Around six to nine months of age, babies become more interested in the world going on around them. They begin to reach for different things and some babies will also begin to start to crawl and explore their environment. It’s also common during this time developmentally that they may begin to pull themselves up on the side of a chair or the couch. Sometimes the baby will pull themselves up and just stand there, other times they will begin to “cruise,” or walk side to side while holding on the couch or chair.
Although most babies will cruise along the couch, they are still too afraid to let go of the couch and take their first actual steps without holding on the anything. This is when some parents will choose to get their baby a baby walker so that they can experience the freedom of mobility and help them become less afraid of letting go and begin moving on their own.