Developmental Milestones: Your Baby By 12 Months

ByAddy Anne

While every child develops on their own timeline, there are certain milestones that about 75% of children will reach by a certain age. At 12 months of age, your child will be rapidly developing their motor skills, independence, and communication skills!

Here are the recommended guidelines for babies at 12 months of age:

Physical Development:

  • Birth weight has tripled with an average weight of 21.5lbs (9.75kg)
  • Birth length has increase by 50%
  • 1-8 teeth have erupted by the first year of life

Gross Motor Skills:

  • Pulls self up to a standing position – may briefly stand alone
  • Cruises or walks while holding onto furniture
  • Sits down from a standing position without assistance
  • May begin walking (usually between 10-15 months)

Fine Motor Skills:

  • Pincer grasp fully developed (grasping objects with thumb and index finger)
  • Places items into a container
  • Can turn the pages in a board book
  • Attempts to build a 2-block tower (most likely without success)

Cognitive Development:

  • Fully understands object permanence – knowing an object still exists even if it is out of sight
  • Replicates gestures such as waving and clapping
  • May experience separation anxiety when away from caregivers
  • Begins to use objects for correct purpose – drinking from a cup, bringing pretend phone up to ear

Communication and Language Development:

  • Comphrends the word “no”
  • Understands simples command such as “come to mommy”
  • Says “mama” and “dada” and possibly some additional words
  • Communications with gestures such as pointing or shaking head, and through sounds

Developmental Activities for 1-Year-Old

Children learn best through play. It is actually how they learn to interact with the world around them. In order to help your child develop to their maximum potential, try implementing some of these tips and activities to help with their language, motor, and cognitive development.

  • Encourage play with building blocks and shape sorters to improve fine motor development.
  • Read with your child every day. Here is a great article about the benefits of reading to your child.
  • If your child is playing with toy animals, expand their language skills by saying things like “Here are all of your animals! This is a tiger and it makes a roar sound!”.
  • Avoid television until the age of 18 months – this recommendation is from the American Academy of Pediatrics
  • Create “taste-safe” sensory bins to encourage the use of their 5 senses.

Similar Posts