Week-by-week library · 12 months old
Month 12
Quick answer
What is my baby up to at 12 months old?
This month is the first birthday, and every wobble on the way to walking is worth celebrating.
What's developing
Motor
Many babies take their first independent steps somewhere around now, though the typical range spans widely (roughly eight to eighteen months, WHO), so plenty of one-year-olds are still cruising confidently instead.
Communication
A first meaningful word or two, used consistently for the same thing, is common by now for many babies.
Social
Imitating simple gestures, clapping, waving, blowing a kiss, often shows up strongly around this age.
Try this together this week
- Celebrate the first birthday, obviously, cake smash optional.
- Narrate first-word attempts back with enthusiasm, even approximations.
- Practice clapping and waving games together; imitation is a genuine skill right now.
- Offer an open cup with supervision for a new self-feeding skill to practice.
What parents often notice
Whether a one-year-old is walking, cruising, or still mostly crawling, all three are common at this exact age; walking status at twelve months varies enormously and evens out over the following months.
Sourced to
- World Health Organization, Motor Development Study (WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study)
- American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org
Last reviewed by the This Week Baby editorial team.