber like this one in your child’s play area: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035YATBI?tag=janetlansbury-20. Hope that explains.

This is so important too. My daughter didn’t crawl until around 13 months and didn’t walk until 22 months. She has come along way with the help, of a physical therapist. Now at 2.5 years old she is running with her friends and climbing ladders just like this, almost better than some of them.

Hi Saranya – Can you please tell me more about how he spends his day? I would only place him on his back on a firm surface and not on his tummy.

I was thinking the same thing! My first son spent a lot of time in carrier as that was the *only* place he was happy. And I don’t use the word only lightly. Literally, that was the only place he was happy. However, despite going with the flow and letting him do his thing, he would have never done this at that age. He is 2.5 and still won’t go anywhere near a ladder, swing, or slide. He has never been “a climber”. He is far too cautious. He did master the stairs alarmingly early, but playground equipment is not his thing, and not because we didn’t let him or helped him too much. Actually, he never had help learning to walk because he hates his hands touched! I’m sure someday he’ll be all over the playground, but I also hope that any parents who have kids like mine who would much rather play with stones and run through the grass don’t think they did something “wrong” because their 1 year old isn’t scaling playground equipment. 😉