My Baby Can't Squat Down from Standing
The short answer
Squatting down from standing and returning to standing is a skill that typically develops around 12-15 months. It requires good leg strength, balance, and coordination. If your toddler is newly walking, they may plop down rather than squat gracefully, which is normal. Most children squat well by 18 months.
Parents everywhere have the same worry. You are doing the right thing by looking into it.
By Age
What to expect by age
Babies at this age who are just pulling to stand typically plop down or lower themselves by holding onto furniture. True squatting is not expected yet. Your baby is building the leg strength and balance needed for this skill.
As walking becomes more stable, squatting begins to develop. Your toddler may initially squat while holding onto furniture and gradually learn to do it independently. Early squats may be more like controlled falls, and that is fine.
Most toddlers can squat to pick up a toy and return to standing by 18 months. If your child consistently falls when trying to bend down, they may need more practice or may have balance or strength issues worth discussing with your pediatrician.
Squatting should be well established. If your toddler cannot squat at all, evaluation of leg strength, balance, and joint flexibility is recommended. Some toddlers with tight Achilles tendons have difficulty squatting with heels on the floor.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your baby is under 15 months and plops down rather than squatting.
- Your toddler squats while holding onto furniture for support.
- Your child can squat briefly but loses balance sometimes.
- Squatting ability is improving over time.
- Your child is over 18 months and cannot squat to pick up a toy.
- Your child always falls backward when trying to squat.
- Your child seems to have stiff ankles or cannot get heels flat.
- Your child could squat previously and has lost this ability.
- Your child has sudden leg weakness or difficulty with other leg movements.
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
Worrying about your baby means you care. That is a good thing.
Related Physical Concerns
My Toddler Has Poor Balance
Toddlers are naturally clumsy - learning to walk, run, and navigate the world is hard work, and falls are a normal part of the process. Most kids take months to walk confidently and years to have truly good balance. However, if your toddler falls constantly, always to one side, or seems much more unsteady than other kids their age, it's worth having their pediatrician take a look.
My Baby Is Walking on Their Toes
Toe walking is extremely common when babies are first learning to walk and is usually nothing to worry about. Up to 5% of children toe walk at some point, and most outgrow it by age 2-3. It only becomes a concern if it persists past age 2 or if your child seems unable (rather than unwilling) to put their feet flat.
My Baby Walks with Stiff Legs
Some stiffness in early walking is normal as babies learn to coordinate their leg muscles. However, persistent stiff-legged walking that does not improve over weeks may indicate increased muscle tone (hypertonia) that should be evaluated. Most babies develop a more fluid walking pattern within a few months of starting to walk.
My Baby Seems to Use One Side More Than the Other
Babies should use both sides of their body fairly equally during the first 18 months of life. While slight preferences can be normal, a consistent pattern of favoring one side - using one arm much more than the other, crawling with one leg dragging, or turning the head predominantly one way - should always be discussed with your pediatrician. Early identification of asymmetry leads to the best outcomes.
My Baby Only Army Crawls
Army crawling (also called commando crawling) is a completely valid and normal way for babies to move. Many babies army crawl for weeks or even months before transitioning to hands-and-knees crawling, and some skip hands-and-knees crawling entirely. What matters is that your baby is independently mobile and exploring their environment.
One Side of My Baby's Body Moves Differently
Babies should generally use both sides of their body equally. If one side consistently moves differently, is weaker, stiffer, or less coordinated, this warrants evaluation. Asymmetric movement can indicate hemiplegia (cerebral palsy affecting one side), brachial plexus injury, or other neurological conditions that benefit from early therapy.