Running age: when does your little one usually start learning?

When the baby is able to stand up and walk on his own, of course you are looking forward to other interesting motor developments that will be shown by your little one. Running, for example, which he might soon begin to show. Actually, at what age do children start learning to run? Here's the full review.

When is the age for children to start learning to run on their own?

In fact, the human body was created to move, said Shari Barkin, M.D., as a pediatrician in the United States. This ability of the body to move is known as motor ability.

Body motor that is working properly is a sign that the brain, muscles, and nerves throughout the body can function properly. One of the activities that shows that the body's motor skills are working well is running.

The reason is, when running, the body combines the work of the muscles, bones, nerves and brain, which in turn forms a movement. Apart from practicing the motor skills of the body, learning to run also seems to be another milestone in children's development.

Yes, after successfully mastering the ability to balance themselves and walk well, at a later age the child will begin to learn to run here and there. That is why it is important to pay attention to children's development at all times during their developmental period.

The age range for children to start learning to run is usually around 18-24 months. However, it should be understood that the age range for children to learn to run is only a general guideline.

In other words, the age of children learning to run cannot be generalized, because the abilities and development of each child are not always the same. So, if at that age range your child hasn't shown signs of getting good at running on his own, you don't need to worry too much.

The development of motor skills of children may be more than that age range. As long as your little one still shows various other developments, of course it doesn't matter.

It is okay to often invite children to walk outside the house to practice their running skills. However, don't expect that your child will be able to run on their own right away.

You may need to work on practicing it little by little, until your little one manages to run on his own.

How do you help children learn to run?

If the child has entered the age where he should start learning to run, usually your little one will show signs of being ready to run. Especially when children often pay attention to the people around them running.

Generally, children become more motivated to try and train themselves so they can run on their own. Plus, when children begin to become adept at walking, balancing themselves, awakening themselves, their body muscles will get stronger and ready to develop other motor skills.

In addition, you can invite your child to play in an area that is large enough and safe for your little one. Encourage your child to actively move at will, but still under your supervision.

In this case, you can help your child learn to run by teaching him to stabilize himself while walking. Whether it's in a slow walking motion, or fast.

As the child's walking movements get faster and faster, he usually starts to be able to run little by little. At the beginning of the learning process, you can accompany your little one while asking him to run at a slow or medium tempo.

As your child's abilities develop, you can help your little one by giving him directions while learning to run. For example, by asking him not to run too far or too fast before the child starts running.

This needs to be done considering your little one is honing his running skills, and may suddenly run away from you in a short time.

Do you need to worry if your child runs slowly?

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As previously explained, the age of children learning to run can vary. So, you don't need to worry too much, because usually your little one will show his own development.

One of the efforts you can do is to train this child's motor skills. However, what if the child's speed when running is slow, and not like their age?

Do not rush to conclude negative things. Take a look, does the child feel safe running in that place? Because if the child sees the environment around him looks uncomfortable, like a lot of rocks, maybe this is what affects his running speed.

On the other hand, a child's running speed can also be affected by their running habits. When the child is quite accustomed to it and feels proficient, generally he can run almost anywhere.

On the other hand, if the child is still at the learning stage, he may be more careful and comfortable running at a moderate or even slow tempo.

This doesn't matter as long as the child likes it. The key is you still need to be patient to always invite your child to move actively until they can run.

Even though there are physical conditions that may prevent your child from running such as flat feet or pointing inwards, this will not make it difficult for your child to run. This was explained by Sara Hamel, M.D, as a pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, United States.

However, you still need to consult a doctor if there are conditions such as one side of your child's body that moves better than the other, your child often walks on tiptoes, and your child often walks back and forth aimlessly.