Child Development: 9 - 18 Months

Older babies are ready to explore their world and are becoming more adventurous as their increasing ability to move around allows them to have new experiences. They show strong attachment to the adults in their life and a strong interest in other children their age. They practice communicating by babbling and they understand and can respond to a growing number of words.

Take a look at the categories below to learn different ways you can help your child develop in response to different behaviors.

How Children Grow and Stay Healthy

Babies 9-18 months old are growing and physically developing their little bodies every day. Check out the chart below to learn ways you can support their growth and development.

	
      Children This Age May:
		How You Can Help Them Develop:
    
		Children This Age May:
Creep on hands and knees or hands and feet, pull to a stand using furniture for support, cruise while holding onto furniture, or walk without support.
      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Allow and encourage them to move to get what they want, such as a toy that is out of reach.

Provide simple toys with wheels like toy lawn mowers for support as they experiment with standing and walking.

      Children This Age May:
Place a stacking ring on the post or use two hands to pick up a big truck, but only one hand to pick up a small one.
      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Provide a variety of safe toys with pieces that come apart, fit together, and stack.
    
      Children This Age May:
Turn the pages of a board book.

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Provide books to help them develop smaller muscles in their bodies (e.g., using fingers to turn pages or point).

Children This Age May:	How You Can Help Them Develop:
Children This Age May: Creep on hands and knees or hands and feet, pull to a stand using furniture for support, cruise while holding onto furniture, or walk without support.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Allow and encourage them to move to get what they want, such as a toy that is out of reach. Provide simple toys with wheels like toy lawn mowers for support as they experiment with standing and walking.
Children This Age May: Place a stacking ring on the post or use two hands to pick up a big truck, but only one hand to pick up a small one.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Provide a variety of safe toys with pieces that come apart, fit together, and stack.
Children This Age May: Turn the pages of a board book.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Provide books to help them develop smaller muscles in their bodies (e.g., using fingers to turn pages or point).

How Children Learn to Interact with Other People

During this time frame, babies will interact more, connecting with you and others in ways they hadn’t before. Take a look at the chart below for tips on how to support this stage of development.

	
      Children This Age May:
		How You Can Help Them Develop:
    
		Children This Age May:
Develop the ability to engage with adults. They may seek reassurance from parents when unsure if something is safe or watch and then help family members as they prepare snacks.
      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Talk with them to describe your interactions.

Ask if they want to help (e.g., provide a spoon and bowl to them while you prepare dinner).

Join them on the floor to play.

      Children This Age May:
Start to understand how others are feeling. They may try to hug a crying peer or bring their own special blanket to a peer who is crying.
      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Talk about another child’s expression of feelings (e.g., “Mia is laughing because the puppet is so funny.”).

Show and talk about how you care and comfort other children (e.g., “Jake feels better when I pat his back”).

      Children This Age May:
Start to understand how to respond to other people. They may play in ways that involve taking turns, such as rolling a ball back and forth.

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Provide opportunities for them to listen to conversations and watch adult interactions.

Describe to them what they are doing (e.g., “You are telling me you want me to play ball with you”).

Children This Age May:	How You Can Help Them Develop:
Children This Age May: Develop the ability to engage with adults. They may seek reassurance from parents when unsure if something is safe or watch and then help family members as they prepare snacks.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Talk with them to describe your interactions. Ask if they want to help (e.g., provide a spoon and bowl to them while you prepare dinner). Join them on the floor to play.
Children This Age May: Start to understand how others are feeling. They may try to hug a crying peer or bring their own special blanket to a peer who is crying.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Talk about another child’s expression of feelings (e.g., “Mia is laughing because the puppet is so funny.”). Show and talk about how you care and comfort other children (e.g., “Jake feels better when I pat his back”).
Children This Age May: Start to understand how to respond to other people. They may play in ways that involve taking turns, such as rolling a ball back and forth.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Provide opportunities for them to listen to conversations and watch adult interactions. Describe to them what they are doing (e.g., “You are telling me you want me to play ball with you”).

