Physical Development
What your child should be able to do
- Your child should now be running safely, stopping and starting with ease and able to avoid obstacles
- They should be squatting with complete steadiness to rest and play with a toy on the floor and rise to stand without using their hands
- Your child will be climbing onto furniture and able to get down again
- They will be beginning to show increasing understanding of their size in relation to size and position of objects in his/her environment and to enclosed spaces e.g. cupboards
- Your child will be able to walk upstairs or downstairs holding onto a rail or wall, 2 feet to a step
- They will be beginning to throw a small ball overhand forwards without falling and will walk into a large ball when trying to kick it
- They will be able to propel a ride on toy forwards with their feet on the floor
- Your child will be turning single pages of a book and beginning to build a tower of 4 – 6 cubes
- They will be able to string beads and will be helping to dress and undress themselves
- They will be able to wash and dry their hand and start to show know when they are wet and dirty
How you can help
You can find useful tips, hints and advice on ways to help develop and progress your child’s walking skills, balance and coordination here.
When to seek support
- Not walking independently
- Not attempting to feed self-using a spoon and/or help with dressing
What your baby should be able to do
- Your little one is learning more words; you will notice they can name more things.
- You may hear them beginning to put 2 or maybe even 3 words together, such as “my apple” “go car” “bye Daddy”
- They may ask for ‘more’ when they are hungry or thirsty
- They can follow simple instructions such as “get your shoes” when it’s time to go outside or “where’s the car?”
- Their play may involve acting out real situations, such as changing dolly/teddy
How you can help
You can find more hints, tips and advice on supporting your baby’s communication and interaction at:
- Activities for 18 months-2 year olds - BBC Tiny Happy People
- Hungry Little Minds – Simple fun, activities for kids aged 0 – 5 (campaign.gov.uk)
When to seek support
- No clear words
- Not able to understand short requests, such as “where is the car?” (when the car is visible)
If you have any concerns regarding your child's development please click on this link to refer your child into the service, you will then receive a telephone call from a member of the team to discuss your concerns further and organise an assessment as appropriate.