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Behaviour/development

teaching a baby to climb stairs that turn a corner

4 replies

mckenzie · 01/03/2006 21:44

our 11 month old DD is now wanting to climb the stairs which we're quite happy with as long as we are with her but how can i teach her to cope with the bend in the stairs. She always tries to 'take the racing line', ie the quickest shortest path but that means that as she turns to the left the width of the stair that she is on narrows considerably and if we're not right behing giving hre soem assistance she will slip.
Not sure if I've explained this very well but if anyone understands what I mean, do you have any advice please? We were in this house when DS was this young but neither Dh nor I can remember what we did.

TIA

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Kelly1978 · 01/03/2006 21:46

Hi,
I think if you leave it to them they work it out for themselves. Ours has a turn and now the boys seem to aim for the narrowist part that they can actually get up on without slipping. They haven't ever fallen. I would let her practise a bit watching her and she will pick it up. My dts are 11 months and shoot up the stairs if the gate is open.

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GeorgieVickyLou · 01/03/2006 21:51

Our DD worked in out on her 3rd (ish attempt)only problem with letting them climb the stairs is that every time you try and carry them up they try thier hardest to get down and do it them selfs which is fine if your not in a hurry. It is good fun though watching them 'throw' them selfs up the stairs (agree Kelly, i must admit to one time i went to find my DD - in the front room i thought, and she was sat on the landing quite happily eating something, ops left the gate open!)

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mckenzie · 01/03/2006 22:13

we've had stair gates at the top of the stairs for a while (2 flights, lots of gates) and the downstairs one will be going on this weekend now. Because of DS though, who so far has been very good and has always remembered to close the gate behind him, we really want to teach her as soon as possible how to do it safely herself. Just in case he does forget one day and we dont realise.
Thanks for the advice and I think I'll just keep doing what i'm doing then which is to put my arm along the inside of the stair to try and force her over to the middle where it is wider.

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mckenzie · 02/03/2006 21:58

oh dear. DD started to head up the stairs today when i'd turned my back for a second (the stair gate isn't going to be put up until the weekend now, DH working all hours). As I saw her she was just at the turn that i was talking about in yesterday's message, I foolishly called out her name in shock/horror at what she was doing, she turned her head round towards me and lost her balance and rolled down 7 stairs!!
Her eyes were showing sheer fright but she didn't actually hurt herself as far as I could tell. Her crying certainly only lasted a minute or so. Taught me a sesson though. I shall put the pushchair in front of the stairs until the gate is put up properly.