The best baby walkers and push toys don’t just encourage your little one’s first steps, they also encourage play and interaction, and let them explore the world in new ways.
While you might want to hold off your little boy or girl from walking for fear of accidents, choosing the best baby walker will allow them to gain confidence and start walking in a safe, secure way when they are ready.
Many walkers also come with educational games, enticing lights, fun sound effects, and bright colours, so will automatically be something that your baby is interested in and engaged in. To help you get the most out of this important developmental stage, we’ve created a list of the best baby walkers to suit every budget, style, and space. Whether you’re a fan of wooden, Scandi-style toys, minimalist designs, or all-singing, all-dancing colourful, plastic creations, along with our team of testers, we’ve done hours of research to find out everything you need to know before deciding on the right walker or push toy for your and your toddler.
When you've chosen the best walker for your baby, read our guide to the best baby carriers and the best pushchairs. After all, walking can get tiring!
Best baby walkers 2023 - our top pick
Our pick of the best baby walker is the Vtech First Steps Baby Walker. It's robust enough to withstand crashing into walls and doors when your toddler picks up speed, but it's also light enough for little ones to manoeuvre around the room easily. We love the fact that it has a detachable play panel with light and sound features so you get real value from it – it's not 'just' a walking aid but an interactive toy that's likely to hold your little one's attention in both modes of play. Our tester found it easy to put together and noted that it's easy to pop away when it's no longer in use. Best of all, it really made a difference to our little tester's independent walking skills. It's a win win!
Best baby walkers 2023 - tried and tested
Our consumer editor says: This colourful, sturdy walker is packed with fun and appealing sounds and features to keep busy hands and brains occupied. It gives good support for little feet just starting to step out, and offers plenty of playtime appeal, both before and after its use as a walker.
It has a detachable two-mode panel with lights and sounds including a movable bird character, rotating gears, piano keys and a toy smartphone, while the frame also houses a simple roller rattle. It’s easy to assemble and its compact size makes it easy to store at bedtime.
Our tester says: 'Thea was immediately interested in this walker when it arrived, getting very excited as I went through the simple process of putting it together,' says Katy Islip, mum to Thea, nine months. She gave her baby the play panel to explore on the floor at first, which was an instant hit.
'Thea got straight into pushing the piano keys and opening and closing the central door,' says Katy. 'There are loads of engaging toys in the play panel, which doubles up on the fun by offering a music mode and a learning mode. This effectively gives every feature a dual purpose, so there’s no danger of Thea getting bored with it - or of me getting fed up with the same noises and tunes.'
Our tester also commented on the wide range of music and songs that this walker plays, with more natural voices than baby toys typically feature. 'The two-volume levels help keep the chaos to a dull roar when needed, too,' she adds.
Verdict: Babies seem to universally love this walker toy – our baby gear expert had one for her first baby almost 16 years ago – and we think it offers brilliant value for money. Our tester found this walker gave her daughter hours of fun play, as well as physical support which helped build her confidence as she moved towards independent walking.
- Read our full Vtech First Steps baby walker review
