Parent tip
Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.
First Steps Delivery Game
Give your early walker small objects to carry from one spot to another — a purposeful walking game that builds confidence and balance.
Activity details
Instructions
- Place a basket or bin on the floor a few metres away from where you and your child are sitting.
- Hand your child a soft ball and point to the basket: 'Can you carry this to the basket for me?'
- Walk alongside them the first time, offering one hand for balance if needed.
- When they drop the ball into the basket, clap and cheer: 'You delivered it! Well done!'
- Hand them a second item — a stuffed animal or building block — and let them try again independently.
- Gradually increase the distance by moving the basket a little further each round.
- After five or six deliveries, swap roles: you carry an item and your child points to where it should go.
- Finish by tipping the basket out together and sorting the items back — a satisfying reset.
What success looks like
Flushed cheeks, big smiles, and a calmer child afterwards. If they want to do it again, you’ve found a winner.
Carrying something while walking is a significant motor milestone because it demands that a toddler balance without using their arms for stability. This simple delivery game gives your child a lightweight item — a soft ball, a wooden block, a stuffed animal — and a clear destination to carry it to. The task is motivating because it feels like real, purposeful work, and every successful delivery builds the confidence to try a slightly longer route next time.
Why it helps
Carrying objects while walking requires what physiotherapists call 'dual-task processing' — the brain must manage balance and grip simultaneously. This strengthens the vestibular and proprioceptive systems that underpin confident walking. NHS developmental milestones note that most children begin carrying objects while walking between 12 and 18 months, so this activity meets them right at that developmental window.
Variations
- Use a toy shopping bag instead of a basket so your child can practise the more challenging task of walking with a bag in one hand.
- Set up two baskets and ask your child to sort items by type — soft things in one, hard things in the other — adding a cognitive layer.
- Play outdoors on grass, where the uneven surface provides additional balance challenge and proprioceptive input.
Safety tips
- Only offer lightweight, unbreakable items that won't hurt if dropped on toes or if your child falls onto them.
- Ensure the path between start and basket is completely clear of furniture edges and loose rugs.
- Never rush your child — let them set the pace and stop whenever they want to, even mid-delivery.
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