Learn to Climb Stairs

Navigating stairs can be a tricky skill for many kids, especially when they don’t have stairs at home and don’t get to practice this skill very often. Stairs can be nerve-wrecking for parents and scary for kids and it is important that kids can navigate stairs safely.

Typically, a child should be able to walk up and down stairs without support, placing one foot on each step by the time they are 4-5 years old. Although it may seem like going down stairs should be easier, keep in mind that going down stairs is actually more difficult than going up stairs.

Not only does going up and down stairs require strength, it also requires single leg balance to lift one foot onto the next step, and coordination and motor planning to switch feet. So, how can you help your child learn how to navigate the stairs safely?

Here are some ideas on how to promote stair climbing:

1. Strengthening

   1. Step stool – have your child step up and down on a step stool or other elevated surface (stack of books, curb, etc.). Make sure to have them practice this using both sides equally. To make this more challenging, increase the height of the surface or have your child hold an object that is heavy.
   2. Wall Squats – have your child stand with their back against a wall with their feet shoulder width apart and out in front of them about 6-12 inches. Have your child slowly slide their back down the wall until their thighs are parallel to the ground, keeping their feet flat on the floor. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds and then have your child slide their back up the wall to return to standing.
   3. Sit to Stands – have your child sit on a  low surface such as a step stool and come to standing without using their hands, promoting leg and trunk strengthening. To make this more difficult, have your child place their feet on an unstable surface (couch cushion, pillow, wiggle cushion, etc.) and/or have them hold onto a heavy object. To make this easier, have them sitting on a higher surface.

2. Balance

   1. Can Taps – place a small piece of tape on the floor and a small object (like a can of food) in front of you child, just out of the reach of their leg. Have your child stay behind the tape and slowly bend one leg while reaching the other forward to tap the object and return to standing. To make this more difficult, have your child stand on an unstable surface (pillow, cushion, etc.) or an elevated surface (step stool, stair, etc.). Not only does this exercise help with balance, but it also helps with strength! Make sure to have them practice using each side for this exercise.
   2. Step Overs – place a series of 3-5 objects on the floor with about 8 inches between each object. These objects can start out small (can of food, a small toy, etc.) and work up to taller objects (a book standing upright, a box of cereal or other food, etc.).
   3. Standing on 1 Foot – have your child practice standing on one foot while playing throughout the day. If your child has difficulty with single leg balance, check out our other blog post on ways to improve single leg balance here.

3. Alternating Steps

   1. Stickers – place colored stickers on alternating steps (ex. yellow, red, yellow, red) and then place one colored sticker on each foot (ex. red on right, yellow on left) and have your child match the colors on their feet to the color on each step. This can also work with animal stickers or any sort of sticker that your child likes!
   2. Footprints – cut out colored footprints and place one footprint on each stair in a similar manner to the stickers mentioned above and tell your child to step only on the footprints. If the footprints alone don’t seem to help, use more verbal cues such as “bring right foot to green, now left foot all the way down to red” or help them balance by supporting them at their hips.

4. Other Ideas

   1. If your child seems to rely on the railing to help them go up and down stairs, you can help improve their confidence by having them hold onto the sleeve of your shirt, a hula hoop that you are also holding onto in front of you, the other end of a stick you are also holding, etc., so they still feel supported but aren’t actually receiving as much support. You can also have them carry a ball or other large toy with 2 hands to help encourage them not to use the railing.
   2. If you don’t have access to stairs at home, I highly suggest taking your child out into the community to places where they can practice using the stairs. That way when your child encounters stairs at school or elsewhere in the community when you aren’t there to help them, you and your child can feel confident in their ability to safely navigate the stairs by themselves.
   3. Even if you have stairs at home, I recommend practicing in a variety of settings (library, playground, etc.) as this will only help increase your child’s confidence with stairs.
   4. If your child has stairs at their school, have them practice going up and down stairs while carrying their backpack, carrying books, etc. Try to make the practice simulate situations in the community as best as possible!
   5. If your child has visual impairments, place brightly colored tape along the edge of the steps to help them identify the edge of each stair.

If you feel like your child could use some extra help learning how to safely navigate stairs, ask their pediatrician to send a referral to physical therapy so we can help you and your child feel safe and comfortable using the stairs!