Your toddler's developmental milestones at 18 months
Everything you need to know about your growing 18-month-old.
Your 18-month-old toddler is now walking and using basic words. At this age, children love to play and explore. They begin to show some independence and may play pretend and point at objects they want. They also begin to understand what things in the house are used for, such as a cup or spoon. Your toddler may have temper tantrums around this age, when they grow frustrated trying to communicate how they feel.
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True or false? Music can help your child develop important skills and prepare for school.
True! Exposing your child to music supports many key areas of development.
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Social and emotional milestones at 18 months
Some of the ways you’ll see your little one learning to connect with the people around them at 18 months:
- May be afraid of strangers but will show affection to familiar people
- Points to show interest in something
- Likes to play by handing things to people or playing simple pretend
- May have some tantrums
- Might cling to caregivers in new situations or explore alone but with a parent close by
Tips for parents
- Create joint play opportunities with your toddler.
- Praise your toddler when they show signs of empathy by sharing their toy, taking care of toys or giving a caring gesture to others. All of these things help support social and emotional development.
Language and communication milestones at 18 months
How your toddler is expressing their needs:
- Shakes their head “no”
- Can say several single words
- Points to show what they want
Tips for parents
- Pay attention to what your toddler is pointing to and make it a language development opportunity by naming the object.
Brain development milestones at 18 months
How your child’s brain is growing:
- They recognize everyday objects
- Points to get attention
- Pretends to feed their favourite stuffed animals
- Can point to a body part
- Can follow one-step commands without gestures
Tips for parents
- Provide your toddler with toys for pretend play.
>>Discover learning activities for 18-month-olds
Movement and physical development milestones at 18 months
How they’ll move through their environment:
- Can walk alone
- Can help undress themselves
- Uses utensils when feeding
- May start walking up stairs
- Pulls toys while walking
Tips for parents
- Encourage your child to participate in everyday routines like getting dressed.
Food and nutrition milestones at 18 months
What mealtimes look like at 18 months:
- Tries more chopped solid foods like chicken or squash
- Can hold and drink from a cup
Tips for parents
- Give them plenty of time to eat. They will be able to eat most of the same foods as adults and more easily use utensils.
Things to look out for
While all children develop differently, you should speak to your paediatrician if your 18-month-old:
- Can't walk
- Doesn’t point
- Doesn’t try to copy others
- Isn’t learning new words
- Can’t say at least six words
- Doesn’t notice when a parent leaves or returns
- Loses skills they once had
