Learning to walk is exciting for both the child and thier parent, here are some hints to make it a bit easier.  Give the child something to hold, a wiffle ball, the light plastic ones with holes, is perfect.  This helps them balance while they are beginning to take steps on thier own.  Hold your hand under theirs, your palm up, theirs down, this allows them to balance on thier own instead of depending on your grasp.  Finally when they are stable, standing an moving from one piece of furniture to another, move the furniture further apart so they have to be risky and take a few steps.