What’s the safest way to teach a toddler to get down steep stairs?

[Tillytollytally]

DD is 22 months and has just surprised us all by making her way up the stairs! So now we need to decide on the best way to teach her how to get down. The thing is that they are quite steep Victorian stairs, so she can’t really stand up and hold on to a spindle and step down - the step is too far/tall for her to manage.

Would we be better off teaching her to bum shuffle down, or to climb down backwards (i.e. the reverse way she just went up!)?

On their bum.

My DS is 19 months, he started climbing the stairs at about 14 months and has recently started to climb down them forwards whilst holding the spindles (in my mum’s Victorian house!) but only with direct supervision. The stair gates are closed at the top and bottom the remainder of the time.

I would see how she does with the spindles tbh, but encourage bum shuffling down rather than climbing backwards as if she falls, she’ll whack her little face on the step in front of her.

Mine climbs down backwards. But really, he is never ever left alone to do so. One of us is ALWAYS with him. If the stairs gate is open and he runs up, we follow him quickly.

Yep, this.

Mine went down backwards though always with an adult at that age.

Definitely backwards. It’s harder for them to fall and, if they do, they would slide down feet first rather than tumble head first. It’s also a useful skill in the playground, climbing trees and if you go clambering over rocks at playgrounds and things.

Show her how to do it and let her copy you. If the stairs are steep I’d do coming down backwards.
I’d also recommend a stair gate, she’s still really young and can’t rely on her not zipping up there and then falling before you’ve even noticed where she is.

One of mine developed an interesting method to descend. He would position himself on the top two steps as if he had just climbed up them on all fours, then he would stretch his arms out in front and straighten his legs out behind, and just let go. So he skied down backwards on his tummy. Looked awfully uncomfortable, but it can’t have been , as he did it until he was big enough to walk down properly. I so wish I caught it on film, but this was in the pre video era.

Thanks all - so sorry but what you say backwards do you mean on her bum?

DH is now asking about a stair gate but the ones I’ve looked at only say they go up to 24 months for safety reasons.

Feet first on their tummy, sliding down slowly. Both of mine did this first then went down on their bottoms as they got older.

Turn round and climb down backwards, on their tummy.

And get a stair gate for the bottom of the stairs so she cants go up unattended. Or just tell her not to if she's the sort of child to follow instructions!

Feet first, on her tummy.
The same way she'd get down off your bed or the sofa.

But mine was under 1, and could climb stairs before he could walk.

Definitely feet first on her tummy so sort of slide down one step at a time. I'd also still get stair gates so she can't go up or down without you.

My son just turned 4 and we still have stair gates. I think the 24 months thing is just incase they climb over them, my landing isn't very big though so I'd be more worried he'd fall down them without them there. They'll be there for years longer as there'll be another baby soon anyway.

Not bumping on bum as they can then accidentally slide down. Turning round as people say, feet first with hands on step then lower themselves down. And yes to stair gates. Not sure about them saying up to 22 months. We still have one and kids are 3 and 7. Works fine. they don’t need it for safety reasons but we lock it at night or if we want DS to stay upstairs.

When I say backwards, I mean that your DC would be in the same position going down the stairs as they are going up the stairs. So as they approach the top of the stairs, they go into all fours (if they’re upright), turn around, go down and then one leg goes over the edge of the top step followed by the other leg whist their arms are still on the top step. Their face is looking at the steps and their tummy is in almost constant contact with the stairs. This position makes is easier for them to stop themselves if they go too quickly (although, as a PP said, they may get fast enough that they pretty much slide down on their tummy, something which always struck me as being really painful but some toddlers seem to enjoy).
What you don’t want is for them to be facing outwards as them it is easy for them to tumble
I would definitely get stair gates. As well as the safety aspect, as they get older and more independent, it helps with zoning the house so you know which floor they’re on. With the age limit,
just be sensible about where you position it. We couldn’t have it directly at the top of the stairs as some boxed in piping created a little step which would have given a toddler the perfect boost to get up & over the safety gate and plummet down the steps. Instead, we positioned it along the landing

May I interrupt and ask those with steep Victorian stairs - I have them too OP! What age did you trust your children to do them by themselves? Mine has fallen twice and I’m so paranoid - she is never ever allowed on them on her own and she’s coming up for 2.5. I get cold sweats thinking about her navigating them on her own when she’s older…

We did feet first lying on their tummy, which was sometimes more like crawling backwards and sometimes more like sliding backwards at speed, depending on their mood. I have never been a fan of the bumping down on their bottom method because they have big, heavy heads at that age and if they lean too far forward, they'll somersault down the stairs.

I taught both of mine to bump down on their bums. Couldn’t persuade them to go down backwards.

DD1 was the same as @fishfingergermanbight - she'd lie on her front with her feet heading down the stairs and arms above her head, then tense into a 'plank' and just slide down. This method only works on steep Victorian stairs.

On all others (with a deeper tread) she and DD2 would climb down backwards (as mentioned by the other posters) like climbing down from a tree or sofa. My mum taught them both by going down the same way with them copying. Once they were proficient, I felt it was safer than carrying them.