Your child abilities in all ares continue to develop rapidly at this stage. Don’t be surprised if he focuses a lot of effort on one skill area over another for a few days or weeks at a stretch. At this age, development moves forward in fits and starts. Just keep supporting him with your love, interaction, and good nutrition. Here are some of the developments you’re likely to see during this early toddler period.

Cognitive

For months, your child has been carefully observing and exploring. If you watch carefully, you’ll see that his play now shows what he’s learned (and is continuing to learn) about how things work. He has a strong grasp on that concept of object permanence and may initiateå games like peekaboo since he understands how they work. His sense of time may now allow him to begin to understand that the day has a flow to it and to know roughly which events follow which (dinner, then bedtime).
 

Motor

Clear a path! Most children stand by themselves at 12 motnths. Then, after cruising (walking y hanging onyo furniture for support) for a while, most take their first solo steps by 12 to 13 months. At first, there’s a lot of wobbling and lurching - and, yes, falling down. (Be ready to comfort him and his boo-boos.) Most children gain balance and walk fairly well by 14 to 15 months, abd they can even stop, bend over or squat, and then start walking again. (some kids don’t walk until 16 to 17 months, however, and that’s normal, too.) Some new children walk on tiptoe for a while as they get the hang of this new skill.
 

Communication

Most young children start out with just a few clear words, often “Ma ma,” “Da da,” and words (or attempts of words) they hear often: “uh-oh,” “bye-bye,” “no,”  “dipey” for “diaper.” But language skills very a lot, so there’s a wide range of  “normal.” Don’t neglect all that your child can tell you without words. He’s likely an expert at nonverbal communication by now using grunts, grimaces, and smiles; touching his lips to indicate hunger; throwing objects in frustration; pointing an index finger to show curiosity. You child is trying to share lots with you.
 

Emotional

Your child is increasingly aware that he’s a separate individual from you. He knows he doesn’t like peas, for examples, but you do. He wants to do things that you’re trying to stop him from doing. As a result, although he’s drawn to you more than ever for ecurity in a world full of unfamiliar faces and experiences, he also rejects you a little bit when you get in his way. His exciting new skills and impulses mean he’s a busy explorer, but he has little sense of what’s unsafe or beyond his ability. So he’s learning a lot about frustration. Give your child safe ways to assert his independence and comfort him without overly fussing to help him handle situations which there must be limits.