Child 1–2 years
13 Month Old
Movement is becoming a way of getting somewhere rather than something practised for its own sake, and familiar gestures are starting to carry real meaning.
Movement and daily skills
- Moving between familiar positions may become more controlled. Some children take a few steps around now, holding on or alone — the age this arrives at varies widely, and many walk later.
- Putting things into a container and taking them out again may take up a surprising amount of the day.
Language and thinking
- Familiar gestures such as waving may be used more often, and familiar words may be understood inside a routine even when they are not yet said.
- Naming what you are both looking at gives a word somewhere to attach, without any expectation of a reply.
Social and emotional development
- Playing games with you, like pat-a-cake, is something many children do by around one year.
- Bringing you an object and waiting is often an invitation rather than a handover.
Try together
Put a few safe objects and one large container on the floor and let them fill and empty it. Say what is going in without turning it into a lesson.
What can we do today?
32 activity ideas suit this age — most take about five minutes and need nothing you do not already have.
- The Same Song Each Time
- Water Falling
- Your Turn
What can we prepare?
ParentSide has 60 recipes for 12–18 months, each with its texture, portion and preparation notes.
Professional support
Services ParentSide defines for this stage. Each page explains what the service covers and which professionals are approved to provide it.
Sources and updates
This provides general developmental information and is not a developmental assessment. Speak with a healthcare professional if you have concerns about your child's development, or if your child has lost a skill they once had — and you can ask about developmental screening.