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About baby walkers
A baby walker helps entertain and support a baby or toddler learning to walk.
The baby or toddler can sit and stand inside the baby walker and use their feet to move it around.
Child safety experts do not recommend baby walkers, due to the serious injuries babies can suffer when using them.
Risks and injuries from the product
Each year many children end up in hospital emergency rooms from accidents involving baby walkers.
Babies and toddlers can suffer serious injuries from baby walkers. These include head trauma, fractures, and facial injuries from falls.
Babies and toddlers can trip over objects left on the floor. Keep toys, clothes or other household items out of the way.
To avoid serious injuries like burns, cuts and strangulation, make sure they can’t access or reach:
- bench tops where there may be hot food, drinks or sharp objects
- kitchen utensil drawers where sharp objects are stored
- fireplaces and heaters, ovens and other appliances
- blinds and curtain cords.
Things to look for when buying the product
Serious injuries have happened to babies using baby walkers. For this reason, there’s a mandatory standard that suppliers and retailers must comply with.
Only buy and use baby walkers that comply with the baby walkers mandatory standard.
Design and construction
- The baby walker has a braking mechanism to stop it falling down steps.
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There are no sharp edges or places that can trap fingers.
- Any folding mechanism latches securely and won’t collapse when assembled.
Marks and labels
- The baby walker has a safety warning statement that is easy to read and clearly displayed.
The safety warning statement must have these words in this type of format as required by the mandatory safety standard:
WARNING – Never leave a child unattended. Always keep child in view while in a walker.
The safety warning will look something like this:
The stair warning label will look something like this:
How to use the product safely
Set up baby walkers safely
When you start using the baby walker, make sure you:
- follow the product assembly instructions
- follow product guidelines for your baby’s age, size and development
- don’t cover or remove the safety warning statement.
Create a safe environment to use the baby walker
Always supervise your baby or toddler when in the baby walker. Make sure you:
- always keep baby in reach of an adult who can prevent access to dangerous areas and items
- only use the baby walker on flat, even and safe surfaces to avoid falling or tipping over
- block off access to staircases, steps, kitchens and fireplaces
- don’t put any objects on the baby walker that could cause it to tip over
- don’t leave your child in the baby walker for longer than 15 minutes at a time. Overuse can lead to developmental delays when they are learning to walk.
Watch our video on baby walker safety
Over 100 children visit emergency rooms every year from accidents involving baby walkers.
This video will help teach you how to check if your baby walker is safe, and know the hazards baby walkers pose if not used safely.
Video transcript
VISION: Shot of an empty baby walker.
TEXT: Over 100 children visit emergency rooms each year because of baby walker accidents
VISION: First person view of a baby in a baby walker as it moves through the room.
BABY: Mama!
TEXT: Infants in baby walkers can suffer serious injuries from tripping hazards and accessing dangerous items around the home
VISION: First person view of a baby in a baby walker who continues to move, spotting the strap of a handbag, and pulling on it. The bag snares a teacup on the table and it falls with a crash. Cut to black.
The baby is now in the baby walker moving towards an upturned rug. The baby trips and falls. Cut to black.
The baby is now in the baby walker at the top of a staircase. As the baby falls, there is a crash and the baby cries.
TEXT: When buying a baby walker make sure to look for these safety features
Look for warning labels
Braking mechanism
Always supervise your child in a baby walker
VISION: ACCC logo
TEXT: Go to productsafety.gov.au/babywalkers for more safety tips
NARRATOR: Authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra.