Health & Baby

Baby Developmental Milestones: 12 to 15 Months

May have started walking!

Soon after your 1-year-old is walking alone inside, you'll want to take him for walks outside. He'll need flexible shoes with non-stick soles, like sneakers. Short family walks in the neighborhood or a park will help him learn to enjoy physical activity.

Plays patty-cake and may give a "high five"

Your toddler is becoming more skilled with her hands and sharpening her hand-eye coordination. She can play patty-cake and even slap you a "high five." Introduce her to songs with simple hand motions, like "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "The Wheels on the Bus."

Likes to hand toys back and forth

Sorting, stacking, and matching helps your toddler learn about color, shape, size, and problem solving. Let him drop objects into a container and dump them out. He'll do it over and over. Simple puzzles, sort shapers, stackers, and pegboards are other good activities.  

Says "mama" and "dada" purposefully and indicates wants with gestures or grunts

Your toddler may be calling you "mama" and "dada" and saying a few other words by now. But she may still grunt or point to things she wants. Gently encourage her to use words by responding to her gestures with words ("Do you want your doll?"). But don't withhold things from her until she responds.