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Standing Tall: How Pulling Up Builds Strength and Confidence
The tiny milestone that sets the stage for balance, coordination, and independence
Eliana Savitsky
October 17, 2025
✨ Hey there!
That moment when your baby suddenly grabs the coffee table and…bam!…pulls themselves up like they’ve been doing it forever? It’s magic. Pulling to stand isn’t just cute, it’s a powerhouse milestone for strength, coordination, and even confidence.
Every squat, wobble, and tumble is building the foundation for walking, balance, and body awareness.
✨ First Things First: Quick Wins for You
🪞 Activity Mirror – Encourage visual engagement and motivation by letting your baby see themselves as they pull up.
🧺 Sturdy Laundry Basket or Play Table – Perfect for supported pull-ups and cruising practice (bonus: no fancy gear needed!).
🧸 Soft Foam Play Blocks – Stack them to different heights for practice grabbing, pulling, and shifting weight safely.
🧠 Why Pulling Up Matters (OT Lens)
One morning, while I was getting ready for work, I glanced over and saw my little one holding onto the laundry basket, grinning proudly as he pushed up onto his feet for the very first time. The best part? He wobbled, plopped back down, and immediately tried again, over and over, laughing every time.
That persistence reminded me how much learning happens in those small, everyday moments. Pulling up isn’t about perfection—it’s about exploration, effort, and the thrill of “I did it!”
From an occupational therapy perspective, pulling up to stand is a full-body workout and a critical sensory-motor milestone. Here’s what’s happening under the surface:
💪 Core and leg strength: Every pull-up builds muscle tone in the trunk, hips, and legs—essential for standing and walking.
⚖️ Balance and coordination: Babies learn to shift weight, stabilize their feet, and use their hands for support.
👁️ Depth perception and spatial awareness: Standing gives a new perspective—literally—helping babies understand distance, height, and boundaries.
🧩 Confidence and persistence: Each success (and fall!) builds emotional resilience and a sense of control over their environment.
Pulling up is the baby version of goal-setting—they see what they want and find a way to reach it.
🛠️ Play Routine to Try
Here’s your easy “stand and play” routine to encourage safe, confident movement:
1️⃣ Set Up the Station:
Use a low, sturdy surface like a couch edge, ottoman, or activity table.
2️⃣ Motivate Movement:
Place a favorite toy or snack just above eye level, something worth the climb!
3️⃣ Support, Don’t Lift:
Let your baby do the work. Offer gentle balance support at the hips if needed, but resist the urge to hoist.
4️⃣ Add Challenge Over Time:
Encourage cruising—side-stepping along furniture—or lowering back down to sit. Both build balance and strength.
5️⃣ Celebrate Small Wins:
Every attempt, wobble, or reach counts. Give big smiles, claps, and “You did it!” moments.
Try for 5–10 minutes of supported standing play spread throughout the day, it’s plenty to strengthen without overstimulation.
🔬 Why It Works
Pulling up activates the sensory systems that teach balance, gravity, and control. It also introduces problem-solving…how to get from sitting to standing, how to shift weight, how to fall safely.
These micro-movements fuel big milestones ahead, from cruising to walking to running.
It’s not just standing, it’s independence in motion.
Wrapping Up for Today
That wobbly first pull-up is your child’s way of saying, “I’m ready to take on the world.”
Encourage it. Support it. And celebrate the strength, physical and emotional, that grows with every little rise.
Big high-five,
Eliana
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