How Children Learn to Express Their Feelings and Emotions

Babies 9-18 months old are learning how to show their feelings and emotions. The tips below will help you understand what to expect and how to support their development.

	
      Children This Age May:
		How You Can Help Them Develop:
    
		Children This Age May:
Develop close relationships with adults in their lives. They may snuggle with mom, dad, or other close caregivers and parents when feeling tired or grumpy.
      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Respond to requests for comfort and engagement with hugs, smiles, and laughter.

Provide good-bye routines that are similar every time.

      Children This Age May:
Point to or indicate parts of the body when asked.
      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Play naming games about parts of the face or body while holding them or while looking in the mirror.
    
      Children This Age May:
Clap and bounce with joy after making a handprint with paint.
      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Recognize and support their attempts to do things on their own.
    
      Children This Age May:
Use comfort objects, such as a special blanket or stuffed toy, to help calm down.

Seek to be close to a parent or caregiver when upset.

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Recognize when they have comforted themselves. For example, say, “You found your bear and made yourself feel better.”
    
      Children This Age May:
Choose one toy when asked, “Which one do you want?” even though the child really wants both.
      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Give a choice between two acceptable options (e.g., “Would you like to wear the blue socks or the white socks?”).

Children This Age May:	How You Can Help Them Develop:
Children This Age May: Develop close relationships with adults in their lives. They may snuggle with mom, dad, or other close caregivers and parents when feeling tired or grumpy.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Respond to requests for comfort and engagement with hugs, smiles, and laughter. Provide good-bye routines that are similar every time.
Children This Age May: Point to or indicate parts of the body when asked.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Play naming games about parts of the face or body while holding them or while looking in the mirror.
Children This Age May: Clap and bounce with joy after making a handprint with paint.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Recognize and support their attempts to do things on their own.
Children This Age May: Use comfort objects, such as a special blanket or stuffed toy, to help calm down. Seek to be close to a parent or caregiver when upset.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Recognize when they have comforted themselves. For example, say, “You found your bear and made yourself feel better.”
Children This Age May: Choose one toy when asked, “Which one do you want?” even though the child really wants both.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Give a choice between two acceptable options (e.g., “Would you like to wear the blue socks or the white socks?”).

How Children Learn to Communicate and Develop Skills to Read

From 9-18 months, you will see changes in the way your baby communicates with you. Watch the video below and read the chart to understand how to better support your baby’s developing communication skills.

	
      Consideration for Adults:
		Examples of Responses:
    
		Children This Age May:
Go to a cubby when their teacher says that it is time to put on coats to go outside.

Cover up the doll when an adult says, “Cover the baby with the blanket.”

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Label and name everything seen and done throughout the day.

Play games and sing songs that use gestures and words that involve one-step directions (e.g., “Show me your eyes,” “Wave bye-bye”).

      Children This Age May:
Look at a plate of crackers, then at the adult, and communicate “more.”

Use two words together, such as “Daddy give.”

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Expose them to language by talking and reading together.

Use both new and familiar words or sign language and repeat these words in different settings.

Consideration for Adults:	Examples of Responses:
Children This Age May: Go to a cubby when their teacher says that it is time to put on coats to go outside. Cover up the doll when an adult says, “Cover the baby with the blanket.”	How You Can Help Them Develop: Label and name everything seen and done throughout the day. Play games and sing songs that use gestures and words that involve one-step directions (e.g., “Show me your eyes,” “Wave bye-bye”).
Children This Age May: Look at a plate of crackers, then at the adult, and communicate “more.” Use two words together, such as “Daddy give.”	How You Can Help Them Develop: Expose them to language by talking and reading together. Use both new and familiar words or sign language and repeat these words in different settings.

