What toddlers do between 12 and 18 months

Between their first birthday and 18 months, most toddlers start walking on their own, point to show you things, try out a handful of words and begin feeding themselves, with mixed results. The CDC describes milestones as skills most children reach by a certain age, in how they play, learn, speak, behave and move.

Every child gets there on their own schedule. The list below is a picture of the age, not a test.

Moving and exploring

The CDC’s description of the second year is a toddler who moves around more, explores objects and becomes more aware of themselves. In practice that looks like a small person who has discovered the kitchen cupboards.

By 18 months, the CDC lists walking without holding on to anyone or anything, and climbing on and off a couch or chair without help. Scribbling is on the list too, which is worth knowing before anyone leaves a pen near a wall.

The exploring has a tether. One of the CDC’s social milestones for this age is a child who moves away from you but looks back to make sure you are close by. You are the base camp. Expect to be checked on.

Pointing, words and copying

Pointing does a lot of work at this age. The CDC lists pointing to show you something interesting, which is different from pointing at something they want: it is a toddler sharing the world with you.

On words, the CDC milestone for 18 months is trying to say 3 or more words beyond the names they use for their parents. Alongside that, many toddlers can follow a one-step direction without a gesture, like handing you a toy when you say “give it to me”. The CDC also notes that in the second year toddlers recognize familiar names, form simple phrases and can recognize themselves in pictures or a mirror.

Copying is the other big one. The CDC lists copying you doing chores, like sweeping, and playing with toys in a simple way, like pushing a toy car. Toddlers imitate adults and older children, the CDC says, so whatever you do with your hands all day is now curriculum.

The same page is honest that this is the age of growing independence, and that toddlers may be defiant. Both arrive together.

Feeding themselves and helping

Most of the 18-month list happens at the table and at the changing mat. The CDC includes feeding themselves with their fingers, trying to use a spoon, and drinking from a cup without a lid, with the note that they may spill sometimes. That note is doing a lot of quiet work.

Helping starts here too. The CDC lists putting hands out to have them washed, and helping with dressing by pushing an arm through a sleeve or lifting a foot. It is slower than doing it yourself, and it is the point.

Things to try at home

The CDC’s tips for this age are mostly ordinary moments, done on purpose.

Talk at their level. Face your child and get down to eye level when you talk. Name body parts as you go, like pointing to a nose at bath time.

Build on their words. If they say “dog”, the CDC suggests answering with a fuller sentence. If they say “baba”, you can say “bottle”.

Read and ask. Read together every day, describe the pictures in simple words, and ask simple questions about what is around them, like “what is that?”

Let it be messy. Let them practice with an open cup and a spoon, even though it’s messy. The CDC also suggests encouraging independence in dressing and feeding, and offering simple choices, such as which of 2 shirts to wear.

Play the small games. Rolling a ball, pushing cars, putting blocks in and out of a container, shape sorters, simple puzzles, and blowing bubbles for them to pop. Pretend play counts too: feeding a stuffed animal with a spoon, or tucking a doll under a blanket.

Keep the day predictable. Consistent sleep and meal routines, eating together when you can, and outings like the park or a bus ride. The CDC does not recommend screens under age 2 beyond video calls with people you love.

Expect tantrums. The CDC’s words, not ours. Distraction helps, and so does a calm, safe spot where they can settle while you stay nearby. Praise the behavior you want to see more of and give less attention to the rest. If anyone asks about potty training, the CDC notes most children are not ready until 2 to 3 years old.

Using the CDC checklist

The CDC publishes a full checklist for 18 months, with tips and activities, on its milestones page. It is worth reading the original rather than a summary, including this one.

The CDC also has a Milestone Tracker app for iOS and Android, in English and Spanish, covering 2 months to 5 years. It has illustrated checklists with photos and videos of each milestone, adjusts for children born early by using their corrected age, and can produce a summary to share with your child’s doctor. The CDC is clear that it does not replace the developmental screening your pediatrician does.

Bringing the checklist to a well-child visit is a simple way to start the conversation. Your pediatrician can talk through anything you have noticed, in either direction.

Sources

• Milestones by 18 Months — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Positive Parenting Tips: Toddlers (1–2 years old) — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Milestone Tracker App — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

This is educational information from public sources, not a replacement for advice from your child’s healthcare professional.

In Withya, Guides shows play ideas for your child’s age, with the source beside each.