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.
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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
