What your child is doing
- Walking unaided (albeit in a wobbly fashion)
- Rising to standing without help from furniture or people
- Pointing to objects of interest
- Speak two or three recognisable words
- Deliberately dropping toys and looking for them
What not to worry about – shyness with other kids
Some children are naturally introverted than others, especially around strangers and need more encouragement in social situations. Try instigating on-to-one play dates in your home rather than large mother baby groups and prepare your child for what’s going to happen in advance, talking about who’s coming and what you’ll all play with.
How you can help your child at this age
- Children of this age love to stack toys, and build with bricks or put things inside containers all help with motor skills.
- Encourage your child to get creative with crayons, paints and play dough.
- Pretend to be different animals together, this again promotes imagination and creativity.
- Buy a baby pushchair or baby shopping trolley as it can help promote confidence in walking.
Troubleshooting - “My son isn’t walking yet.”
Hard as it is don't panic, is the advice from Dr Andrew Raffles, Paediatrician & Developmental Specialist at Viveka, healthcare specialists for women and children. “All children are different”, says Dr Raffles, “milestones are more like stepping stones, in that they vary between children. For example everyone expects their child to walk by age 12 months, but walking is not delayed unless it doesn't start by age 18 months and even then it can still be quite normal for some late walkers. If in doubt play your hunches and speak to your health visitor or GP - they will either reassure you, or arrange a developmental assessment.”
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