There are certain expectations parents should have as their baby develops emotionally, cognitively, physically, etc. These help you gauge whether your child is developing according to the norms or not.
For example, some toddlers may be slow to develop and require extra care and reinforcement.
The only way to understand this is to know the various development milestones at different ages. We have listed baby development milestones between 15 to 18 months to help you decide if your child’s development falls within the normal range.
Key Notes
- Between 15 and 18 months, babies grow emotionally, socially, cognitively, and physically
- Children will be more curious and try to attempt things on their own
- Many kids will love to engage in pretend play and make it more complex as they grow older
- Support your child and encourage them to explore to help them achieve developmental milestones
1. 15 Months Developmental Milestones
At 15 months, babies show lots of growth and development in different domains. We have divided each domain and provided you with some common milestones you will be able to see in your 15-mont-old child:
Cognitive Development
Cognition is important for emotional, physical, and other aspects of development.
Here are some cognitive milestones your child might reach at 15 months:
- Understanding how cause and effect works
- Looking for hidden objects
- Pointing at objects they are interested in
- Exploring objects
- Doing pretend play
Not all might apply to your child, but if you observe these behaviors, it means they are on the right track.
Motor Development
Some motor skills they might display at 15 months include the following:
- Using thumb and forefinger to pick objects
- Walking with minimum support or independently
- Feeding themselves
- Climbing stairs or low furniture with some assistance
Social And Emotional Development
Emotional and social milestones include:
- Showing signs of separation anxiety when away from caregivers
- Enjoying simple or interactive play
- Displaying concern or empathy. For example, they might hug you when they see you are upset
- Playing alongside other people without interaction
Language And Communication
You might notice your child displaying language and communication, which includes:
- Experimenting with different sounds
- Saying a few words they recognize, such as Mama
- Understanding simple commands like “come here” or “goodbye”
If you notice these milestones in your child, it means they are in normal development. Most children at 15 months start showing most of these signs.
2. 16 Months Developmental Milestones
Even at 16 months, children will show a lot of improvement and growth in their development. We have listed the milestones below:
Cognitive Development
They will exhibit all the milestones from 15 months. Apart from that, they will be able to sort objects through colors or shapes.
Some concepts will also be much clearer at this age, such as hot and cold or big and small.
When you ask them to point at different body parts, they will also do that easily. You can ask this to understand whether they have reached this cognitive milestone.
Motor Development
Apart from the milestones of 15 months, here are some other motor skills your child will exhibit at 16 months:
- Scribbling using markers or crayons
- Trying to throw objects
- Kicking a ball
- Will start walking with a lot more confidence and steadiness
- Beginning to use a regular cup for drinking liquids with some assistance
You can also assist your child in reaching these milestones by imitating the same activities.
Social And Emotional Development
At 16 months, most children will start asserting what they like or dislike. They will also display a desire for more independence, which the parents need to provide while supervising.
You will notice them showing affection through cuddles, kisses, and hugs.
Language And Communication
Sixteen-month-olds can easily try to imitate simple sentences and phrases. They will also be in a phase of expanding their vocabulary by starting to say more words.
For example, many children will start using between fifteen and twenty words at this age.
Another important skill they will have learned is to combine two words together. This can include phrases such as “goodbye, mommy,” “more juice,” or the like.
3. 17 Months Developmental Milestones
A 17-month-old baby will start exhibiting the milestones we have listed in each category below:
Cognitive Development
At this age, children will begin engaging in more complicated pretend play. For example, they can start role-playing with various toys or imitate activities in the house.
They will also have the ability to recognize basic shapes such as squares and circles.
Most children will also easily sort objects based on color, shape, and size. All of these are important milestones at 17 months.
Motor Development
As their motor skills start developing better, children at 17 months will start:
- Starting to use forks and spoons without assistance, even if they make a mess
- Throw things or kick a ball with incredible accuracy
- Running and walking with better balance and coordination
- Climbing on playground objects or furniture with some supervision
Make sure you supervise your child whenever they are using their motor skills, especially in playgrounds. It will not hinder their confidence in developing these skills better.
Social And Emotional Development
17-month-old children will begin attempting to do things by themselves and display a higher need for independence.
With time, you will also notice that they begin displaying a range of emotions. One thing they will begin enjoying is activities that include taking turns.
Finally, they will also have comfort objects or toys that they are attached to. For example, many kids have a security blanket or stuffed animal that they like to carry wherever they go.
Language And Communication
Seventeen months is when kids will try to mimic the speech of adults and try to indulge in simple conversations. They will also combine more than two words together and try to form short phrases and sentences.
Some children can even recognize more than 20 words at this age.
It is crucial to provide your child with encouragement at this time. Doing this will motivate them to try to work on their language and communication skills.
4. 18 Months Developmental Milestones
By the time the children are 18 months, you will notice strides in their developmental progress. They will become more interactive, curious, and independent. Here are some milestones most of them achieve:
Cognitive Development
Spatial relationships are an important milestone at this age. For example, kids will begin understanding concepts such as under, on, in, etc. Many kids will also easily name and recognize objects and people they are familiar with.
Their role-playing capacities will also enhance as they will pretend to be in unique scenarios or play different characters.
Motor Development
Kids will go from walking to jumping at this age. However, they will only be able to jump in one place.
Climbing stairs while alternating feet will also become easier as children hold onto railings. If they do this, let them be while supervising them to ensure they feel safe.
Social And Emotional Development
Emotional and social development will mostly remain the same for 17 months. A significant milestone you might notice is that children begin displaying affection or showing preferences toward certain people.
Preference development is important at this stage.
Language And Communication
Finally, children will start using more than fifty words in their vocabulary. You can ask them simple questions, and they will also respond to them with ease. Other than that, this type of development will remain the same for 17 months.
How To Support The Developmental Milestones Of Child
Support is a vital factor in the development of your child and their abilities. Here are some practices you can follow for support across all developmental domains:
- Let Them Spend Time Outdoors
Take your children out and let them explore the world around them. This will help them to grow their physical skills and explore their bodily movements.
Just make sure you supervise at all times, as kids are prone to getting hurt.
- Talk To Them About Everyday Objects
Talking to your toddler about daily items will help them name and distinguish items.
These include toys, household items, body parts, etc. It will also enable them to develop their language and communication skills.
- Stay Physically Present
Never leave your child unattended, especially when they are exploring something new. Your presence will be comforting and provide them with a confidence boost to try new things. It will allow them to become more confident and independent as they grow older.
- Encourage Social Interactions
Social skills help with emotional and social development, which is an important aspect of living a meaningful life.
Let them play with other children regularly so they learn how to be with new people and make new friends. They will also understand how to take turns and the importance of sharing.
Final Thoughts
If you are still concerned and you want to enhance the development of your child, you can opt for a checkup. Their pediatrician will assess their milestones and let you know if your child is on the right track.
