Once your toddler is able to stand, he will soon take his first few steps unaided. Toddlers are curious about their surroundings. It will not be long before your toddler starts exploring by climbing the stairs and furniture as his walking improves.

Staying physically active through standing, walking or even running helps your toddler strengthen his muscles. Exploring together with your toddler will boost his self-confidence and make him feel secure. Even if your toddler does not start walking at 12 to 15 months, do not fret. It is normal for some toddlers to start walking when they reach 15 to 18 months.

Besides walking, your toddler may engage in play like stacking blocks before proceeding to knock them down or scribbling with crayons and markers. With improved motor skills, your toddler may start to pick up small objects standing up without falling over. In addition, he is slowly showing more independence by being able to drink from a cup albeit doing so messily or trying to dress himself up.

Your 12-15 Month Old Toddler’s Nutrition

Ensuring your toddler is getting the right nutrition is critical for their growth and development. Professor Joe Millward, Emeritus Professor of Human Nutrition, University of Surrey, attributes good growth to a healthy balanced diet, physical activity and sufficient sleep. Prof. Millward shared that some nutrients are more important than others in terms of the linear growth of the bones, and we can separate individual nutrients into two types:

What Can Your Little One Eat Now?

Breastmilk is the best food for your babies. However, from as early as 6 months old, you can start to introduce solid food. It’s a good idea to check with your doctor to identify the right time to start giving your toddler solid foods.

If you have already started transition to solid food, your toddler might be eating on your family’s schedule with three meals a day and two or three planned snacks. He will be transitioning to table foods, which is exciting, but he won’t like everything you give him. It can be tricky when toddlers are only interested in a limited variety of foods.

During this transition, you need to be patient yet persistent. Eat together as a family, and let your toddler enjoy the messy freedom of feeding himself. When you introduce a new food to your child, you may have to serve him small portions many times before he will eat it.

Did You Know?

Your eating habits and feeding styles can affect your children’s relationship with food. Abbott Nutrition interviewed expert Dr MacLean, clinical professor from Department of Paediatrics at The Ohio State University. Dr MacLean shared, “It’s not a parent’s job to control a child’s food intake. The parent’s job is to provide balanced meals, make the eating environment positive, and respond to children appropriately.”

There are 4 feeding styles, and the healthiest style is called ‘responsive feeding’. To read more about this click here.

Emotional Milestones For The 12-15 Month Old Toddler

Your toddler is also making improvements in terms of his social skills as he interacts with more people in new social situations. You can expect your toddler to attempt making his first few friendships when he interacts with other children. From these experiences, your toddler may start to empathise with others. For example, he might portray concern or sadness in his behaviour and facial expressions when he sees others in distress. The ability to put himself into the shoes of others is vital to developing relationships.

Cognitive Milestones For The 12-15 Month Old Toddler

Your toddler’s babbling might make way for his first real words as his language ability develops. This may include words such as “daddy” and “mummy” or naming familiar objects around him. However, his language development is still a work in progress. Hence, he might still resort to grunting, nodding and pointing to alert you to what he wants.

Your toddler is constantly learning new skills as he expands his knowledge about the world around him. As such, your toddler might be able to respond to simple prompts such as waving good bye, giving you a high-five or pointing to objects after being asked to do so. Your toddler may display their playful side too, by imitating your expressions and gestures or engaging in pretend play. Furthermore, your toddler might come to understand the purpose of common household objects and appliances and possibly try to mimic the way family members use them as well.

These are fun times for both you and your toddler as your toddler starts to pick up new skills and mature in his thinking and emotions. Remember that every toddler is different and will develop at his own time. Just enjoy watching your toddler discover the world in new ways!

Engaging Your Toddler

Activities to stimulate your toddlers development:

It’s Okay To Be Affectionate With Your Toddler

Giving your toddler plenty of hugs and kisses can support his development emotionally. Positive attention will make him feel loved and secure. Moreover, he can learn about empathy through your attentiveness to his emotions.

Encourage your toddler’s independence
Let your toddler hone everyday skills such as drinking from a cup or brushing his teeth to develop his cognitive skills. Encourage your toddler to be active. Complex movements such as running, climbing or walking help to build your toddler’s muscles. Ensuring that the areas where your toddler is are safe allows him to be active without getting hurt.

Warning Signs

Although every toddler develops at a different pace, here are some signs to look out for concerning your toddler’s development. You may see your doctor if you notice any of these signs or are concerned about your toddler’s development:

Learning with Your 12-15 Month Old Toddler

References:
¹ Golden MH. Specific deficiencies versus growth failure: type I and type II nutrients. SCN News. 1995;(12):10-4.

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