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We just tried to keep him away from sharp edges/hard concrete surfaces, and then just let him go. They have to learn, and they learn through falling sometimes. It's so tough though!! At 17.5 months my LO is FINALLY less clumsy--such a relief!

We created a safe zone so there were few places for her to bump her head that would hurt. The clumsy phase didn't last too long.

@Applesandbananas: We have hardwoods too. I literally cordoned off an area in our living room so she was stayed on the rug with foam tiles. She wasn't allowed on exposed hardwood until she was steadier.

We babyproofed our house as best as we could (sharp edges, corners) and then let her just walk and fall. And whenever she falls on her booty or on her hands, we just make it like it's no big deal and praise her when she gets up without crying. After a while, they get better at bracing themselves when they fall.

@Applesandbananas: I've been tempted to buy her a baby bicycle helmet a few times!

Like Blackbird, I just let her fall. Now she falls when she gets too excited, falls, and gets right back up.

It's a tough stage! My concerns were never when she fell forward. They wouldn't bother her and she'd laugh, stand up, and go back to whatever she was doing. The worst times were when she slipped and fell backwards. She has hit her head hard a few times on hard surfaces and I cringe even now thinking about it. She has a large head so she's pretty top-heavy and well, it's hard to fight against gravity! Nothing major ever happened thankfully, but that's why I did my best to watch her like a hawk whenever she was walking outside of the playyard we created for her in our living room (a fenced off area with a large mat). You can't save them ever time though, and they do learn from their falls.

We just let her fall, unless I can tell she's going to fall into a sharp corner, then I try and guide her fall. I let her bump her head and run into things, and she's definitely learned!