How Children Learn to Think

The developing brain of a 9-18 month old is continuing to learn how to think and take in new information around them. The tips below can help you support that growth.

	
      Children This Age May:
		How You Can Help Them Develop:
    
		Consideration for Adults:
Build a tower with the big cardboard blocks and kick it over to make it fall, then build it and knock it down again.

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Provide cause and effect toys, like jack-in-the-boxes or spinning tops, and toys with moving parts, like cars, and show the child how they work.

Respond positively to their success in making something happen (e.g., clapping and saying, “You did it!”).

		Consideration for Adults:
Imitate simple actions that they have seen adults doing; for example, they might take a toy phone out of a purse and say hello as a parent does.

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Provide household items or toys that they can use to imitate adult behavior, like plastic cups, bowls and spoons, toy brooms, or dolls.

		Consideration for Adults:
Go to the sink when an adult says that it is time to wash hands.

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Talk about what they are seeing, hearing, and doing or what you are doing with them. (e.g., When washing their hands, talk about turning on the water, getting the soap and rinsing.)

Allow them to help wipe their hands and face.

Children This Age May:	How You Can Help Them Develop:
Consideration for Adults: Build a tower with the big cardboard blocks and kick it over to make it fall, then build it and knock it down again.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Provide cause and effect toys, like jack-in-the-boxes or spinning tops, and toys with moving parts, like cars, and show the child how they work. Respond positively to their success in making something happen (e.g., clapping and saying, “You did it!”).
Consideration for Adults: Imitate simple actions that they have seen adults doing; for example, they might take a toy phone out of a purse and say hello as a parent does.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Provide household items or toys that they can use to imitate adult behavior, like plastic cups, bowls and spoons, toy brooms, or dolls.
Consideration for Adults: Go to the sink when an adult says that it is time to wash hands.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Talk about what they are seeing, hearing, and doing or what you are doing with them. (e.g., When washing their hands, talk about turning on the water, getting the soap and rinsing.) Allow them to help wipe their hands and face.

How Children Learn to Learn

Babies 9-18 months are still “learning to learn.” Read the tips below to help support their learning.

	
      Children This Age May:
		How You Can Help Them Develop:
    
		Children This Age May:
Bring a small stool over to reach a toy on top of a shelf, having observed an adult do it.

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Encourage them to solve problems. For example, say, “You are working hard on that puzzle.” Help only when they show that they need it.

		Children This Age May:
Anticipate and participate in the steps of a nap routine.

      How You Can Help Them Develop:
Establish a daily schedule so they can begin to anticipate routines.

Provide consistent songs or games that link to a specific activity, such as the same song at naptime or the same game prior to lunchtime.

Children This Age May:	How You Can Help Them Develop:
Children This Age May: Bring a small stool over to reach a toy on top of a shelf, having observed an adult do it.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Encourage them to solve problems. For example, say, “You are working hard on that puzzle.” Help only when they show that they need it.
Children This Age May: Anticipate and participate in the steps of a nap routine.	How You Can Help Them Develop: Establish a daily schedule so they can begin to anticipate routines. Provide consistent songs or games that link to a specific activity, such as the same song at naptime or the same game prior to lunchtime.

Check out the video below to hear more about the parent / caregiver experience of babies 9-18 months.

View the CO Early Learning and Development Guidelines 9 - 18 Months Tip Sheet for more information on milestones and behaviors for children this age.

The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines

Are you interested in learning about the expectations for your child's development based on their age? The Colorado Early Learning and Development Guidelines describe the path of children’s learning and development from birth to 8 years old. Broken down by age and major milestones, the guidelines are a sort of map, helping parents and caregivers navigate their child's early years. Experts from across Colorado developed these guidelines to create a shared understanding and a coordinated approach to learning and development.

Curious about what your little one is thinking at this age? Wondering what you can do to help them thrive and reach their developmental milestones? Check out the guidelines using the link below.

Browse the Guidelines

Download the Guidelines Document

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