Appointments and activities – What's coming up in the 18th month?
Meeting peers: Most children enjoy meeting other children their age. However, don't expect too much when you arrange playdates – the little ones don't yet play together, but each on their own. Simply enjoy the time when you can exchange experiences with other parents.
Family activities: Especially when older siblings are in the house, it can be difficult to find something that the whole family enjoys. Now that the youngest child can walk, the siblings can play together more and more. Not only the parents benefit from this, but also the children. On a family outing to the park or the playground, the older sibling can show the baby what there is to discover.
Important developmental milestones in the 18th month
Self-recognition: Toddlers now know their own bodies quite well. They point to the relevant body parts and some children can already name them.
Climbing: Whether it's a climbing frame on the playground or the stairs at home – at 18 months many children are enthusiastic climbers. Support your little one and give them help when climbing down.
Expressing: Toddlers' vocabulary is constantly growing. When you look at a picture book together, your child will probably now start to express what they see. Through animal sounds, words and pointing, they show you what they've discovered.
Repetitions: Through repetition, toddlers can better perceive and process what they hear or see. That's why they also love it when they can listen to songs or stories several times in a row.
Walking backwards: Every child develops at their own pace. At 18 months most children can walk steadily without help – forwards and also backwards.
New stimuli: Toddlers are constantly exposed to new stimuli and absorb many new things in everyday life. In the process they develop their own will and express their demands. If they meet resistance, it can lead to tantrums.
