Your Baby Turns 1

1.

Those brave first steps, if your child hasn’t taken them already. If they have, enjoy the first time you walk hand-in-hand together.

2.

More precise movements and better hand-eye coordination as their fine motor skills develop. See them scribble with a crayon, carefully stack blocks, poke with their index finger, and repeatedly put things in and out of a container.

3.

Bigger and more varied movements like ‘dancing’ and walking up steps, as their gross motor skills develop

4.

A shorter gap between when you first teach your child a word and when they start using it.

5.

Finally understanding what your child wants as they point to them and responds to simple questions – usually, the ‘yes or no’ kind.

6.

Taking turns playing many rounds of peek-a-boo and enjoying other simple games like pat-a-cake.

7.

More caretakers in the form of grandparents and aunts/uncles, as your toddler becomes more fun to play with day after day.

8.

Whether your little one starts weaning with the baby-led or spoon-fed approach, at 1 year old, your baby’s eating habits may become unpredictable. They may eat everything in 1 meal and nothing for the rest of the day, or eats the same food for 4 days in a row and completely reject it after. Try not to stress out; if you feel your baby does not take a balanced diet regularly, you can supplement with formula milk to help support their growth and development after consulting with your doctor first.

9.

Less guesswork when it comes to decoding your child’s cries. As your child learns to communicate, it becomes easier to find out the source of pain or irritation. Ask them to point out what hurts like their head, tummy, throat, or even teeth.

10.

Speaking of teeth, expect to see more incisors and even molars!

11.

More complex play as your child learns to pick up basic rules. Figuring out what things are for (e.g. phone, brush) and being able to follow simple commands paves the way for you and your child to have hours of fun with pretend play.

12.

Storytelling fun! Your heart will melt the first time they hand you their favourite book for you to read to them.

13.

Creative play. The child can pretend to feed a doll, explore and points to things in a room.

14.

Practising your parenting skills as your toddler begins to express and learn to handle a wider range of emotions like frustration, anxiety, and jealousy.

15.

Transitioning to “bigger kid” items like sippy cups and more advanced toys.

16.

Being silly. Toddlers find many things funny so look forward to having a few unexpected laughs over everyday objects and situations.