We put the Vtech First Steps Baby Walker through its paces, and here's why it's a best buy

Katy Islip, mum to nine-month-old Thea Wiltshire, put the Vtech First Steps Baby Walker to the test. Take a look at our in-depth review to see if it's right for you and your baby.

We love the Vtech First Steps Baby Walker because it's packed with engaging features that delight babies and toddlers alike, yet it's light enough for little cruisers to steer around the room with confidence. It's specifically designed to support your baby's development from six months. For that reason, we think the Vtech First Steps Baby Walker is one of the best baby walkers you can buy.

Little ones seem to love playing with this walker, no matter what stage of development they're at. Sitting babies enjoy pressing all the buttons and exploring the interactive features on the play panel – which genuinely never seems to get boring – and toddlers who've long since mastered walking still love pushing this walker around, given half the chance.

Design

Weighs: 2.5kg | Suitable for: 6m to 3yrs | Batteries required: 3xAA

This push-along walker is colourful and sturdy, offering support for those exciting first steps. With chunky, textured wheels and an easy-grip handle, it's really easy for budding walkers to control as they tentatively take to their feet. And when little legs get tired, the lift-away activity panel means it's still loads of fun for floor time too. The two-mode (learning/music) panel with lights and sounds includes a movable bird, rotating gears, piano keys and a toy smartphone, while the frame also houses a simple roller rattle.

The walker is easy to assemble and its compact size and design also make it easy to store – another reason to love it. According to Vtech, the play features are intended to stimulate baby’s senses and help improve hand-to-eye co-ordination, and they certainly seem to delight little ones and keep them engaged.

We particularly like the play panel on this walker because it adds to the longevity of this toy – it's so much more than just a walking aid. "The play panel has a host of cute features, from the bouncing bird perched at the top to the chatty singing puppy – my one gripe is that the music and sound effects seem to be able to operate simultaneously, which means things jump about a bit to adult ears," says our tester Katy Islip, mum to Thea, nine months.

We were also impressed with how well this walker handles. Turning corners takes a bit of practice, for sure, but it's light enough to be easy to change course when a little walker accidentally hits a door or a wall. And while it's robust enough to withstand the odd wrong turn or collision, it's not so sturdy that it's going to take chunks out of your plaster if your little one's steering skills need a little bit more work.

Overall, Katie was really impressed with this walker. She feels it has lots to offer to babies and toddlers of all ages, and thinks it's thoughtfully-designed. "Sensible touches like having the shape sorter pieces on cords mean they won’t get lost," she says. "It’s colourful, tuneful and sturdy, combining loads of fun features into one engaging package. It offers plenty to keep babies occupied from the sitting stage right up to walking and beyond. I think Thea will continue to enjoy this walker for a long time to come."

Comfort and features

There are loads of engaging toys in the play panel, which doubles up on the fun by offering a music mode and a learning mode. This effectively gives every feature a dual purpose, so there’s no danger of little ones getting bored with it – or of parents or carers getting fed up of listening to the same old sounds and tunes.

The educational element of the play panel has plenty to it, too. It doesn't just play repetitive tuns or sounds, as some musical toys for toddlers do, but can genuinely be used to help little ones learn numbers, shapes, and animals.

We also like the textured wheels and easy-grip handle – clever features that make this easy to steer and control, even for little ones who are still a bit wobbly on their feet.

Katie found fitting the panel to the walker really straightforward. "It simply clicks into place, and it's very easy for an adult to remove again using the release button," she says. "The wheels on the walker move very freely – this caught Thea out a little at first when she wanted to stand and play rather than walk – a lock feature would be a good idea for babies who are still mastering pulling themselves up to standing. As she’s got better and more confident at cruising, Thea has increasingly enjoyed using the walker to move around the room – usually adorably wreathed in smiles as she follows it about our living room."

Value for money

The ultimate value test when it comes to toys is whether little ones keep using them beyond their immediate intended age, and it's a definite yes with this baby walker. Our baby gear expert says she's seen the play panel in friends' houses long after their children have found their feet; it just seems to become a firm favourite in the toy box.

We think this is brilliant value for money for a baby walker. It's inexpensive compared to other walkers, yet it's well-made and packed with fun features and toys. With two modes of play to add to the fun, it offers a huge amount of playability for a reasonably small price – just make sure you don't forget to add the batteries to your basket if you opt for this!

Who should buy the Vtech First Steps baby walker?

If you are looking for a baby walker that offers great value for money and that can be  folded away neatly, then you can't go wrong with this baby walker. The detachable panel is also a great selling point, offering fun times when seated too. 

However, if you're not a fan of noisy, plastic toys and don't want to have to keep buying batteries, then it's worth considering a wooden walker, like the Haus Projekt baby walker instead.

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If you have a little more money in your budget, then the Babymoov 5-in-1 Progressive Walker is worth considering. With a rotating seat and a selection of musical features, it's suitable until your baby weighs 12kg, at which point it becomes a pusher toy for use up to 24 months making it a versatile purchase. We've even made it our pick for the best premium baby walker you can buy overall.

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