Milestones: 18 months old

DevelopmentBehaviorDevelopment & LearningDevelopment and Learning
Written By Nicole Morales

At 18 months your infant will be able to start doing quite a bit more activities and start getting more active. But they also want to start helping you around the house, so let them. Give them age-appropriate chores to do. Here are some signs or developmental milestones your child should be able to achieve

Emotional and Social Milestones

  • They will start walking and moving away from you but will always make sure they are able to see you

  • Will start showing you things that they are finding interesting.

  • Post a meal or if their hands are dirty, will start showing you their hands for you to help them wash their hands

  • Will sit and want to start reading with you. Well..you will be reading but they will be showing interest now

  • Will probably try to choose what they want to wear and also put their arms and legs out to help you dress them

Communication and Language Milestone

  • As much as “mama” and “dada” are still their favorite words. They will also be able to say a few more words, mostly it would be things they like. Eg: teddy, meow, woof , etc

  • Start following simple instructions like handing you things or going somewhere you ask them to go. eg: go to your room, give me the book, etc.

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

  • Will start copying you doing chores like mopping, picking up clothes, etc

  • Should be able to move and make sounds like “swoosh” and “brrrmmm” when they are pushing a toy car 

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

  • They will be able to start walking without taking any support. 

  • Cover up or put away anything that might be dear to you. Cause now is the time they are going to go on a scribbling spree.

  • Will start drinking from their sippy cup by themselves, they will still spill sometimes but that's part of the learning process

  • Will feed themselves using their fingers and also should be able to hold a spoon to try and feed themselves

  • Should be able to climb low objects like, sofa, stools, etc

For additional guidance, please contact your pediatrician and refer to CDC's guidelines here: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

Nicole Morales

Nicole’s path as a newborn care specialist, postpartum doula, and pediatric sleep consultant is driven by a deep passion for infant well-being and supporting families during the early stages of parenthood. With a background in child development and early childhood education, She is dedicated to helping parents navigate the postpartum period smoothly. Her journey into pediatric sleep consulting stems from witnessing the transformative impact of healthy sleep routines on both infants and parents. She strives to empower families with knowledge and strategies to create a nurturing sleep environment for their newborns. It's her mission to ensure newborns infants and toddlers receive the best care, and parents feel confident in their caregiving roles.

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