Milestones matter! How your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves offer important clues about his or her development. Look for these developmental milestones in your one-year-old.
Physical:
- Gets to a sitting position without help
- Pulls up to stand, walks while holding on to furniture ("cruising")
- May take a few steps without holding on
- May stand alone
Mental:
- Explores things in different ways, like shaking, banging, throwing
- Finds hidden things easily
- Looks at the right picture or thing when it’s named
- Copies gestures
- Starts to use things correctly; for example, drinks from a cup and brushes hair
- Bangs two things together
- Puts things in a container, takes things out of a container
- Let’s things go without help
- Pokes with index (pointer) finger
- Follows simple directions like “pick up the toy”
Social:
- Is shy or nervous with strangers
- Cries when mom or dad leaves
- Has favorite things and people
- Shows fear in some situations
- Hands you a book when he wants to hear a story
- Repeats sounds or actions to get attention
- Puts out arm or leg to help with dressing
- Plays games such as “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake”
- Responds to simple spoken requests
- Uses simple gestures, like shaking head “no” or waving “bye-bye”
- Makes sounds with changes in tone (sounds more like speech)
- Says “mama” and “dada” and exclamations like “uh-oh!”
- Tries to say words you say
Additional Tips for Caretakers:
You can help your child learn and grow. Talk, read, sing, and play together every day. Below are some activities to enjoy with your 1-year-old child today.- Give your child time to get to know a new caregiver. Bring a favorite toy, stuffed animal, or blanket to help comfort your child.
- In response to unwanted behaviors, say "no" firmly. Do not yell, spank, or give long explanations. A time-out for 30 seconds to 1 minute might help redirect your child.
- Give your child lots of hugs, kisses, and praise for good behavior.
- Spend much more time encouraging wanted behaviors than punishing unwanted behaviors (4 times as much encouragement for wanted behaviors as redirection for unwanted behaviors).
- Talk to your child about what you’re doing. For example, “Mommy is washing your hands with a washcloth.”
- Read with your child every day. Have your child turn the pages. Take turns labeling pictures with your child.
- Build on what your child says, tries to say, or points to. If he or she points to a truck and says "t" or "truck," say, "Yes, that's a big, blue truck." Give your child crayons and paper, and let your child draw freely. Show your child how to draw lines up and down and across the page. Praise your child when he or she tries to copy them.