Your toddler's developmental milestones at 1 year
Everything you need to know about your growing 1-year-old
Congratulations, you officially have a toddler! Toddlers are more active, curious and expressive. At this age, your child may begin to use words, be able to stand on their own and take a few steps. To help your little one learn and grow, read books to your child and encourage active play.
Test your knowledge
True or false? Just 15 minutes of play can build millions of brain connections.
True! Every hug, kiss, song or game can help your child's development in a thousand different ways.
To learn more, see our mini parenting master class on building babies' brains through play.
Social and emotional milestones at 1 year
Some of the ways you’ll see your little one learning to connect with the people around them at 1 year:
- Hands you a book when they want to hear a story
- Cries when their parents leave
- Is shy around strangers
- Puts out an arm or leg to help with getting dressed
- Has favourite toys
- Repeats sounds to get your attention
Tips for parents
- Play social games with them like hiding something and coaxing them to find it.
- Try to get them to help with getting dressed by asking them to put their leg out, stand up, etc.
Language and communication milestones at 1 year
How your toddler is expressing their needs:
- Is using basic gestures like waving and saying basic words like “mama” and “dada”
- Their babbles sound more like speech
- Responds to simple requests you give
- Will try to repeat words you say
Tips for parents
- Encourage your toddler to say ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye.’ Praise your toddler when they do so, as this can help their socio-emotional development.
- Praise your toddler when they repeat words or try to speak with others.
- Prompt them to point to characters and objects when you’re reading to them.
Brain development milestones at 1 year
How your child’s brain is growing:
- Copies movements and gestures
- Bangs objects together
- Drinks from a cup and uses other objects correctly
- Finds things that are hidden
- Looks at the right object when it is named
- Can follow simple directions and lets go of objects without help
- Puts objects in containers and can take them out
Tips for parents
- Give support and guidance to your toddler when they're playing a game.
- As you notice your toddler gaining skills and being able to do some things on their own, you can progressively reduce your support but still observe and guide them.
>>Discover learning activities for 1-year-olds
Movement and physical development milestones at 1 year
How they’ll move through their environment:
- Can take a few steps without support
- Gets into a sitting position without support.
- Pulls up to stand and walks while holding onto furniture
Tips for parents
- Try placing your toddler on flat surfaces to help them develop their gross motor skills like crawling and moving their arms and legs.
Food and nutrition milestones at 1 year
What mealtimes look like at 1 year:
- Eats a greater variety of foods, such as soft-cooked vegetables and soft fruits
- Starting to learn how to eat on their own
- Can thoroughly chew their food
- Beginning to be able to use an open cup
Tips for parents
- Give your toddler half a cup of food four to five times a day, along with two healthy snacks.
- Continue to breastfeed if they want to.
Things to look out for
While all children develop differently, you should speak to your paediatrician if your 1-year-old:
- Isn’t crawling
- Won't search for hidden objects
- Is unable to stand without support
- Doesn’t point
- Doesn’t say simple words
- Loses skills they once had
